Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Francisco Eduardo Sá and Felipe Savassi ("FESAFS") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.
FESAFS : Felipe: I have graduated in architecture and urban planning from Izabela Hendrix University in Belo Horizonte (MG) in 2013 and I am a specialist in architecture and construction of sustainable buildings by W-POs Unileya from Brasilia (DF). | Francisco: I started college in the Graphic Design program in São Paulo, but I switched to Industrial Design and concluded at the Universidade Positivo, in Curitiba. My senior project back then was about urban mobility and I felt the need to design in a different scale. So finally I've got my bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urbanism at Universidade Santa Úrsula in Rio de Janeiro.
FESAFS : Felipe: I like to understand the yearnings, desires and possibilities of our clients and turn them into a design. I like to see the transformation of ideas in reality. | Francisco: I've been always an applied student in arts in general. I used to sketch on my notebooks more than anyone in class. At the same time, I enjoyed get my hands dirty fixing things and disassembling things at home. I guess what motivates me the most is to find solutions for people's problem through the creative process of design.
FESAFS : Felipe: I’ve chosen architecture when I was 25 years old, after graduating in another major. | Francisco: Given my interests and skills, the design career had shown to be the only possible way.
FESAFS : Felipe: Sustainable modular architecture. | Francisco: Ultimately I've been design more private residences and offices. I would be happier if I could design public spaces like parks, museums etc.
FESAFS : Felipe: Always follow your dreams trying to innovate. | Francisco: Follow your dream, be honest with yourself, participate in challenges and get things done.
FESAFS : Felipe: Get out of your comfort zone and be always ahead of your time. | Francisco: A good designer will do something cool that everyone is expecting. A great designer will do something awesome that no one is expecting.
FESAFS : Felipe: Clean shapes, functionality, detailing and sustainability. | Francisco: Every design should answer its questions. It has to fulfill its symbolic, aesthetic and practical function. But all of this is useless if it doesn't move you.
FESAFS : Felipe: Good designs create efficient and more economic buildings besides being more beautiful. | Francisco: Good designs are ageless. They prove our ability of making things better.
FESAFS : Felipe: A totally Modular and sustainable city. | Francisco: The way our global society organize on this planet.
FESAFS : Felipe: A modular multi floors building. | Francisco: A space to care for the less fortunate and marginalized ones.
FESAFS : Felipe: Minimalism. | Francisco: I don't have a recipe. I just work following my instincts.
FESAFS : Felipe: Normam foster, Arthur casas, Oscar Niemeyer and Bernardes arquitetura. | Francisco: Dietmar Starke, João Figueiras (Lelé), Alejandro Aravena, Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma, Antoni Gaudí and many more.
FESAFS : Felipe: Mapa architecture because of their minimalism. | Francisco: Each one has his own style. But, for whatever briefing they were working with, their designs are carved in our memory.
FESAFS : Felipe: Linda house. | Francisco: Heydar Aliyev Centre, by Zaha Hadid Architects. It's a very impressive project. I risk to say it's the current state of art architecture has reached so far.
FESAFS : Felipe: Studying and searching for new technologies. | Francisco: Working in different ways, with different people, in different contexts with different projects. Diversity, worldview and experience were keys.
FESAFS : Felipe: Airplane pilot. | Francisco: Rockstar.
FESAFS : Felipe: The art of translating in design the yearnings and desires of someone. | Francisco: The transformation of given needs into results by drawings and creative work.
FESAFS : Felipe: My family. | Francisco: My family, my teachers and my friends.
FESAFS : Felipe: Resiliency. | Francisco: Inquietude, life experience, open mind, curiosity and humility.
FESAFS : Felipe: There were many. After the bankruptcy of my old business and my father’s death, I had to reinvent myself. | Francisco: Doubts about the path I had chosen, family issues, depression, lack of money are some. Whatever crisis you pass through, you see clearly afterwards.
FESAFS : Felipe: Digitally, with the highest level of technology. | Francisco: Whatever communicates best the idea.
FESAFS : Felipe: A modular smart house. | Francisco: I'm still deciding on that.
FESAFS : Felipe: Disseminate the modular architecture and construction around the world. | Francisco: To change people's perception about the value of good design.
FESAFS : Felipe: Great modular design | Francisco: Maybe an idea way different from the rest.
FESAFS : Felipe: We live inside buildings for the most part of our lives. The better the buildings, the better the life quality offered. | Francisco: Good design should bring improvements to things we use, like being more energy efficient consume, easy to disassemble and clean, low maintenance, safer environment, sustainable materials, friendly and intuitive interface and so on. Design is about of either attends new needs or making existing ones better.
FESAFS : Felipe: Modular architecture. | Francisco: I'm investigating the relationship of urban grid with social development.
FESAFS : Felipe: Modular house of medium and high standard. They allow you to have more freedom when it comes to design. | Francisco: Projects that didn't have one particular client, but a group of people instead. If I want to make this world a better place, I need to make good design that serves more people.
FESAFS : Felipe: Modular construction being more accessible in terms of cost. | Francisco: A change of mindset about design. Things shouldn't be designed to sell but to be useful. Understanding the importance of that in long-term might be key for our job be valued.
FESAFS : Felipe: Modular construction. | Francisco: Digital fabrication.
FESAFS : Felipe: Usually four months. | Francisco: That will depend of the project. As an Industrial Designer and Architecture I can't assume will take the same amount of time to design a chair than a tower.
FESAFS : Felipe: Archicad. | Francisco: Studying the site area. I try to picture what would be a person's window and taking a break for a cup of coffee.
FESAFS : Felipe: To foster and disseminate the modular architecture around the world. | Francisco: To be responsible when designing things for people.
FESAFS : Felipe: It works in both ways. | Francisco: It works in both ways.
FESAFS : Felipe: It's everything. | Francisco: It helps you achieve better results.
FESAFS : Felipe: Macbook Pro and Archicad. | Francisco: Sketchbook, pen, markers, Macbook, Archicad, Rhino, SketchUp...
FESAFS : Felipe: Materiality makes the whole difference. | Francisco: They change the perception that your design transmit to others.
FESAFS : Felipe: How was that possible? | Francisco: Can I use it?
FESAFS : Felipe: Congrats. | Francisco: Nice job!
FESAFS : Felipe: I have many, but I especially like those who are more independent and proactive. Yes, I believe in co-design. | Francisco: Someone that understands, contributes and encourages me in my work. I totally believe in co-design.
FESAFS : Felipe: Ferraro habitat. | Francisco: My masters, my family and my designer friends.
FESAFS : Felipe: Architect Entrepreneur, by Eric Reinholdt. | Francisco: Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell.
FESAFS : Felipe: Studying very hard. | Francisco: Watching, learning, trying and adjusting.
FESAFS : Felipe: Norman Foster | Francisco: My grandfather.
FESAFS : Felipe: I'm not famous. | Francisco: I'm not famous.
FESAFS : Felipe: Black, beach, barbecue, summer, dogs and Tesla. | Francisco: Turquoise, beach, egg, summer, computer and Lego.
FESAFS : Felipe: My container house, it was my first project, My laboratory where I had made a lot of mistakes. | Francisco: It happens to be more than once that I had an idea and before I start to sketch it I saw that was already made.
FESAFS : Felipe: Working out in the morning and having my creative hack on the beach. | Francisco: Getting feedbacks and encouragement to continue my work.
FESAFS : Felipe: No, It wasn’t. I wanted to be an airplane pilot. | Francisco: Possibly.
FESAFS : Felipe: I really don't know. It's way ahead of our time. | Francisco: Hopefully we will be living smarter, making sustainable use of natural resources and eradicating poverty like one single global community.
FESAFS : Felipe: I hate to respond people on social media in the morning. Haha. | Francisco: As a person and creative professional I still have a lot to learn. I made mistakes along the way and there's always one thing or two I can improve. I try to keep my mind open about new things and thoughts, so feel free to share some of yours as well.
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