amanda levete interview

left: amanda levete / future systems© designboomright: jan kaplicky and amanda levetecourtesy future systems

we met amanda levete in london on september 26, 2003.

what is the best moment of the day?

for me, early morning, when you wake up and the sun’s out and your ideas are fresh.

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?

mostly classical, I love händel and mozart. jazz too.

do you listen to the radio?

not as much as I used to, since I had my child.

left: department store for selfriges in birmingham 1999courtesy future systemscenter: kaplicky’s photo of a fly’s eyecourtesy future systemsright: department store for selfriges. the cladding.courtesy future systems

what books do you have on your bedside table?

I’ve got about 30, all different. political biographies, architecture,recipe books, magazines…

do you read design magazines?

yes I do, but I look at the pictures more than read them.

where do you get news from? newspapers?

newspapers, yes. I read a lot of newspapers.

House in Wales 1994courtesy future systems

do you notice how women are dressing?

do you have any preferences?

I dress like I want to dress, I like a little bit scruffy…even when I try to dress smart, it’s always a bit scruffy.but I like very ‘good’ cloth too.

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing?

‘über’ fashionable clothes.

do you have any pets?

no, no pets.

lords media centre 1994courtesy future systems

when you were a child, what did you want to be?

I wanted to be a doctor, a scientist, I wanted to have a sweet shop…when I grew up, yes, an architect.

where do you work on your designs and projects?

I work in our office!it’s a fantastic space on the top floor of a warehouse.

who would you like to design something for?

difficult question, … I would like to design my own house,which I haven’t done yet.

do you discuss your work with architects and designers?

all the time, but only with a select few besides my colleagues. there is not as much cultural exchange in london as there is in other european cities.

floating bridge, london 1994.courtesy future systems

describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.

instinctive, forthright, creative, occasionally difficult, but great sense of humor.I like it when people walk past or enter one of our buildings, it has to do with making people feel good. delivering design excellence, whatever the budget…

can you describe an evolution in your work from your first projects

to the present day?

I think we are becoming more confident and our work is more organic and less technical, although it is backed up by a high degree of technical fluency. although its highly functional, its lesss rational in its genesis. its more free.

what project has given you the most satisfaction?

we’ve just finished it, the department store for selfriges in birmingham. what an amazing journey!

is there any designer and/or architect from the past ,

you appreciate a lot?

frank lloyd wright.

and those still active, are there any particular ones?

I think zaha hadid is a brilliant architect.