Zoltan Pali, Presenter at SPF:a new Headquarters
7/28/05
INTRODUCTIONS
Thank you all for coming tonight. I am Zoltan Pali and I am the founding principal of SPF:a which was originally set up in 1988. Judit Fekete is also here with us - Judy and I have been partners since 1990. The space and the building that you are in is really her creation. Simply put, Judy found the land, bought it, obtained its entitlements, secured the financing, conceived the initial development and design concept for the project, selected and hired the general contractor and will ultimately be responsible for its financial success. Of course, we worked together on all of the aspects of the project; but she has been the one to make it all happen.
I explain all of this because overall, Judy has a tremendous influence on the work that we do together at SPF:a. She is an artist, businessperson, and developer all wrapped up in one. Without her often behind-the-scenes influence, we would be a very different firm today.
THE FIRM
I have tried often to describe SPF:a, and the description always seems to fall short of explaining who we are. I can't seem to compress us into the proverbial soundbyte that we all want to hear - but I have come to the conclusion that the most unusual aspect of this firm is its almost deliberate lack of focus [focus meaning specialization and niche projects], and the seemingly random way that we make the practice work. This has led us down some interesting paths.
Although we have gravitated towards many small, highly design-oriented projects with what we call, "ADD" [Architectural Deficit Disorder], a deliberate lack of focus has afforded us the chance to be the Architects on some unusual and rewarding projects, such as the Pantages historical preservation project and the Greek Theatre preservation and renovation. An openness toward different types and scales of projects is a part of what led to our creation of the concrete shop drawings for Moneo's Cathedral, where we worked with Morley Construction. Consequently, we are also the Executive Architects for the Getty Villa renovation, working closely with the design architect Machado-Silvetti.
If you had to put a finger on it, our real focus has been on detail. The passion for detail, and the tenacity to complete and follow through with it is one thing that we hope distinguishes us as a firm.
PHILOSOPHY
I must just say a few preliminary things about our philosophy, if you could call it that: Architecture to us is a matter of survival, and ultimately the vehicle that allows us to perform one of the most natural and necessary human acts, the act of building.
After all, it is this desire to build that underlies the principals of our work. We feel most natural when we are building something, as painful and risky as building is. I actually feel pretty natural when I am "thinking" of building something and even more natural when actually building it. I find this totally intuitive state something akin to the way little children mess around with the furniture and other items at home, building forts and dollhouses and later tree houses. Of course, real architecture takes considerably more thought, and is ultimately serious business because of its scale and implication - but its soul comes from the same place.
One other way to describe our firm is by telling you what we are not interested in. We are not interested in new architectural terms such as "multi-cultural modernism" or "evokatecture," or "the diaphonuous house" - I don't know what all of those mean, and really don't care to know. Word games in architecture turn us off as do cliche phrases such as "good design is good business." One thing we are certain of is that good business [in architecture] is a good set of working drawings. And I have to say that I have yet to be satisfied with a set of working drawings.
We also don't get up every morning thinking that we are going to re-invent the face of architecture or come up with some new trick, devise a new form, or a new shape. We do, however, get up every morning hoping to come upon a new structural system that is more elegant than the ones we are working with today; or a new mechanical system to heat and cool and ventilate a space; or a new cladding system that is more waterproof or quicker to install; or something that technically solves a problem, is efficient and poetic at the same time... those are things that are interesting to us.
Simply put, what interests us is defining and understanding, then resolving problems. Sometimes this happens in inventive and experimental ways and sometimes it happens in rather mundane ways. The solution should be natural, and never deliberately complex in order to make a statement about how complex the world is or show how complex we are or "intellectual" we are-we don't really see ourselves as all that complex or "intellectual." We do, however, survive by our wits. While some may call that intellect, to us it a combination of using our intelligence, cunning, sensory perception, and emotion in order to solve building and design challenges. Again, Architecture is our means of survival, and we see it as firmly rooted in reality.
We also do not prescribe to this notion that architecture is art. Architecture is architecture, buildings are buildings. Sometimes we [we as humans] think of building something and actually do it... and sometimes it turns out well, and even inspires or touches the rest of us. While some call this art - and it may be artful - to us it is more accurate to simply call this architecture.
The point is that we should not set out to create art as architects; we should set out to build a building that solves the client's problem(s). If, in the process we create something beautiful, and people want to call it art - well OK then. But it is not and should never be the primary goal.
We don't see our architecture as having an agenda per se. Every project brings out its own agenda and it is our mission to find that and translate it into the built environment. Besides, true art is more generally an individual act - and by nature, architecture is never, never, never, the act of an individual.
...[Regarding conversations with friend, Jerrold Lomax, FAIA]
We don't spend time talking about the primeval needs of man or the conflict between private and public, or other such "high" concepts. We simply talk about how the stuff is being put together. Why? Because we share a passion for solving problems, for using materials efficiently. To us, there is no other or "higher" concept. This is not to pass any judgment on those who study architecture in earnest or approach things differently - it is just not our way of thinking.