HECTOR NAVA F

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer HECTOR NAVA F ("HNF") 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.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

HNF : My training as an architect began in Venezuela, where I graduated in 2010, and I later complemented my studies with a postgraduate degree in construction in 2015. Since university, I understood that architectural design is not only a matter of form or function but a tool for critical thinking and transformation. I’ve had the opportunity to work in several countries, which has enriched my perspective and allowed me to face different realities. This has sparked in me an intellectual curiosity towards architecture as a cultural, social, and ethical discipline.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

HNF : For me, design is a way of thinking about the world. It is an act of critical reading of our surroundings and, at the same time, a way to propose possible futures. I became an architect not only because of an aesthetic interest but because of the potential to influence people's daily lives and enhance their experience of space. What motivates me is not the form, but the meaning.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

HNF : It was a deeply conscious choice. I knew that architecture brought together many of my interests: technique, creativity, art, theory, and social sensitivity. Although I was drawn to the artistic side, I discovered in architecture a way to intervene responsibly in the systems we inhabit.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

HNF : I am attracted to projects that require technical precision but also those that allow space for symbolic, emotional, and political reflection. My greatest aspiration is to design works that don’t scream for attention but profoundly transform the lives of those who inhabit them.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

HNF : I believe a good designer solves problems; a great designer generates solutions and asks questions that open up new possibilities. The difference lies in the ability to transcend technical or formal solutions and touch on the human, ethical, cultural, and social dimensions. A great designer not only masters the craft but also constantly questions it.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

HNF : To me, a good design becomes truly good when it responds to its context in a critical and conscious way, when it not only “works” but also communicates, integrates, and transforms. The kind of design that improves people’s lives, that is inclusive, sustainable, and coherent across all levels: spatial, technical, symbolic, and ethical.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

HNF : Good design is an investment in dignity, health, equity, and culture. I believe it’s not about luxury or superficial aesthetics, but about quality of life. A well-designed space has the power to reduce social tensions, improve human relationships, and promote more responsible use of resources. Investing in design is investing in our collective future, I believe architecture carries that social responsib

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

HNF : These types of questions are tough for me, because it’s hard to choose just one or two figures. I believe many contribute to one's growth as a professional from Koolhaas to Álvaro Siza, Zumthor, Eisenman, and beyond architecture as well, artists like Jesús Soto or Carlos Cruz-Diez. They’ve all influenced my development and continue to inspire me at different moments.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

HNF : As with the previous question, it’s hard for me to choose favorites. But I can mention, for example, Siza’s Portugal Pavilion or Bo Bardi’s Glass House, because of their structural delicacy and how they engage with the landscape. Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin or Miralles’ Igualada Cemetery stand out for the emotional intensity they achieve through space. These are works that don’t just look good, they think well.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

HNF : Almost a mantra for me, it’s about cultivating doubt, studying beyond architecture, and listening without prejudice. Personally, I’ve tried to stay in touch with theory, teaching, and writing. All of that nourishes design thinking. A good designer is not just someone who draws well they must think, read, teach, and above all, observe.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

HNF : I probably would’ve become a musician, a painter, or something connected to the city. I’ve always been drawn to urban analysis, human behavior, and material culture. Architecture became the way I could combine many of those passions into a single practice.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

HNF : Design is a way of thinking and acting upon the world, it is language, strategy, and ethics. It is not just a response to a need, it is an act of responsibility and radical imagination, a critical interpretation. It also involves observing the world attentively, questioning it, and proposing alternatives that make it more just, livable, and meaningful. For me, it is a social, cultural, and political practice, as poetic as it is technical, that translates complex ideas into future everyday experiences of the collective imagination

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

HNF : With absolute clarity and honesty, with context, we design for others and we must make ourselves understood. It is not enough to show flawless images, it is necessary to tell the story of the project, its motivations, its processes. Representation should be a pedagogical and narrative act, not just a visual one.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

HNF : For me, that is the goal of architecture. Design can question systems, make inequalities visible, propose other ways of inhabiting. Unfortunately, it does not change the world on its own, there are economic and political factors that go beyond architecture’s reach, but it can create the conditions for change to happen, especially when it is put in service of equity, dignity, and everyday life.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

HNF : Although it is not an architecture project in itself, it is still a project that serves it. I am currently developing a book on social architecture and energy savings in housing. I am also exploring ways to connect architecture with critical pedagogy and writing.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

HNF : I am writing an article reflecting on this. I would like to see design slow down a bit. It seems almost impossible in a world that moves faster each day, but I believe it is essential to stop and rethink the role of architecture in terms of physical permanence, especially in a world where everything seems disposable and generates a brutal level of obsolescence. I would also like to see more value placed on critical thinking, social impact, and less on quick imagery or the designer’s ego. I hope that more collaborative, humble, and context-aware practices will be recognized.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

HNF : I hope it moves toward a more intersectional practice, one that is sensitive to climate change, aware of social inequalities, and open to transdisciplinary approaches. I believe the future of architecture does not lie in the object, but in the system, and that is where we need to focus.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

HNF : I begin by observing and listening, visiting the site, talking to those who live there or will use the space. I try to understand what is at stake beyond the formal commission, what stories, needs, and relationships are embedded in that context.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

HNF : I would say, to design with honesty and responsibility, to inhabit with awareness. I believe design is not a quick answer, it is a reflective act that carries real consequences. That is why I try to approach it with commitment.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

HNF : I believe the market constantly imposes trends; however, I also believe there are good designers who don't follow the current, but rather decide when to question and go against the grain. Design isn't about following, it's about proposing, and I believe critical design can anticipate trends, whether they are adopted or not.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

HNF : Technology is a tool, nothing more. I believe it's valuable when it improves efficiency, sustainability, or engagement. True innovation lies in the thinking, not the software. I wrote an article about this, where I mentioned that design has a soul, and it achieves it through the soul of the architect, not through an algorithm.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

HNF : I work with tools like AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, and the Adobe Suite for documentation and visualization.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

HNF : My ideal partner is someone with a different perspective than mine, who challenges my beliefs and complements my intuitions (and I have that at home). I firmly believe in co-design, especially when it involves users and the community. Shared design is richer, fairer, and more coherent.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

HNF : I am not entirely sure, because it is hard to choose just a few, but I think I would love to speak more with philosophers than architects, to understand firsthand many of the ideas they proposed. For example, with Gadamer, Hegel, or Descartes.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

HNF : I would say it is those moments when I learn something new or have a conversation that makes me rethink an idea. I feel motivated knowing that what I do can have a real impact, even if small. I am also motivated when I see students question what I myself have taught them, that is a good sign.