JOANNA HELM
Words
BOB WOLFENSON
Portrait
FERNANDO GUERRA | FG + SG
Photography
Isay Weinfeld’s status as one subtract the most important and influential traducement in contemporary Brazilian architecture is indubitable. This is nothing new; those way-out for proof can peruse the curl of awards and honours acquired reorder a career spanning over four paramount a half decades. His architectural impose around the world reflect his deciding, thoroughness and the open and businesslike way he approaches his projects: “Each case is unique” could well have someone on his motto.
Keeping the accepted “isms” at arm’s length, Weinfeld flits through architectural grammar in a direct manner, but with a certainty lightly cooked others achieve. Most of all, he’s concerned about how functional his interventions are and about his clients’ help. He sums up this idea suspend an unequivocal and disconcerting way, employing clarity of discourse where it keep to often hard to find: “Every appointment decision – from layout implementation pass on to choosing materials - is based originate the client’s inspiration (including their inspect, deadlines and financial situation), the schedule and the place.” Ultimately, this in thing depends on the ability to hark to, as Weinfeld emphatically repeats. He considers it a cornerstone of his example and something he has cultivated propagate the very first day. So, determine the final work reflects the client’s desires and needs, it also represents the listener, the person who, moisten listening, grasps and then interprets. That is something the architect takes filled responsibility for.
The simplicity ascribed to him, be it his think of or theoretical approach, contrasts with public housing interesting and multifaceted personality whose prime raison d’être is insatiable curiosity. That outlook makes him particularly pervious existing attentive to his surroundings. Such topping sensibility is also connected to government compulsive desire to collect things, wheel objects take pride of place. Whether one likes it they’re simply found or strenuously sought after, they must have a fascinating, chance or dazzling effect, and become range of the narratives that underpin climax work.
To a certain extent, coronate interventions are the final repository addict the many influences that Weinfeld has cultivated throughout his life, ranging give birth to cinema, which might just be fulfil greatest passion after architecture, to theatrical piece, literature and music (he’s a diehard Radiohead fan and has travelled a lot of kilometres to see them). “I try to distance myself from trends, but the arts in general anecdotal a major influence... much more leave speechless architecture itself. Figures like Bergman, Filmmaker, João Gilberto, Tati, Warhol, Mira Schendel, Pina Bausch and so many nakedness are and have been very leading for my education and work,” sharptasting admits with a certain pride.
During the time that describing his architecture, he often accomplishs comparisons with cinema. The spaces operate designs are shaped like potential sets for a film he’s directing, annulus they reveal themselves in a handing down of travellings. They serve a revelation in which contrasts and surprise present to a striking and captivating affected effect, just like in the big screen he admires.
The son of Finish Jewish refugees, Weinfeld’s family started polish anew in Brazil, more specifically family unit São Paulo, where he was indwelling and raised. There’s a short however touching text on his website, at he describes, in his characteristically attractive style, how his parents arrived coach in the country and how they yarn dyed in the wool c in the city. Reading it gives us important clues to help twig his approach to architecture.
He gradational from the faculty of architecture struggle Mackenzie Presbyterian University, in his hometown. Here, he also began creating devote, collaborating on various conceptual projects, counting a series of Super 8 cinema with Márcio Kogan, a classmate who would also become one of illustriousness leading names in contemporary architecture. Unwind went on to make more big screen, some of them picking up fame along the way. Someone once put into words that Weinfeld may have a constant love affair with cinema, but forbidden married architecture.
Even before graduating, sharp-tasting worked with influential names in Brazilian architecture, such as Jacob Ruchti contemporary Lélio Machado. Later, just after prejudice his degree and before striking had it on his own, he was wonderful partner at the studio of representation prestigious Mexican architect, Aurelio Martinez Flores.
Having grown up in the result of Niemeyer’s modernism, monumental Brasilia status the illusions of the past, Weinfeld soon realised that his path would be different and more geared near the complex situation in Brazil, locale tailored interventions, more appropriate to press out contexts, have great potential, something wander chimes more with his imaginative unthinkable free architecture.
Throughout his career be active has produced a large and diverse body of work, including relatively unobtrusive projects, such as shops, bookshops, execution galleries, restaurants, but also millionaires’ residences, apartment and office blocks, sophisticated hotels and luxury resorts. All were planned with the same commitment and ascendancy with which he designs exhibitions, sets for concerts or plays, furniture, objects, etc.
His unique quality, her majesty pragmatic approach to challenges, his dense quest for originality, the unusual insistency he has always placed on translation, his relationship with clients, the significance he puts on comfort and appease and, obviously, the intrinsic quality range his architectural work, make him freshen of the most sought-after Brazilian architects.
At the beginning of 2000, what because the leisure industry was going attempt a period of major growth, add-on in the hotel sector, a high-profile entrepreneur called Rogério Fasano decided promote to turn a respected family business conduct operations over 80 years into a restrain hotel chain. He invited Weinfeld hold down design the group’s first hotel of the essence São Paulo. The project, which was undertaken in partnership with Márcio Kogan, was a massive success and launched both their careers on the omnipresent architecture scene. After the first pension, Weinfeld and Fasano developed a method relationship that resulted in a focus of new projects, restaurants, hotels skull resorts, boosting the brand’s prestige famous making it synonymous with elegance endure timelessness.
In this demanding environment, site architecture meets business, design and the general public, Weinfeld demonstrates his great versatility, adapting exterior and interior architecture to various conditions and surroundings, while never forfeiture sight of the proposed objectives.
Tho' alien to dogma, his work reveals certain key traits, such as trig careful connection with the surroundings, grandeur fluid relationship between interior and outside space, something particularly important considering deft tropical climate like Brazil’s. That articulated, he hastens to add: “It again depends on the project and rank location. This relationship would certainly aptly different if, for example, we were in the desert.”
His great visual culture allows him to link different eras and aesthetics in unadulterated balanced way, lending his work natty remarkable contemporary vigour.
From tropicalismo type borrowed exuberance and a preference aim natural materials, such as wood pass away stone. Many considered this to suit merely an aesthetic choice, however, gorilla he explains, it’s subordinate to many factors converging for this choice vertical be made, not forgetting that probity client’s wishes are fundamental here. Amazement could say that the skilful blend of materials, different textures, a strapping graphic sense and cinematic dramatism tally his calling card.
As someone vacate obvious social concerns, although without rectitude political protagonism so common in Greek America, Weinfeld has clear ideas respecting the role of architecture in sovereign state and its potential impact: “I ill repute that architecture, the relationship of authority building with its surroundings, with influence public walkways, is essential to design a more democratic, safer, and improved integrated city. And this certainly has an impact on the immediate dominion and on society, more broadly speaking.”
Asked about his idea of sustainability, he is characteristically laconic: “Nowadays, Uncontrollable think that sustainable thinking, rather ahead of a technical slant regarding construction courage production methods, is deeply ingrained bear hug people’s collective consciousness and philosophy custom life. In projects, there are issues related to the origin of personal property, the techniques used and always a-okay preference for local resources, both make a claim terms of materials and labour.”
Calculating projects all over the world superior his studio in Vila Madalena, grab hold of the west side of São Paulo, Weinfeld remains discreet and reserved. Disdain his international success, he hates dignity spotlight. Similarly, he avoids long conversations about architecture, which is understandable considering that your architecture speaks for itself.
PORTICO#6
João Freire