"10 Questions to..." is a series of short interviews with architects and female architects, to whom we address the same pool of questions. For today's mini-interview, we invited Ewa and Blazej Janik from the Katowice-based studio M.O.C. Architects, awarded Architecture of the Year of the Silesian Voivodeship 2019 in the Young Creator category.
Ewa Janik graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice and also studied at the Faculty of Architecture at FH Aachen in Germany. She gained professional experience in the architectural office Buchner Bründler Architekten in Basel. Since 2014, she has been co-leading the studio M.O.C. Architects in Katowice, Poland.
1. architecture in three words...?
a. Functionalism.
b. Composition.
c. Detail.
2. The three most important buildings to you...?
a. Spodek - sports andentertainment hall, designed by Maciej Gintowt, Maciej Krasinski, Jerzy Hryniewiecki.
b. Villa "Savoye" in Poissy, proj.: Le Corbusier.
c. Psychiatric hospital in St. Urban, our first realization (Switzerland).
3. the most important book on architecture...?
...and more - "A foreman's guide to construction".
4. most inspiring city and why...?
Basel - the place of former residence and Katowice - the place of current residence.
5. architect with whom you would like to design something and why...?
Andreas Fuhrimann, Gabrielle Hächler - because of their consistency in design.
6. hand drawing or computer drawing?
Computerized.
7. mockup or 3D model?
3D model.
8. modernism or postmodernism?
Modernism.
9. Work after hours or sports?
Work, and if there is enough time, sports.
10. architecture or business?
First architecture, then business.
Błażej Janik graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice and also studied at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany. He gained professional experience in the architectural office of Weber Brunner Architekten AG in Zurich and Flubacher - Nyfeler + Partner Architekten in Basel. Since 2014, he has co-managed the studio M.O.C. Architects in Katowice, Poland.
1 Architecture in three words...?
M.O.C. - Moderatio Optimu Creat, meaning:
a. moderatio
b. creates
c. the best.
2. The three most important buildings for you are:?
a. The Acropolis of Athens.
b. Brutalist railway station in Katowice, designed by Waclaw Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzynski and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki.
c. Psychiatric hospital in St. Urban, our first realization (Switzerland).
3. most important book on architecture...?
Willy Boesiger, "Le Corbusier: Complete Works in Eight Volumes."
4. most inspiring city and why...?
Warsaw - history - diversity of architectural fabric.
5. architect with whom you would like to design something and why...?
Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Adolf Loos, Carlo Scarpa, Peter Märkli.
6. hand drawing or computer drawing?
Computerized.
7. mockup or 3D model?
Mock-up.
8. modernism or postmodernism?
Modernism.
9. After-hours work or sports?
Work.
10. architecture or business?
Good business model = Good Architecture.
You can find the projects of the architect duo in the WORKSHOP tab on our portal.
