Iktinus, Callicrates and Phidias, architects and sculptor are credited for the Parthenon, the temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos in Athens, Greece. Built in the 5th Century B.C. the building is widely considered the epitome of Classical Greek Architecture. The architects not only designed a building of perfect proportion, which compensates for optical illusions, but also served as its engineers. We cannot imagine it without sculpture, but do find it hard to imagine it anything but white. Doubtless many, many more people were involved in this masterpiece of architecture, interior design, sculpture and decoration-all working towards a building which symbolized the supremacy of of the city-state of Athens and Greek culture.
Thanks For Design
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
Thanks For Design
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.
Making Art From A WMD
December 2006 found me at Flamingo Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico. Shaped like a horseshoe, it has crystal clear, shallow water that gradually turns emerald green and turquoise; silky white sand, palm trees swaying in the warm breeze, and in the near distance, verdant hills. There is but one small building and a few cabanas on this beach, the small compound I was staying.
Right after sunrise the sound of the ocean is barely a whisper and the sand is wet with dew. As the sun climbs the sky, the water comes alive with color and the sand warms to the touch. The afternoons are best spent out of the intense sun and heat, but come sunset, the sky darkens until the stars emerge to illuminate the boundless sky.
The days in Culebra were some of the most peaceful, serene and even spiritual of my life. At this place of ineffable beauty, nature and man coexist in perfect synchronicity. Flamingo Beach has a soul.
Little effort is required to go from one end of the beach to the other, so I took leisurely strolls along the gentle surf. At one end, two antiquated artillery tanks sit abandoned to the elements and left to rot. The surface of the oxidized tanks is painted with vibrantly colored graphics, as if graffiti. At turns, it also looks like the art of the Taino Indians, but they are long gone. As unexpected objects in the landscape they are interesting enough, but corrosion mixed with painted symbols and moss growing on them creates fantastic microcosms imbued with life. I cannot imagine the beach without the tanks, however incongruent at first glance. They have become part of the soul of the place.
This was the first time I worked with a digital camera, thanks to the fact that one of my friends had one handy. It’s been my goal with color photography to take abstract images, which is not an easy task, but then again, that’s where the satisfaction comes.
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For Green’s Sake, Part 2
As we start to recover from the physical and emotional devastation of Hurricane Sandy, solutions emerge. There is the immediate need for food and shelter and there is a call to action for preparedness in the future. Being ready for a possible eventuality comes in many ways; one of them is awareness. What are the environmental ramifications of our choices, for example? We can act with conscience and the desire to protect the environment.
Change starts at home and it’s the efforts of many individuals that amount to significant change over time. Much has done for the sake of progress and innovation and in the process, the environment is ransacked and neglected. With awareness comes change, which is at the core of sustainability.
In 2009, I was part of a group of people in the construction industry-a developer, a contractor, architects, engineers, interior designers and community leaders, who realize changes at home are necessary. As such, we created the GreenHouse, a work of architecture, engineering and interior designers who embraced the need to lead in a sustainable direction of environmental responsibility.
In “For Green’s Sake, Part 1,” I discussed the design of the Spa/Retreat designed by Studio Santalla. Let’s look at the results.
Economy of means is at the core of sustainability. How can the the minimum achieve the maximum? During the day, natural light is used to the maximum, for example. Did I mention it’s free?
The daybed is perfect for naps. Fabrics by Brentano and Joseph Noble. The daybed structure was fabricated by Superior Home Services. “Untitled,” made from plastic bags heat welded on to plastic wrap is by Dan Steinhilber, represented by G Fine Arts. Low VOC paint is by Farrow and Ball.
The tall curb contains the water for the re-circulating waterfall fixture by Kohler, which has been unfortunately discontinued. And yes, the light fixture by Fontana Arte inside the shower meets code. It’s above the minimum height required.
The balcony guard rail by 3Form is made from recycled plastic.
Ceramic floors and wall tiles, supplied by Architectural Ceramics are durable and require minimum maintenance.
The recycled plastic by 3Form is used again to cover an opening created to bring in natural light to the powder room beyond.
The Powder Room has water efficient fixtures by Kohler, a cedar slab countertop, a piece of art made from junk mail, You Meet Certain Criteria, by Aurora Robson, represented by Project 4, and towels made from unbleached Irish linen.
A simple stair rail leads to the second floor office space. The hanging piece is “Danae” by Barbara Josephs Liotta.
The recirculating waterfall enhances the spa experience, as does the river rock back of the shower.
The coffee table, made from corrugated cardboard is by Leo Kempf. “Grassland” is a commentary on grass as a a “foreign” object. The credenza, designed by Studio Santalla is made of Kirei, a recycled wood product and Paper Stone; built by Wooden Design.
The view from above. A second generation Kindle, now older than a dinosaur is on the daybed. It was the “it” electronic until the iPad came out a few months later. Regardless, I’ve read eBooks since that time. The sisal carpet is by Merida.
A documentary on the architectural, interior design and construction of the GreenHouse was made by Green Living Films and premiered at the 2010 Washington, DC Environmental Film Festival, in which I had the good fortune to participate.
The Spa/Retreat received lots and lots of press, including the Washington Post, Traditional Home and a feature in Home & Design Magazine. Washington Life magazine also recognized me as one of DC’s top design professionals. I suppose you can call these a subset of benefits of “going green.”
Thanks for reading and remember
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For Green’s Sake, Part 1
Grass isn’t Green; as in it’s not environmentally friendly. It requires constant irrigation, maintenance and as a landscape material, it does not help retain rain water, which can be used for purposes where potable water is typically employed.
I haven’t heard anyone dispute the above statement, but as the discussion on Sustainability rages on, the solutions to undo the damage we’ve inflicted on the earth become increasingly complex and debated.
It’s interesting that the USGBC, United States Green Building Council, one of the top entities to set guidelines for sustainability has set standards for just about everything except residential interiors. Yes, there is a lot of guidelines that cross over from other areas, but you can build a home that achieves and even surpasses the criteria and achieve certification according to the LEED rating system, but fill it with toxic items that may affect the health and wellbeing of the occupants.
In 2009, this issue was addressed by a group of interior designers and one architect, yours truly. It took the form of a designer showhouse within the context of the first Carbon Neutral, single family home built on the East Coast, known as the Greenhouse in McLean, Virginia. At the helm of the project were Mark Lowham of WestGroup as Developer, Mark Turner of Green Spur as General Contractor, Michael Day of Cunningham-Quill Architects as Project Architect and Deanna Belli and Victoria Sabo of CharityWorks. The former Spaces magazine was the media partner.
Studio Santalla designed the Spa/Retreat. We were one of 17 firms selected to participate from over 80 entries. As the house was still in construction, we were able to have our hand in shaping the architecture of the space. Here’s a sketch of our final design.
The space serves as a pool house, office and outdoor covered patio and has a separate entrance.
The Spa/Retreat is organized around the shower, a two-story shaft at the center of the space, clad in cedar. Water is the source of life, and wood represents growth and renewable resources. The perimeter of the space is occupied by a relaxation area with and a soaking tub. A wood stair wraps around the wood shaft to the office space on the upper level, designed by Skip Sroka of Sroka Design. To allow natural light to the upstairs, we added a balcony outside the office and by reducing the overall amount of wall originally planned for the space, a larger skylight could be installed. At the backside of the Retreat is the covered patio, designed by Dee Thornton of Houseworks Interiors.
The space under construction:
The entry from the main house
Framing for the soaking tub
The shower. The back wall is river rock.
A month or so later
Paint, finishes, plumbing. The “window” is to the powder room behind the wall
The shower is complete.
The pendant lights are installed, the ceramic floors are uncovered and the furnishings start arriving.
Up next: the results.
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Classical, Modern, Deconstruction and Toasted
While the ongoing debate on what constitutes good design will ensue until the day humans no longer play a part of it, I’d like to state a premise: taste and good design are not mutually exclusive. There is some really good design I don’t care for, but that doesn’t take away from it’s merit. I’ll use architect Michael Graves‘ household artifacts for Target as an example. They are well designed; just not for me. He’s also an excellent architect, whose work I admire, but mostly don’t like.
Michael Graves Toaster for Target
Ancient roman architect, engineer and writer Vitruvius, in his treatise “The Ten Books of Architecture” explains a structure must exhibit the three qualities of firmitas, utilitas, venustas-meaning it must be solid, useful, beautiful. According to Vitruvius, architecture imitates nature. Humans create their shelter using natural materials. The Greeks perfected the art of building and in doing so invented the architectural orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, upon which all buildings are proportioned. The Vitruvian Man, as later drawn by Leonardo da Vinci, embodies the fundamental geometric patterns of the universe, the square within the circle. Currently, the Design Quality Indicator, a system started in England used to rate buildings, is rooted in Vitruvian principles.
Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci
Fast forward to the Industrial Revolution and the accompanying breakthroughs in manufacturing, transportation and building technology, resulting in an apparent break with tradition in the form of what is commonly referred to as the Modern Movement in Architecture. Twentieth century architect, Le Corbusier, in his manifesto, “Towards An Architecture,” defined a fundamental shift in how we would interact with buildings, arising from a new architecture based on function and an aesthetic based on pure form. Over a hundred years later, part of our daily bread, these ideas aren’t radical anymore. In fact, there is a lot of in common between Le Corbusier and Vitruvius.
Villa Savoie by Le Corbusier
The digital age has made the unthinkable constructible. Enter Frank Gehry, whose work defies modernism, structure, our notions of space and redefine what is good, to say the least of what we like. At first, I thought of his work as junkyards, but am now a convert to his deconstructed buildings.
Gehry and Partners’ Disney Concert Hall
Vitruvius substantiated and inspired architects during the Renaissance. Le Corbusier said he applied the same principles to everything he designed as does Michael Graves. Frank Gehry’s work has redefined the profession. These are masters of Design. Their work sets the bar for good design.
I don’t think Target will be asking Gehry to design a titanium toaster, but maybe Lady Gaga needs some new wardrobe ideas.
Studio Santalla And The Academy Awards
I feel very close to an Academy Award. My one degree of separation is through author and screen writer Larry McMurtry. Studio Santalla’s office occupies the space his bookstore, BookedUp, previously occupied in Washington, DC. Over the years I’ve found a number of documents left behind including an Emmy nomination certificate and a handwritten note penned by E. M. Forster.
Delusions of grandeur aside, I’m fortunate to have a great space, which is home to our office. Located on one of the busiest and also loudest intersections in Georgetown, it is an oasis of calm and comfort.
It was empty of books at the time of my first visit, but I immediately identified it as the place for our new office. Rather dark, dingy and musty, it needed to be revamped as an office space for an architectural and interior design studio.
Entry
Main Space
View towards front windows facing M Street with a symmetrical arrangement of bookcases
The light is coming from windows facing 31 Street
Open joist ceiling detail
Here’s what we did with this space
We removed half of the bookcases to make way for desk space on the right. We also removed the bookcases in the entry. We kept the rest of the bookcases, which are now our resource library. We reused furniture from our former office and created an entry space. The table in the foreground, made using planters from the former Smith and Hawkens, are used as “project tables” for samples and literature pulled from the library. The carpet pattern, which looks very custom, is made from the manufacturer’s standard line.
A vignette of the entry. The bench was designed by Studio Santalla
Another detail of the entry. The credenza in the background was also designed by Studio Santalla
What a difference the right color makes! The ceiling, painted a shade of white brightens up the space. Only the monitor in the background gives away the age of this space. We put doors on the end bookcase and are now used for storage. The material is back-painted plexiglass, held in place with velcro, making it a big bang for small bucks effect.
The office at night. We used items found at IKEA, Home Depot, very reasonably priced carpet and combined them with good quality office chairs, filing cabinets, repurposed planters and a few custom items, like the desks. Of the many things I enjoy about it is the balance between traditional elements and contemporary; commercial and residential and how the space is filled with light even on dingy days.
The office has so far served us very well for over ten years and to this day, first time visitors comment on how great a space it is. No Academy Awards yet, but we did win an Award for Excellence in Interior Architecture from the Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Subsequently, Washington Spaces did a feature article in the magazine.
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Unfrozen In Time
In 1998 I went to Spain, the birthplace of my grandfather Manuel Santalla. The first city I visited was Barcelona. I immediately fell in love with this city of grand boulevards nestled between the ocean and the mountains.
Through my architectural history courses I was well acquainted with the work of Antoni Gaudí, the city’s architect poster child. Initially his work made me and my classmates giggle and considered the buildings bizarre, unattractive and quite frankly, ugly. Soon, however, we understood that in reality Gaudí was a genius, whose mastery of space, form, structure, surface and light rightfully earned him a rightful place in the architectural Pantheon.
The Casa Batlló and the Casa Milà were located within steps of my hotel on the Passeig de Gràcia. They are exquisitely preserved. Casa Battló is a private building, so I snuck in and got to see the courtyard, adorned with ceramic tiles creating a gradation from white to the deepest of blues as it rises to meet the sky. Parts of the Casa Milà are open to the public, including a roof terrace where all the flues and otherwise visual nuisances are architecturally integrated to become a magical landscape.
Here are some images, courtesy of Wikipedia and various other internet sources, of the Casa Milà.
Exterior
Atrium
Roof Terrace
And the Casa Battló, which makes me swoon.
Façade
Courtyard
Then there is the subject of Gaudí’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia,) which remained unfinished at the time of his death in 1926. The image I saw over and over again in the textbooks of the time was engraved in my memory. I was unaware that construction had resumed and upon arrival, I was taken aback to find there had been more building of this building.
My text book photos showed the facade; the center section of the photo. None of the naves had been built. This photo was taken in 2009, which shows even more than what I saw.
Shock soon became elation. This building had been unfrozen in time and it would not remain a relic, but someday it will be completed. Maybe even in my lifetime, which is another reason to live to 105.
Tourists were allowed access to parts of the basilica, including one of the towers. As I ascended to architectural heaven, I captured these images.
Barcelona is still one of my favorite cities. I will go back some day and be awed again by this magnificent work of Art and Architecture. I’ll take my camera and see what happens.
You know the drill.
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Defining Moment
I’m going to show you a project which was a definitive fork in the road. The client pushed my limits of creativity, patience and empowerment. Nothing was the same after this and set me on the path of making my own way in the Design profession.
The project was for an Ad agency in Baltimore; Doner. To land the project, we had to do a two-part competition, which we won. The design I did was impossible to build, but I didn’t tell anyone. The point was to wow the client and worry about the details later, plus it was something they were never going to build anyway.
The client told us to go all out, to push ourselves to the limit, to reinvent the ad agency. He wanted their clients to come to the office and feel they were walking in to a creative environment. He wanted the creative teams of the agency to stop meeting in offices and work in team areas, so we worked with the idea of Caves and Commons. We made offices purposefully small so people wouldn’t cram in there and made generous spaces where teams could congregate to work on projects.
Just to be clear and not ruffle anyone’s feathers, I designed the original portion of the project while I was an Associate at KressCox Associates PC and then designed an expansion while I was a Principal at Forma Design. You will find these projects on their websites.
Here’s one of the plans. The colors represent different zones within the space.
Umpteen years later I still think it’s a great looking graphic.
The reception’s main feature is the view of the Baltimore Harbor, which inspired shapes, materials and the overall aesthetic of the space. This project was published in Interior Design. It was a way of saying “I’ve arrived.”
A view of the main presentation room, which came to be known as the “Shark Tank,” a long time before the show of the same name. In face, well before reality shows. I designed the table for the space.
The outside of the Shark Tank. It got it’s nickname not only because of the dealings in the advertising world, but it’s proximity to the Baltimore Aquarium across the street.
Another Presentation Room with an open area. We had a great time designing this space, including custom designed furniture.
One of the support areas, surrounded by offices. The dropped ceiling is used for more direct lighting of the area. It casts a “shadow” on the ceiling above, which is painted a dark color and obscures mechanical equipment. The shape is again reflected in the carpet pattern. The one thing that gives the age of this space away is the computer. [grin]
One of the Common Areas. The technology is grossly outdated, but the space remains Oh-So-Cool.
Thanks for reading.
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