Atlantica - 01.09.2002, Síða 17

A T L A N T I C A 15
P
H
O
TO
S
Á
S
LA
U
G
S
N
O
R
R
A
D
Ó
TT
IR
Edward Weinman: Why did you
choose to move to New York City
back in 1979?
Rafael Viñoly: This city is one of the
most dynamic, relentless places in
the world – a perfect place to work.
Through its history, the city has
developed a culture of labour and
enterprise that is so intense that you
really get the feeling that the thing
just will not stop. I also like the fact
that it has, in some way, the most
diverse population in the world. That
quality implies a certain messy
democracy that seems to always
hold vast opportunities even for non-
English speaking immigrants like
me.
EW: How does the architecture in
New York affect the lives of those
that live in the city?
RV: New York is a remarkably 3-D
place. Its rational urban grid is
turned on its side by its famously
vertical architecture above ground,
and the subway system below.
People have to live in a three-dimen-
sional framework. The street is the
great equaliser that forces everyone
together, sometimes causing...con-
flict, but always making things more
interesting than if we had a homoge-
neous population. You get to see
how we are all part of the same club
of people, the same community.
That's what I meant by the "messy
democracy" of the city.
EW: What excites you about architec-
ture?
RV: Its potential to express and
inspire optimism and progress.
EW: How has your musical back-
ground influenced your creations?
RV: Music, for me, is a counterbal-
ance for the moments when I think
there is a missing level of abstraction
in architecture. They're so different.
There is nothing as abstract as
music. It has a level of aesthetic
impact that I think goes beyond any
other art. There are only a very few
buildings I have seen in my life that
are comparable to the aesthetic
experience of music: Il Tempieto of
Bramante and Falling Water.
EW: How are the musical perfor-
mances in your buildings enhanced
by your designs, by the structural
settings?
RV: I hope that my buildings are
capable of fostering a more intimate
communication between musicians
and audience. The immediacy of the
emotional experience that can be
generated by music should be sup-
ported by the architecture both
acoustically, through technical
means, and emotionally, through the
articulation of space and materials. I
think the spatial experience of enter-
ing a performance hall should awe
and inspire the musicians and the
audience.
EW: Obviously, the design of build-
ings and cities affects our daily lives.
Could you explain in what way?
RV: On the most basic level, the
design of our buildings and cities
mediates our relationship with the
natural environment; a relationship
that has always been known to have
a profound effect on people's states
of mind – sunlight, temperature, the
quality of the air. But on the highest
orders of human reason, architec-
ture has a way of defining our cul-
tures and our ideals. The best build-
ings remind us of whom we aspire
to be as a society. If that happens
every day, then we are very lucky.
EW: Other than New York, what are
your favourite cities, design-wise?
RV: There is enough in New York for
several favourite cities.
EW: What architects and buildings
inspire you?
RV: Mies van der Rohe and Alvar
Aalto. They were artists.
EW: What would be your dream pro-
ject?
RV: Every project is in some way a
dream project. People need archi-
tecture for everything. I suppose that
if it were possible to design every-
thing for everyone, I would be
angling for that job. You asked for a
dream.
Edward Weinman is a staff writer.
Trained as a concert pianist, world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly’s passion for music enabled him to recently con-
ceive of, and create, the critically acclaimed Kimmel Centre for the Performing Arts, in Philadelphia. Edward Weinman
spoke to the Uruguayan architect about the music of his designs.
A
R
CH
IT
EC
TU
R
E
IN
TE
RV
IE
W
The Tokyo International Forum. The Kimmel Centre for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia.
007-016 ATL502 Airmail-rm 18.8.2002 13:16 Page 15