"10 Questions to..." is a series of short interviews with architects and female architects, to whom we address the same pool of questions. In today's installment of the mini-interview, Maciej Jakub Zawadzki of the MJZ studio answers our questions.
Maciej Jakub Zawadzki - an architect raised in Brazil, educated in Belgium, Germany and Poland. He gained professional experience in eight design offices - four in Poland and four abroad, including the renowned studios of Bjarke Ingels Group in Copenhagen and MVRDV in Rotterdam. In 2013, he established his proprietary office MJZ, based in Warsaw. He is the only Polish member of the International Academy of Architecture.
1. architecture in three words...?
a. Interdisciplinarity.
b. Innovation.
c. Evolution.
2. The three most important buildings for you...?
a. Edifício Copan (Copan skyscraper), designed by Oscar Niemeyer, São Paulo, Brazil.
b. Praça do Patriarca (Patriarch Square), proj.: Paulo Mendes da Rocha, São Paulo, Brazil.
c. Copenhill, Bjarke Ingels Group, Copenhagen (a bit of a privatism, since I was one of the main authors, I have a lot of affection for this project. Few people know that the inspiration was Warsaw's Górka Szczęśliwicka).
3 The most important book about architecture...?
Architecture Without Architects!
"Architecture Without Architects: A Short Introduction to Non-pedigreed Architecture" by Bernard Rudofsky.
The 4th most inspiring city and why...?
São Paulo, Brazil, where I grew up. A fascinating city - also in terms of amazing architecture.
5. Architect you would like to design something with and why...?
My father. He was very open-minded and ran with his thoughts and innovative ideas a decade ahead.
6. hand drawing or computer drawing?
Both. I've been sketching on a tablet lately.
7. Mock-up or 3D model?
Both. We print mock-ups from 3D models in the office.
8. modernism or postmodernism?
I definitely prefer modernism, but I'm also not a fan of locking myself into one particular style. It is very limiting and probably a bit arrogant. After all, there is not just one possible solution for a particular problem, issue in a particular location.
9. working after hours or sports?
I think about work (projects, office organization) all the time, but it makes me happy, so I don't treat it as work. However, without sports, the valuable balance and strength to work is lost. In a healthy body a healthy spirit.
10 - Architecture or business?
Architecture through business and business through architecture.
If you have suggestions for questions you would like us to ask, or people of architects whose answers to these questions you want to know - let us know in the comments.
