WITH 90+ CATEGORIES AND 300+ JURORS, THE ARCHITIZER A+AWARDS IS THE WORLD’S DEFINITIVE ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS PROGRAM. IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE EXTENDED DEADLINE, JANUARY 30, 2015, WE ARE PUBLISHING Q&AS WITH 2014 A+AWARD WINNERS. TO SEE A FULL LIST OF CATEGORIES AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE A+AWARDS, VISIT AWARDS.ARCHITIZER.COM.
Vitrocsa USA won the 2014 Jury Award for the Product+Access category and was the Popular Choice Award winner for the Product+Access category with Vitrocsa Sliding Glass Wall. Marcel Fontijn reveals how many pieces and parts it takes to assemble a simple sliding door.
Your Name: Marcel Fontijn
Firm Name: Vitrocsa USA/Goldbrecht USA Inc
Location: Culver City, CA
Education: University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, Civil Engineering
When did you decide that you wanted to be an architect?
Growing up in Switzerland, I started building all things imaginable with Lego at an early age. My desire to build and design is still here.
What was your first architecture/design job?
Designing my parents’ yard.
Who is your design hero and/or what is your favorite building?
The Stahl House (Case Study House No.22) designed by Pierre Koenig is one of my favorite buildings because it is built on a cliff and the large expanses of glass allows one to transcend above the Los Angeles basin. What a view.
Tell us something that people might not know about your winning entry:
614 intricate pieces are manually assembled with precision to create a simple Vitrocsa sliding unit. “Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” — Joe Sprano
Which juror(s) do you find most compelling and why?
I admire the work of Ronan Bouroullec. Over the years, I have collected quite a number of their furnishings (with a Vegetal Chair welcoming guests in my office). The Bouroullec’s design is made of living — organic, ergonomic, simple, functional.
Among your fellow A+Award winners, what is/are your favorite(s)?
The Huaxin Business Center in Shanghai, China, by Scenic Architecture
Huaxin Business Center by Scenic Architecture
What do you find exciting about architecture and design right now?
Seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor. Instead of maximizing the FAR, architects increasingly design homes that blend the inside and the outside, therefore creating living spaces that reach beyond the borders of the outside walls.
What is the most important quality in an architect?
Over the years, I had the privilege of consulting and working with a large number of architects ranging from Pritzker Prize-winners to architects at smaller local firms. I discovered that no matter what the style or budget is, great architecture results from how much the architect cares about the details. It is important to differentiate between being detail-oriented and actually caring about details. Being detail-oriented might actually hinder an architect in caring about details. I believe that by having the ability to take a step back, approach the design holistically, and still being able to direct attention to the unnoticed details sets a great architect apart. By addressing the importance of details throughout the design process, the final product reveals if an architect has resolved all of the issues relating to details, connections, intersections, and transitions.