Who and what are your main design influences? The Photography of Edward Steichen, Angel Bravo and Bill Brandt
The Films of Wim Wenders, Tom Tykwer, Peter Greenaway and David Lynch
The Music of David Bowie
The Style of Jean Paul Gaultier
The Face of Veronica Lake
The Voice of Cary Grant
The Paintings of Egon Shiele, Edward Hopper, Salvador Dali and Georgio De Chirico
The Works and Words of Louis I. Kahn
The Details and Poetics of Carlo Scarpa
The Landscapes of the Pacific NW.
What and where is your favorite space? The Brion Vega Cemetery in S.Vito by Carlo Scarpa
The Courtyard at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California
What architect or designer do you most admire? Jean Novelle – French Architect and Peter Zumthor – Swiss Architect
What deceased architect or designer is most overrated? Frank Gehry (Oh – he’s still around)
Phillip Johnson – of course.
Who would you most like to design something for? Myself – now would be good – I can now almost afford it!
What is your favorite city or town? Positano, Italy - on the Amalfi Coastline
What building or structure do you most dislike? The EMP (Experience Museum Project) Frank Gehry dropped a bomb on Seattle and left..
What is the best moment of the day? 6:00 am on a Saturday after my first Cappuccino – The world is beautiful and almost silent. (Preferably I am standing in Verona or Siena while this is happening)
What is your design philosophy? Assemble a great team, share a vision and lead it. Collaborate with people that have talents I don’t have.
Get my hands dirty on projects; pursue the poetry in things by forming a bond with everyone who works on my projects.
What advice do you have for young people interested
in a career in design? Team up with someone who has money if you don’t, you will always need as you will run out of it constantly. Being successful both artistically and financially can be very difficult. The commitment is enormous but might be rewarding if you stick with it long enough. Even the greatest designers only have one masterpiece…..trying to make things perfect can be harmful to others around you – always remember this.
