Zooco Estudio

Interview with Zooco Estudio

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I decided to be a designer because of the concern of giving the answer to necesities but taking care about aesthetic.

What is "design" for you?

To create 'something' (objects, spaces, etc.) with a purpose and aesthetic.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

I do not believe in favorites. It all depends in how they respond to what they are made for.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

All of them are important but if I would have to choose one, I would say the initial concept because it is the generator of all the rest

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

Designing is always a necesity, now and in the future. Everything that is created, it is designed

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

Last exhibition was in the COAM (College of Architecture in Madrid)

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

First of all, the inspiration comes from the necesity, the characteristics we want to get. Creativity is fed by others designer's works and by all around us.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

Madrid. I do not think that the culture of my country affects so much in the designs but the education I have received is a true reflection of the designing process

How do you work with companies?

Collaborating with other experts in issues that architects do not dominate

Designer of the Day Interview with Zooco Estudio

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

Our experience is very enriching because it allows us to develope projects in several scales and we did translate our creativity into the reality, seeing how the citizen use our projects.

How did you become a designer?

In the Architecture School in Madrid ETSAM, the teachers taught us how to face any challenge when the design is the key factor, from a piece of furniture to a construction detail.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

ZOOCO ESTUDIO tries to project with fine materials and simple shapes to achieve a timeless and functional aesthetic. We always search for neutral spaces and projects that last over the years. With this objective, we combine the research into new materials and systems, with the knowledge of traditional processes.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

In a personal lever, we feel satisfaction when we see that something you have thought previously is made reality. How the design is turned into reality and how it solves all the needs.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

As I mentioned previously, the vocation that the university taught me how to answer the client's needs.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

After winning the architectural competition of The Civic Cultural Centre in Soto de la Marina (Spain) in 2008, we founded Zooco Studio.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

Any beginner who likes and works for his or her dream, can make it true and they can live from this job.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

The development of each project, regardless of scale, is based on the generation of a previous concept. This is the aim we chase along every successive decisions that make up the design process. The initial concept is a response to the specific requirements of the custom and the characteristics of the environment, identifying the project from the beginning and serving as a constant guide during its development.

What is your day to day look like?

Nuestro día a día es trabajar con el equipo, reuniones con clientes e ir a las obras que tenemos en marcha Our day to day is a mix of working as a team, clients' meetings and site visits.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

We keep up to date with the last proyects through internet web pages that are specialised in architecture, interiorism and design. We don't believe so much in the temporality of fashions, therefore we prefer atemporal designs that last in time.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

Good design is the atemporal one, the design has to answer the clients' needs, It has to reflect the aesthetics of the project as the leitmotiv.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

In this day and age, the temporary urgencies of the client mark the end of the project, but for us a design is ready when it responds well to every need.

What is your biggest design work?

Our biggest work is the Verín Arts Center, which is a building located in Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. It is a complex of granite volumes that includes an auditorium with capacity for 400 people, classrooms, cafeteria, exhibition hall and rehearsal room.

Who is your favourite designer?

We do not have any favorite designer but we do like the work of architects like Herzog and de Meuron or Sou Fujimoto.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

We like to be interested in the new things that appear in the design, from a good restaurant to travel

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

ZOOCO ESTUDIO´s philosophy is facing each project, from interior interventions to large structures building, through the same creative process.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

To respond to the needs that our clients pose to a greater or lesser extent