Thanks For Design
Written by Ernesto Santalla on November 21st, 2012 // Filed under Uncategorized
Being good at anything is hard work; it requires discipline. Reaching for the goal gives purpose, ambition and the drive to succeed. And once a baseline is achieved, you want to get better and that’s where the discipline pays off. I am always designing or thinking about design. And when I’m not doing that, it’s something related, like photography, and in recent years, writing.
I wasn’t always a good designer. When I first started Architecture school I was clueless, fell flat on my face at least a few dozen times, but I’d say by the time I finished school at Cornell University I was pretty good at it. As soon as I started working I then realized I had no clue on how things get built and the thousands of technical issues that arise out of building just about anything. Being good at design opened doors for me, which allowed me to do the “fun” stuff, while I acquired technical proficiency along the way.
Very early on in my career I promised myself I wouldn’t become cynical when I observed it in someone who was a very unhappy architect. There’s a surge of energy that comes with being creative and negativity keeps it from flowing. Within a few years I experienced another surge of energy, one that comes from being recognized through awards and media attention.
Within ten years of working as an architect I started a business venture with my college friend, Andreas Charalambous, which we called FORMA. We were very successful. So much so that we decided each one of us could have his own firm, which is how I founded Studio Santalla in 2001. Up until 2008 I followed the “Ivory Tower” model, whereby the architect/designer is holed up in a cell theorizing and organizing his drawing pencils.
Once open to them, the opportunities have come my way. In four years I’ve met more people than I had in the previous twenty-four. I am invited to speak at industry events. My work is published extensively and Studio Santalla has continued to win awards. I’ve written about design for