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AN INTERVIEW WITH ARCHITECT LUIS RICARDO AND ARCHITECT LIU HANXIAO OF LLLAB - THE JURY FOR TINY LIBRARY 2023 ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

Interview

We would like to take an opportunity to introduce you to two of our jury members of the TINY LIBRARY 2023 Architecture competition.

we’re delighted to speak with Luis Ricardo and Liu Hanxia, founders of various award-winning firm “llLab”. Luis Ricardo holds a Master of Architecture Degree, FAUP from University of Porto, Portugal. However, Liu Hanxiao holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree majoring in Mechanical Engineering from University of British Columbia, Canada as well as a Master of Architecture Degree and Certificate in Landscape Studies from University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Luis Ricardo previously practiced in RCR Arquitectes, Spain as well as in haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050, Germany. However, Liu Hanxiao practiced in Stuttgart, Germany at haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050. Both of them are currently founder of llLab. They are driven by an experimental and playful approach that leads to conceptually rigorous and well-executed design projects.

LLLab. is a design studio originated in Stuttgart, Germany, based in Shanghai and Porto operating within the fields of architecture, design, art, urbanism, research and development. Creating distinctive solutions adapted to a context and its users, LLLab. sets up conceptual platforms for design approaches to grow in time, within their particular contexts, producing site-specific design installations and building projects that both provoke and inspire.

The Duo with their innovative works with LLLAB have been collecting many accolades and awards :

- The best new practices of 2021 by Archdaily .

- Golden Trezzini Awards – Best implemented project of public building or facility for The Bamboo Canopy and Pavilions 2021

- The Plan Award 2021 for Bamboo Bamboo Canopy and Pavilions.

- AD100 Young Special award and the 100 most talented young architect in china.

The studio believes to focus on using design as a tool to improve social and cultural life through various scales, from urban projects to micro-architecture or installations.

We're excited to speak with them about their perspective on the field of architecture and their expectation from the participants of the tiny library 2023 architecture competition.

San Sa Village

VZ: What is your and your team's thought process when designing buildings that have a high impact on people?

Team LLLab (Luis and Liu): The team’s thought process is mostly treating people as the driven design force, especially when the team is mostly working on community and society-based considerations, the design process usually starts from analysis and research on the human aspects. However, not only from the past, but significant amount of understanding is also having the prospect as important design foundation.

A wide range of approaches will be appropriate, as all design projects are different, while confronting different cultural and societal backgrounds, but one key element in all, could be the incentive to stay flexible during the thought process for the not-possible-to-be-summarized prospective conditions that requires perception of both the past and the future to be observed.

VZ: Can you give us a little insight into what’s it like to work with you (The firm's culture, design approach, and out-of-the-box ideas for designing projects).

Team LLLab (Luis and Liu): We have very interactive team structure in our studio and all team members are encouraged to speak up to express design ideas, even experience levels are different, we believe that this process and mindset can inspire and motivate the most, to eventually find its common ground of the well calibrated balance of the design solution.

We approach design with experimental considerations and attitudes, not specifically about the materialistic experiments, but consider design context more as variables that is interactive with ideas.

Bamboo Bamboo, Canopy and Pavilions

VZ: What kind of submissions are you looking forward to seeing from the participants? Are there any areas where one should pay attention while designing a Tiny Library?

Team LLLab (Luis and Liu): We are very looking forward, as it is not only a challenge to understand what a general library needs to be, but that how library with such uncommon scale can achieve its common publicity becomes a very sensitive topic for the debate.

While designing a Tiny Library, candidates may need to pay attention to, throughout the entire design process, knowing what the library means and what it needs to achieve instead of trying to do everything one general/conventional library covers.

Who is the user, where it is and how it interacts with its social behavior, seem to be more important subjects for designing a library, before judging if one design solution is appropriate or not.

Village Opera

VZ: And finally, what would be your word of advice for all the young budding students and architects who are looking to make a mark in this professional world?

Team LLLab (Luis and Liu): Always great to stay ambitious and passionate, which will help young architects so much to go through all the tough moments on the career path, however, while looking to make a mark in this professional world is very exciting, before doing it, try to be a qualified and responsible architect first, and stay persistent.