Interview with Alvaro Velasquez Gerszencveig

I fund GDN Architects in 2013 after spent more than 10 years practicing architecture in USA. The last company that I worked for relocate me to Chile in 2011 with the challenge to set up the company expertise in South America.
After a couple of years my partners David Rova, Mauricio Nachmann and myself determinate to become an independent design firm. I consider HMC Architects part of GDN legacy, mainly because we tray to practice architecture in Chile and South america following the american standards and best practices learned in HMC Architects.
After almost 5 years we create a design culture where we believe in that value of design as a tool that can really change the world.

Let me answer this question in the following way; An excellent Design shouldn't be accesible for a few.. It must be available for every human been.

I like every single design challenge, however i feel that a big impact can be made working in public and complex projects like Education and health care environments. Providing a good design solutions in those markets allow us to benefit and change life of hundreds and thousands of people.

The Barcelona Pavillion by Mies van der Rohe is by far the best design example that i ever experience. I had the opportunity to meet Ignasi de Sola Morales, Spanish architect who was responsible of the Barcelona pavilion restoration. I was able to fully understand the role of the Barcelona Pavillion masterpiece in modern architecture. I was captured by the simplicity, execution, material quality and poetic space created by Mies.

My first design was a series of urban components for Santiago Subway. I was involve in the design of signage, urban furnitures and station ticket kiosks.

I love what is going on with VR (Virtual Reality)
In GDN design studio, we used Virtual Reality platform to explore and understand our design better. We also use it with our clients so they can understand better the physical environment that we are creating.

When iI have a problem in front.

I like to understand the problem in order to discover the right solution...that should be the starting point.

Usually I disconnect myself while I am designing. It is a special feeling when I spend time sketching, there is a unique connection between pencil, hand and brain that cannot be replicate when you work in computer base Design softwares.

Sometimes I feel bad about things that could be done in a better way, however the best feeling that I get is when people feel engage with the buildings that we design either for healing or for learning experiences.

When achieve is main porpoise. Good design is not only an astetic thing, great design is when touch people harts.