Architect Bjarke Ingels Shares His Design Philosophy

Jan 25

Design, Extreme Architecture, Green Architecture, Interview, Movies Add comments

This video shows an interview with Bjarke Ingels who is the principal of Copenhagen-based architectural practice BIG. Ingels is an alumnus of Rem Koolhaas’ OMA practice, he also takes a similar approach as his teacher: “experimenting with pure space, but never losing sight of the building as a solution to a real-world problem”. His manifesto “Yes Is More” takes the form of a giant cartoon strip, 130 meters long, that reminds people to keep thinking big — to see all our modern problems as challenges that inspire us. Through a series of award-winning design projects and buildings, Bjarke Ingels has created an international reputation as a member of a new generation of architects that combines shrewd analysis, playful experimentation, social responsibility, and humor. During the interview, Ingels shares with us his design philosophy.

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Ingels explains that modern buildings mostly look like giant carton boxes. Because of that reason all qualities that make the space inhabitable must be supported by the work of different machines. These tools pomp air and light into the building and without them living in modern buildings is becoming less comfortable or even impossible. Ingels and his coworkers are interested in “engineering without engines”. This enigmatic expression means that they use contemporary technology to simulate and calculate performance of the building. Thanks to that they are able to put the right solutions into the actual design of the building.

Usually it is really difficult to implement a wind building idea even if it has a number of innovative and needed solutions. Ingels explains that with growing wildness of designer ideas, his approach at the same time should be more rational, professional and rigorous. The designer could not be lazy if he wants to make designs which are something more than standard solutions. If the designer wants to go even a little bit beyond the conventional path he really needs to try hard. Otherwise, he won’t be able to convince whole series of authorities and also clients, investors and neighbors.

Ingels thinks that our cities, buildings and architecture could be made in one way. There is no universal law which says what modern architecture should look like. Our buildings look this way because that far designers went when the last time they tried. In Ingels’ opinion architecture is an ongoing experiment which takes place on planet Earth. This experiment is constantly evolving and because of that our cities and buildings should also undergo a continuous change.

Ingels sums up with the sentence which says that architecture should be about the need of change. It should try to make our world more similar to our dreams. Designers should ask themselves what they would create if they are able to do anything. They should think about things that they would like to do but they cannot and make them happen.