Interview with Constantinos Yanniotis

Being the son of Architects I grew up in a design inspiring environment. I have early memories of my parents spreading their draft plans on the floor of our living room and of myself, as an infant, crawling around and I enjoying the “messy” moments; I am not sure whether my parents enjoyed that too!

My strongest memory though, is the image of my father, standing distant from his design table, lighting a cigarette and staring at his drawing for a couple of minutes. It was then that I first sensed the magic moment of creative inspiration, the close connection between an Architect and their brainchild and their absolute devotion to their art. To an architect this piece of work, even If it is just a conceptual sketch of abstract strokes, represents a living organism manifesting a vibrant intellectual universe.

Design above all means Responsibility; responsibility towards the client and the user of the built environment. The user’s needs and desires should be met and the design ought to be Flexible, allowing them to interact with it. Aesthetics and Functionality should not compete with each other and should both add value to the design. A Design that follows the goals and principles of Inclusivity that caters for the needs of all possible users is a Design that seeks to accommodate Quality of Life. Lifetime design with the aid of technology, may transform spaces into vibrant living units that boost self-esteem and self-conception. A Design that focuses on the Details, while keeping a balanced relationship between Functionality and Aesthetics. Setting the user at the center-of-interest, architecture may well accommodate Sustainability not only in terms of Energy Consumption and Waste Management, but also in terms of the user's needs, desires and wellbeing.

Each project opens up a whole new world to me. Coming across with new challenges, new people and new knowledge fields provides me with a strong motivation. Each new design shares a piece of my heart and spirit as I am totally devoted to it.
I believe that the conceptual phase of a project is the most important and the most creative one. In this preliminary phase the design builds its body, drawing all intellectual resources from its developer. A rigid conceptual model that takes into account all design aspects, would possibly blossom during the design process.
On the other hand Design is not a game. It is a long journey with checkpoints and short-run goals that should be placed accordingly in order to complete successfully a project. Happy and creative moments alternate with frustration, stress and disappointment when deadlines are to be met or when obstacles rise on the course. Challenges boost creativity, while imagination fuels the designer with ideas and design solutions thus creating a vibrant, imaginary world full of inspiration and aspirations.
Finally, when construction comes into play, everything should be completed and analyzed thoroughly. Pride and relief are the most common feelings along with the anxiety that the final result will finally meet the desires and expectations of the clients. Architects along with the other engineering disciplines and the workers who shape the form of the building with their own hands, consist a team whose members are interconnected and share the same emotions.

I live in Athens, a multi-cultural city with long history and rich heritage. The cultural context in which we live has a great impact, thus affecting the designers profoundly. The relationships that have been constructed solidly, piece by piece since their childhood, may be traced in a designer’s work through subtle or intensive gestures, stemming from their background. Furthermore, my studies as a Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineer, carved a solid mentality and mindset. Through mathematics and engineering courses I gained the skill of being able to organize my thoughts, my desires and channel them into addressing the complex synthetic challenges that each project raises. Last but not least, I would like to pay my dues to all my Teachers that formed me as an Architect and especially my parents for cultivating my architecture instinct since my early years. All these people are my design legends I draw inspiration from.

Apart from the client oriented projects, I love deepening my research horizons in design by developing conceptual projects that may lead to universal solutions; such a project is INTERelationships. I am also interested in spreading the concept of Lifetime design, a field with which I am passionate with and I have been studying since 2010.
Following this pattern of work, our next design project would be the offspring of INTERelationships. We are currently focusing on implementing its values in the smaller scale of Affordable Lifetime Private Residences that are energy efficient, have reduced environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions and waste management.

Concerning my dream project…What I dream to achieve, is to travel around the globe and why not contribute to the architecture evolution by grounding it back to human scale.

One great problem right after the completion of architecture studies, are the unlimited options. Option selection leads to evolution. Start working in a local design studio? Work abroad, to famous architecture firms? Set up your own studio? Collaborate with your friends and fellow students as professionals? Continue with a postgraduate level of studies? Participate in architecture contests and competitions? Take a year off? Travel? Unlimited options, unlimited career paths.
But still, even before graduation there are options and opportunities for self-improvement. The great difference between the two states is safety and comfort. The main duty of a student is to follow the demanding program of architecture studies. Participating to design competitions, summer practice or internships are valuable decisions that a student may consider adopting.
Our life experiences are our tools that feed or boost creativity. Experience comes by trying different things, other than design. By meeting different people and cultures, by travelling, by playing music, dancing, or through sports and leisure. Theater, Beaux arts, cinema are all art forms that share similar rules and creation methods. Reading, having fun, going for a walk, falling in love…living and enjoying life. Each of these activities offer valuable lessons, cultivate different skills, carve one’s personality and character, feed creativity and imagination providing people with unlimited resources to draw from.
So what I would recommend to a young designer is to take advantage of his youth, energy and thirst for life and knowledge. Go out to the real world and observe, experience and live. Feel all the emotions and reflect. Transform all these invaluable personal experiences to universal forms, places and environments. This never ending process will lead to clearer career decisions and determined efforts towards meeting reasonable goal settings.

I think that the most valuable skills a designer should have is patience and drive. Social skills, communicational skills and empathy are also imperative in order to associate and interact with partners, clients, contractors and workers and accommodate or address their competitive demands and desires. Presentation and pitching skills are foundational in order to convince all stakeholders for the value of a design solution and why it should be adopted as is. Having the courage to admit a possible mistake or inadvertence, listening carefully to others’ objections and opinions, being loyal to your own values while respecting others’, being honest, frank and straightforward are personality qualities that are well appreciated. Last but not least defending and respecting your partners helps building a trustful and powerful team.

A typical day in my life usually begins rather powerfully, as it involves playing with my 3 year-old daughter who wakes up too early in the morning. At about 8 o’ clock I drive to my office in Mets, a picturesque and old Athenian neighborhood located behind the old marble Olympic stadium of Kallimarmaron. There, I take my morning coffee with my father in a local bistro discussing with him about the current projects and reading the news. At about 9 o’ clock we return to the office to begin our work. I try to keep track the technology advances in Sustainable and inclusive design and I take online courses of the AIA Continuing Education programs. What I also love is that twice a week, I teach architectural drawing to future design students who are preparing for the Panhellenic university entrance exams. These teaching hours involves interaction with young students, an experience which is really refreshing and creative.

I have always been hesitant towards trends. There were times I turned against them, since trends usually come and go without impact. So as an architect I am very suspicious about the authenticity of trends and I admire those designers that have marked their era with the integrity of their work and the values that they have transmitted throughout their career.

Evaluating a design of a building is a complex procedure. Most of the times we are unaware of the critical aspects or design factors that led to certain design solutions. Parameters such as Budgeting limitations, Client’s desires or demands in providing service are key points that form or guide the design options even in the preliminary or conceptual phases. Having these in mind I agree that design criteria such as Function, Aesthetics, Materiality, Reliability, Performance, Interaction, Empowerment, Perfection, Change-as described by A’ Design Awards- are values that a good design should possess.
Usually we judge Architecture in terms of formal complexity and this tendency is instinctive. A gifted Architect of course may have the ability to develop complex architectural forms with interconnected spaces and uses or the capacity to handle materiality. All these are values that distinguish an architectural work and its designer. What makes Architecture very special though, is that all these aspects are embodied in a certain land property, with predefined orientation and views, with predefined options for possible entrances or access, with a predefined building program, with a predefined budget and for a certain client. Working with design limitations is part of our job and we should take into consideration all these parameters that usually compete with each other in order to produce an outstanding building.
Good design is difficult to achieve. It demands intellectual resources that sometimes are hard to draw. Inspiration does not come alone and does not come easily. I wish that I will achieve some good designs and why not some really good designs in my career. And when the time will come and I will look back, I hope that I will be relieved by finding that I have served Architecture with all my forces, doing the best I could for the users and my clients.

Deciding when a project is completed is never easy. There are always elements that could be reviewed and formed differently, in order to enhance morphology and functionality. A solid and good design concept, gives birth to new ideas that are integrated in the overall synthesis. Usually the designer feels and knows well if a project has reached to its completion. The post occupancy period though is very important for an Architect to evaluate the success of building project.

My favorite design actually is INTERelationships. It was a project that arose from my inner need to propose a completely new concept of a sustainable dwelling model. A model that defines sustainability in terms of the User, the Infrastructure and the Operation Management.

That is a really tough question. There are so many influential designers and artists, not only architects, whose work and visions have become iconic and universal. Wow…tough question…I will take the challenge though and state that I am a great admirer of the work of Peter Zumthor and Tadao Ando. Their Architecture is meaningful, spiritual, inward-looking. They create powerful places that are emotional, still, silent and calm by using simple forms and raw materials. Brilliant, pure Architecture!

Being the offspring of Architects, I was introduced into the Design World at a very young age. Among my first childhood recollections are some scattered, magic moments in my parents’ architectural bureau where I felt like home or some visits to the construction sites with my father. Becoming an Architect was truly a natural selection. Bureau and the rest is history…I have been thus cultivated with the ideal that Architecture needs to respect life and human existence. A well designed building is a life container more than a volumetric exercise of building forms. A well designed building affects directly the lives of its inhabitants; their productivity, their mood, their attitude. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the wellbeing of someone?
There is no secret or a magic recipe in order to achieve one’s goals. Hard work and believing in one’s self is the only way to go. One step at a time. Mistakes and wrong decisions are unavoidable and are there improve as individuals and professionals. I strongly believe that I would have never been an architect, had my parents followed other professional paths. I would have never obtained this design clarity of thought had I not studied Mechanical Engineering. I would have never conceptualized the foundations in Architecture had I not taken my Architecture masters teachings. I would have never followed the path of Lifetime Design, had I not met Ms. Margarita Fili, the person who introduced me to Disability. I would have never been devoted to Architecture had my family not supported and believed in me and my dreams. I would have never been an architect or even had designed INTERelationships had I listened to the discouraging voices of “logic” that compromise dreams.

I prefer being unhappy as an Architect to not being one. And thanks to all the people that I came up with, Family members, Friends, past relationships and great love affairs, Mechanical Engineering and Architecture Teachers and fellow students, past Tennis coaches, Dance teachers and partners, my drawing students, clients, project partners and consultants, I have carved my personality and I have lived lifelong experiences that enhanced the soft skills of my professional entity.

What I appreciate most in every project, is the team spirit and harmonic cooperation between all stakeholders of a project. Design is not only about drawings, models and visualizations; it involves relationships, interactions, happy moments and disappointments. It is a tough self-evolving procedure. Creativity is the fuel that feeds the designers thus leading them into conquering new grounds of knowledge.
Concerning the Design process, I always follow more or less the same procedure. I insist a lot in the preliminary and conceptual design phase, being the most important step of a project. It is like a sacred ritual to me. Visiting the place is very important in order to sense the local character and absorb as much information as possible. Information that may provide design ideas. An interview or a creative dialogue with the client and/or the project’s stakeholders in order to approach each other and set a basis for the future design options is also imperative. Then I write down very strictly, just like a mathematician does, all the parameters concerning the project as well as my desires and the aspects that should never be neglected during the design process i.e. inclusivity terms, certain functional demands etc. And then conceptual phase follows…What it is very important to me, especially at the beginning of a project, is that I give the necessary time to each stage to help me comprehend what has be done and to decide for the next steps. This means that I even stop, take small breaks, or even entire day offs, before returning back to continue the conceptual process. This phase involves 3d models and visualizations, plan/sections/elevation basic design and cost estimations. Once we come up to a fundamental agreement with the client we may further proceed to the next design phases.

When design focus on Social, Human and Environmental Sustainability, there is plenty of room to create a better society for the next generations. But designers are not alone in this battle. We walk hand in hand with our clients who have to share the same vision. The adventures that we have experienced (climate change, economic and pandemic crises) during the recent years up to present, has showed that Sustainability should be the long-term goal. That is why INTERelationships has been created at first place; to propose a Sustainable Dwelling Model and vibrant cell in the contemporary Mega Cities.

Having earned an award or recognition represents a whole period of strong efforts, focus in a goal and devotion to a project. Submitting INTERelationships project to A’ Design Awards, helped me understanding the values it reflects and to reevaluate its potential. It is imperative to pass through these inward-looking, self-awareness procedures, before communicating and exposing a project to the public. Each project reflects its creator’s insights, considerations as well as their design and artistic capacity and prospective, as it may be considered an extension of their personality.

The experience of attending A’ Design Award, is great so far. Having the opportunity of getting published and exhibited internationally is invaluable. There is a whole staff dedicated to promoting both the project and our brand. We are extremely honored and proud of being part of this community and we look forward to enhancing this relationship in the future.

Each project opens up a whole new world to me. Coming across with new challenges, new people and new knowledge fields provides a strong motivation. Each new design shares a piece of my heart and spirit as I am totally devoted to it.

Becoming an Architect was a natural decision. My parents, having experienced the difficulties of the profession I would say that they even tried to consider it twice before taking a decision about my future.

Architecture is what I practice professionally. As a designer though, I have explored various fields such as graphic design, painting, sketching. All these expressions of art share a common element; the embodied thirst for discovering creative ways to communicate one’s feelings or beliefs. Of course I love Architecture and I wish that I will be able to continue practicing and to continue serving the users’ needs, desires and wellbeing.

Legend is a term I don’t feel that best describes me. It takes a lot of effort to accomplish something like that and surely it is not up to me characterize myself as a legend. The way to succeed in architecture though is to have devotion, work hard and expand your Knowledge through the continuing education concept and through the projects. Knowledge is power and self-awareness reassures that one acknowledges their level and the steps they have to follow in order to improve as professionals.

I think the greatest difference between the two is the passion to deepen more and more into their art and thus to their own soul.

Good design is difficult to achieve. It demands intellectual resources that sometimes are hard to draw. Inspiration does not come alone and does not come easily. I wish that I will achieve some good designs and why not some really good designs in my career. And when the time will come and I will look back, I hope that I will be relieved by finding that I have served Architecture with all my forces, doing the best I could for the users and my clients.

A good design respects life and human existence. A well designed building is a life container more than a volumetric exercise of building forms. A well designed building affects directly the lives of its inhabitants; their productivity, their mood, their attitude. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the wellbeing of someone?

I would love to design a Pharaonic Pyramid, to carve a Stonehedge rock, to work with Fidias, Ictinus and Callicrates in the Parthenon construction, to join Brunelleschi’s Dome team in Florence and Le Corbusier’s Atelier at the time when he designed Unité d'habitation. Time is relative, isn’t it?

Each project, architects come up with, hides its own challenges and in this sense it is unique. It widens their horizons and offers a chance for self-improvement and for reevaluation of their design capacities. One may be intrigued or thrilled by projects that in a way seemed trivial or insignificant at the beginning of the design process. I find residential projects extremely interesting, attractive, complex and challenging. Accommodating all these complex usages occurring in a single residence; Creating a stimulus, functional and a welcoming domestic environment that enhances the sense of belonging; Meeting the ever-changing needs, desires and wellbeing terms of all dwellers through a lifelong design; Creating a place where children will be born and grown up to young adults, where adults will evolve and grow old, where older, frail people will reflect in wisdom or be challenged by their own age.

Yet architecture, may similarly support all human activities hosted in environments, different than the dwelling units. So, I love Architecture for the attraction it exerts over me, for the emotions it creates, for the excitement of creativity and for the knowledge I gain in every project I come up with.

Devotion, working hard, Knowledge expansion through the continuing education concept

I am happy to answer this question because I am given the opportunity to pay my dues to all my Teachers that formed me as an Architect and especially my parents for cultivating my architecture instinct since my early years. To me these people are my design legends I draw inspiration from.

That is a really tough question. It is as difficult to answer as the one asking what or who would you take with you on a deserted island. I hate this place!!!

There are so many influential designers and artists, not only architects, whose work and visions have become iconic and universal. Wow…tough question…I will take the challenge though and state that I am a great admirer of the works of Peter Zumthor and Tadao Ando. Their Architecture is meaningful, spiritual, inward-looking. They create powerful places that are emotional, still, silent and calm by using simple forms and raw materials. Brilliant, pure Architecture!

My favorite design actually is INTERelationships. That is why I have decided to submit it to A’ Design Awards. It was a project that arose from my inner need to propose a complete concept of a sustainable living model. A model that defines sustainability in terms of the User, the Infrastructure and the Operation Management.

There is no secret or a magic recipe. Hard work and believing in one’s self is the only way to go. One step at a time. Mistakes and wrong decisions are unavoidable and are there to make us better personalities and professionals.

I would have been a much better son, husband and father. I owe a lot to my family that supports me and believes in me.

Design above all means Responsibility; responsibility towards the client and the user of the built environment. The user’s needs and desires should be met and the design ought to be Flexible, allowing them to interact with it. Aesthetics and Functionality should not compete with each other and should both add value to the design. A Design that follows the goals and principles of Inclusivity, that caters for the needs of all possible users, is a Design that seeks to accommodate Quality of Life. Inclusive design with the aid of technology, may transform spaces into vibrant living units that boost self-esteem and self-conception. A Design that focuses on the Details, while keeping a balanced relationship between Functionality and Aesthetics. Setting the user at the center-of-interest, architecture may well accommodate Sustainability not only in terms of Energy Consumption and Waste Management, but also in terms of the user's needs, desires and wellbeing.

The design journey has been a long course with ups and downs. The latter helps you manage the former mentally. I think that my biggest supporter all over these years has been my father. But I will certainly not forget my wife Joe and my 3 year-old daughter Anna who cope with my attitude and support me with plenty of love and affection.

Well, the title great Architect is not something I feel comfortable with, but to answer this question I will have to go back in 1997-2003 during my studies as a Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineer. I believe that in this period I carved a solid mentality and mindset. Through mathematics and engineering courses I gained the skill of being able to organize my thoughts, my desires and channel them into addressing the complex synthetic challenges that each project raises.

I think that the obstacles never stop occurring. They change through the years and differ in quality and in the level of difficulty. I always felt that obstacles, just like challenges, are our comrades in our design quest. We need them to endure and to evolve as architects or professionals. One of those obstacles that still continues to exist, is the economic crisis in Greece that almost eliminated the construction sector.

There are various media through which a designer can present his/her work. Online and print format magazines, participation to exhibitions (especially for awarded projects), press releases or interviews to name a few. The problem that occurs though, has to do with the quality of these presentations, not in terms of their technical attributes but in the way that the public will comprehend the project in depth, distinguish its values and will be able to apply them in the future.

The next design project would be the offspring of INTERelationships. We are currently focusing on implementing its values in the smaller scale of affordable inclusive private residences that are energy efficient, have reduced environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions and waste management.

Dreams are free of charge, aren’t they? So what I dream to achieve, is to travel around the globe and why not contribute to the architecture evolution by grounding it back to human scale.

Once again, I don’t believe that an award distinction, no matter how important it is, makes someone special or legendary. Yes it is a moment of excellence, an opportunity to celebrate a great achievement to feel proud for the extreme design efforts that were recognized. But the day after the gala night, this award should raise the responsibilities, expectations and perspectives, so the awarded designer should be prepared to satisfy them.

When design focus on social and human sustainability, there is plenty of room to create a better society. But designers are not alone in this battle. They walk hand in hand with their clients who have to share the same vision. The adventures that we experienced in the recent years showed that Sustainability should be the long-term goal.

Apart from the design projects, I am very interested in following online continuing education programs and courses offered by formal AIA institutions and universities overseas. I deeply believe that knowledge is our power as professionals and as individuals. It feeds our mind and spirit and keeps us up to date to current technologies and design movements.

All projects are important because they all contributed to my evolution as an architect. The project that I really enjoyed though was INTERelationships because it offered me the opportunity to go back to basics of architecture and design inspiration. I had the time and freedom to create a residential building complex which could set an alternative sustainable dwelling proposal. This is why I feel grateful for its success even though it is a conceptual project. But who knows, maybe we will have the opportunity to realize it…

Less is more. I think that this diachronic phrase entails all the precious life values

I wish I had this magic sphere to predict the future. Unfortunately no one does. What I am sure of is that the pandemic crisis, global economy and climate change are all very serious and life changing facts that will affect the design field profoundly. Globalization of technology advances, sustainability terms and inclusive design will be the next thing that will rule the game.

Actually this depends strongly on the project, its category, the difficulties that the site poses into adopting certain forms or solutions and the complexity of the design attributes of a project (sustainability, inclusivity etc.). Unfortunately time is not our ally; we always feel that we need more. But we should also respect our client’s needs and project deadline and make sure that everything will be there on time. Time schedule, deadlines and deliverables are agreed with the client.

I always follow more or less the same design procedure. It is like a sacred ritual to me! Visiting the place is very important I order to sense the local character and absorb as much information as possible. Information that may provide design ideas. An interview or a creative dialogue with the client and/or the project’s stakeholders in order to approach each other and set a basis for the future design options is also imperative. Then I write down very strictly, just like a mathematician does, all the parameters concerning the project as well as my desires and the aspects that should never be neglected during the design process i.e. inclusivity terms, certain functional demands etc. And then conceptual phase follows…What it is very important to me, especially at the beginning of a project, is that I give the necessary time to each stage to help me comprehend what has be done and to decide the next steps. This means that I even stop, take small breaks, or even entire day offs, before returning back to continue the conceptual process.

‘Design for a Lifetime’ when Functionality meets Aesthetics.

I have always been hesitant towards trends. There were times I turned against them since trends usually come and go without impact. So as an architect I am very suspicious about the authenticity of trends and I admire those designers that have marked their era with the integrity of their work and the values that they have transmitted throughout their career.

Technology is a precious tool if used accordingly. The significant contemporary technological advances have broken new grounds in the design process, the materials technology the construction methods. They have also enhanced the threefold relationship between the architect, the client and the project. We as architects should have the control over these tools, know their attributes in detail and master their use. Technology has modified our lives completely by providing convenience and by simplifying daily tasks and duties. It is important to embrace these advancements and embody them to our design in an inclusive way.

I use ARCHICAD as a design software, Artlantis and Twinmotion for renderings and visualizations and Adobe Suite for presentations and photo editing. I am happy to exploit the powerful computer capacities of my IMacs that enhance my work and produce reliable results.

The impact of color, materiality and ambient in design is enormous. They may transform a rather dull and monotonous space into a vibrant and stimulating place. A place that boosts social interaction, respects diversity, empowers people, improves wellbeing and increases productivity. Moreover, according to the space usage, color, materials and ambient should be selected appropriately so that it will serve its users and it will function harmonically.

I wish that they would appreciate the values of lifetime design and its contribution to sustainability and I hope that they will discover these elements in our work and get attracted to solutions that do not compromise but enhance aesthetics through functionality channels.

I try to observe and figure out what design elements produce this certain ambience that creates these emotions. Is it a matter of materiality, of the forms, of the scale, of detailing, of the overall environment and surroundings? What makes a design unique and distinct? These are lifelong questions seeking desperately for answers!

During the Architecture School years, I had been trained to work in Teams and form collaborations in various projects. I believe in Team’s capacity to develop powerful ideas through creative dialogue and through setting and sharing the same goals. Architecture nowadays, has become complex with the introduction of sustainability, new technologies and materials. Even the design procedure has changed significantly, with the use of effective design tools that has expanded creativity tremendously. In building design apart from architects, other disciplines such as civil or structural engineers, mechanical engineers, sustainability consultants, industrial designers, contractors, project managers etc. are essential in order to complete a project. Thus being part of a Team is both inevitable and imperative and creating a team that is project-oriented and works in tune is extremely important for an architect.

I strongly believe that I would have never been an architect, had my parents followed other professional paths. I would have never obtained this design clarity of thought had I not studied Mechanical Engineering. I would have never conceptualized the foundations in Architecture had I not my Architecture masters teachings. I would have never followed the path of Inclusive Design, had I not met Margarita, a person that stood as a second mother to me. I would have never been devoted to Architecture had my family not supported and believed in me and my dreams. I would have never been an architect or even had designed INTERelationships had I listened to the discouraging voices of “logic” that compromise dreams. I prefer being unhappy as an Architect to not being one. And thanks to all the people that I came up with, Family members, Friends, past relationships and great love affairs, Mechanical Engineering and Architecture Teachers and fellow students, past Tennis coaches, Dance teachers and partners, my drawing students, clients, project partners and consultants, I have carved my personality and lived lifelong experiences that enhanced soft skills of my professional entity.

With no doubt my Inclusive Design research on its teachings and bibliography has profoundly changed and influenced my architecture considerations. The way of thinking, the fundamentals, the user-centricity of design, came to complement my basic architecture knowledge earned during my studies. In a sense, Inclusive Design expands Le Corbusier’s Vers une Architecture and Modulor Man concepts to even more universal spheres.

Architecture is a life container creation vocation. It draws inspiration from personal experiences, teachings and knowledge to create spatial experiences for other people, thus affecting directly their living terms. Apart from design teachings, project developments and professional experiences, I owe a lot to the people that surround me, to my family background, and to the course of my life until today with all experiences included both positive and negative.

Great question with unlimited options to choose from! Many figures come in my mind from all fields of human activity: arts, science, music, religion, philosophy, history and politics or even notorious criminals. Important or controversial figures from the recent and past years, till Antiquity. In what context would we meet? For example I would never ask Mozart to join a rave party, even if he would love to! Wouldn’t be interesting to see how these people would react in completely different situations or environments? For example wouldn’t it be interesting to watch Gary Kasparov as a playmaker in a team sports or Alexander the Great in peacetime? We have witnessed Michael Jordan playing golf! Although many people may have thought at the time that golf wouldn’t fit to Jordan, it was rather an interesting match.
Wouldn’t be interesting to arrange meetings that would bring together personalities such as Sir Isaak Newton and Albert Einstein for example? How would they interact?

I think that I love this option! There is song by my favorite Greek musician and singer called Loukianos Kilaidonis, entitled The Party. Loukianos has also studied Architecture at NTUA and in this song he dreams of organizing a fantastic party in a Deep Dungeon along with a bottle of rum! So in this surreal setting he would invite Fellini, the Beetles, Charlie Chaplin as Charlot, Wassily Kadinsky, Jorge Luis Borges, Frank Sinatra, Andrés Segovia, Picasso, Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Bertolt Brecht, Hamphrey Bogart, François Truffaut, Scott Joplin, Johan Sebastian Bach, Giorgos Seferis, Georges Braque, George Gershwin, and even Zoro! I would love to join Loukianos’s Party, where I am sure that he would invite all the important personalities that he did not include in the brief lyrics of his song!!

Now, concerning one of the most controversial and mysterious historic figures of both the arts and science, Leonardo da Vinci, I would rather leave him in his peace…The mystery that surrounds his personality, part of which it was intentional, has created his legend and has thus contributed to the attraction Leonardo exerts to all scientists and artists till today. I would never ruin this feeling by just satisfying the curiosity of meeting him.

Gaining an award or recognition represents a whole period of strong efforts, focus in a goal and devotion to a project. Submitting this project to awards, contributes to understanding the values it reflects and to reevaluating its potential. It is imperative to pass through these inward-looking, self-awareness procedures, before communicating and expose a project to the public. Each project represents its creator’s views, considerations as well as their design and artistic capacity and prospective. In this sense, yes it is a tough and dangerous process and one should be prepared to face rejection or address objections to their project, as it may be considered an extension of their personality.

I love the ground tones and hues, like the ones of fayum paintings that best express their primitive and naïve notion.
Passing moments or short periods near the sea, is a relaxing experience. However, I would never exchange the stimulating and vibrant life of the city center.
Since I was a little child I craved for lentils and this is a dish I still enjoy eating. It sounds weird though, listening to my 3-year-old daughter’s claim that her favorite dish are the lentils too. I love both the nostalgic autumn mood and the nature’s spring revival.
I do not get obsessed or stick with things. On the other hand I do insist wearing some clothes, while denying to admit that they may have worn out.
My favorite brand is Apple. We have been fans and users of McIntosh and Apple products, since the first introduction of Mcintosh 128K to market place back in 1984. Brand’s finesse, user interface, targeted design and focus to accuracy and perfection are unmatchable.

Architecture is full of tiny and brief moments, fun and funny incidents that occur during the design process. Most of them happen when working with partners in deadline periods. Stress levels and fatigue are high due to overnight and exhaustive work, thus leading to lough outbursts. These outbursts are common reactions and they are essential as they contribute to physical and emotional balance. One funny but still terrifying incident that I remember, occurred during a supervision visit to a building which was under massive restoration. At that times, we used to take our dog along, because the building was located in a walking distance away from our home. Gorby loved running and enjoyed playing with the workers or with the random debris or rubbish he was discovering here and there. One day, we visited the building and Gorby, as usual, started running crazy to all rooms without noticing that in a certain hall the floor had been removed and only the supportive wooden beams were left in place. It was the first time in my life that I saw a dog balancing like a cat, quite awkwardly I admit, on the thin, lengthy floor beams! He was terrified and once he managed to reduce speed and stop, he was lying in the middle of the hall, grasped on the floor beam, and crying helpless. Suddenly, everybody in the building stopped working and were all searching for Gorby who was barking and whining. A huge operation commenced that lasted about half an hour, and Gorby was ultimately saved and returned back to the hugs of his beloved workers who celebrated his rescue.

Following everyday routines and habits reduces stress levels and creates a psychological state of mind in which I feel calm and safe. For example, the daily half an hour coffee at the local bistro, early in the morning along with people I know quite well, is the ideal way to start my day. This social interaction clears my mind and it is a kind of ritual to me. Reading articles or whatever I find interesting and enjoyable is also relaxing. Hand sketching and drawing, physically connects me to the project I work on and helps me explore its mental aspects in a creative and artistic way. The expansion of computer use to almost all fields and phases of creation, suppresses my needs for informal and physical expression. I thus resort to sketching and hand drawing, with the use of various writing mediums which I completely control and enjoy. Sketches and mock-ups are time-consuming activities that stimulate the mind and contribute to the perception of the building construction. Time is a crucial design factor in the sense of brain information processing. Brain needs time to absorb and perceive all the complex information, design criteria, building program organization, legislation or technical limitations and of course to develop desires; it takes time to transform ideas into architectural forms and hand crafting or sketching provide the designer with this essential motivational parameter with a creative and fun way.

Being the offspring of architects and by having grown up in a design-centered environment, I have had rich and joyful memories that had a deep impact on me. Since I was a little child and especially during summertime I remember myself sketching and painting. These pieces were not something special artistically, but I remember my natural attraction to creation and expression through painting. I remember enjoying visiting construction sites along with my father and I still feel the intense and distinct smell of my parents’ bureau. It was the distinct smell of papers, rice-papers, inks, color markers, pencils and photocopies, subtly fused with tobacco scent. I loved this smell and to my childish mind, it acted as a creation metaphor. So, becoming an architect was quite a natural decision and a desire that occurred too early and in a very young age.

My wife Joe, responded to this question describing the future as a Post-apocalyptic hell! I am happy that I will not witness her predictions!!!

I would like to state that we will keep trying to improve our design skills and processes, to provide better, more qualitative and integrated services and we will seek to participate in future design awards and competitions with inspiring and interesting projects. Please stay tuned, safe and healthy.

Yanniotis & Associates Architectural Bureau was established in Athens in 1980 by my parents Yannos and Vassiliki Yanniotis, In 2003 I joined the Bureau after my studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Patras. In 2006 I enrolled at the Architecture School NTUA from which I graduated in 2011. Since then, I have been practicing as an Architect, having an expertise in Inclusive Design. In its long-lasting activity, the Bureau has completed a significant number of projects – of both small and large scale – in various fields of building design and urban planning (residential buildings, office spaces, industrial buildings, tourist facilities, golf resorts & sports centers, culture, restoration and reformation of listed historical buildings, urban planning, decorating, special designs etc). Facing towards the new challenges, contemporary design account for Inclusive Design practices, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Integrated IT Services.

Design above all means Responsibility; responsibility towards the client and the user of the built environment. The user’s needs and desires should be met and the design ought to be Flexible, allowing them to interact with it. Aesthetics and Functionality should not compete with each other and should both add value to the design. A Design that follows the goals and principles of Inclusivity that caters for the needs of all possible users is a Design, that seeks to accommodate Quality of Life. Inclusive design with the aid of technology, may transform spaces into vibrant living units that boost self-esteem and self-conception. A Design that focuses on the Details, while keeping a balanced relationship between Functionality and Aesthetics. Setting the user at the center-of-interest, architecture may well accommodate Sustainability not only in terms of Energy Consumption and Waste Management, but also in terms of the user's needs, desires and wellbeing.

I do not have a particular preference because every project has its own, special challenges that should be addressed. If though, I had to select a category of architectural projects that I favor, that would be Residences.

My favorite design actually is INTERelationships. That is why I have decided to submit it to A’ Design Awards. It was a project that arose from my inner need to propose a complete concept of a sustainable living model. A model that defines sustainability in terms of the User, the Infrastructure and the Operation Management.

The first thing I ever designed was a bookcase, inspired from Mondrian’s paintings motifs. It was designed during my studies in Architecture School and was constructed just after my graduation.

Materials are as important to architecture as is the skin to the body. It is the epidermis that completes the building forms, enabling them to convey subtle messages to the possible users. Each project has its own character, aspirations and soul. Materials should serve all these high intellectual goals. Therefore, the designer should create a harmonic synthesis with the use of the appropriate materials.

What I appreciate most in every project, is the team spirit and harmonic cooperation between all stakeholders of a project. Design is not about drawings, models and visualizations; it involves relationships, interactions, happy moments and disappointments. It is a tough self-evolving procedure. Creativity is the fuel that feeds the designers thus leading them into conquering new grounds of knowledge.

I believe that the conceptual phase of a project is the most important and the most creative one. In this preliminary phase the design builds its body drawing all intellectual resources from its developer. A rigid conceptual model that takes into account all design aspects, would possibly blossom during the design process.

Design is not a game. It is a long journey with checkpoints and short-run goals that should be placed accordingly in order to complete successfully a project. Happy and creative moments alternate with frustration, stress and disappointment when deadlines are to be met or when obstacles rise on the course. Challenges boost creativity, while imagination fuels the designer with ideas and design solutions thus creating a vibrant, imaginary world full of inspiration and aspirations.

When construction comes into play, everything should be completed and analyzed thoroughly. Construction may reveal unexpected issues that might have not be considered during the planning stage. It is a very suspenseful period, full of responsibilities and intense moments. Pride and relief are the most common feelings along with the anxiety that the final result will finally meet the desires and expectations of the clients. Architects along with the other engineering disciplines and the workers who shape the form of the building with their own hands, consist a team whose members are interconnected and share the same emotions.

I think that time is the most critical factor that defines whether a design will be considered successful or not. Users’ footprint on a building is equally important to its designers’ expectations and desires. The way they behave, act, express themselves and live consist the major part of its post-design life. If they are happy for their new home, office spaces etc. then the architects should feel also proud for their accomplishments. But we should never forget that a designer will be rewarded only by their peers who will judge their work objectively and rigidly.

Evaluating a design of a building is a complex procedure. Most of the times we are unaware of the critical aspects or design factors that led to certain design solutions. Parameters such as Budgeting limitations, Client’s desires or demands in providing service are key points that form or guide the design options even in the preliminary or conceptual phases. Having these in mind I agree that design criteria such as Function, Aesthetics, Materiality, Reliability, Performance, Interaction, Empowerment, Perfection, Change-as described by A’ Design Awards- are values that a good design should possess. Usually we judge Architecture in terms of formal complexity and this tendency is instinctive. A gifted Architect of course may have the ability to develop complex architectural forms with interconnected spaces and uses or the capacity to handle materiality. All these are values that distinguish an architectural work and its designer. What makes Architecture very special though, is that all these aspects are embodied in a certain land property, with predefined orientation and views, with predefined options for possible entrances or access, with a predefined building program, with a predefined budget and for a certain client. Working with design limitations is part of our job and we should take into consideration all these parameters that usually compete with each other in order to produce an outstanding building.

When design focus on social, human and environmental sustainability, there is plenty of room to create a better society for the next generations. But designers are not alone in this battle. They walk hand in hand with their clients who have to share the same vision. The adventures that we experienced in the recent years showed that Sustainability should be the long-term goal.

I wish I had this magic sphere to predict the future. Unfortunately no one does. What I am sure of is that the pandemic crisis, global economy and climate change are all very serious and life changing facts that will affect the design field profoundly. Globalization of technology advances, sustainability terms and inclusive design will be the next thing that will rule the game.

In A’ Design Awards! I am looking forward for this opportunity!

Technology and the internet have helped tremendously into bringing architecture masterpieces into our mobiles screens. In just a few seconds you may travel virtually from Beijing, to New York, to Paris or Berlin and London and have a chance to visit places and architecture sites. Nothing can replace the experience of an actual visit of a building by travelling abroad to see and feel its scale, its materiality, how it is integrated in its context and its surroundings. Architecture is deeply affected by the local character embodying the local culture and it cannot be fully perceived in a print or visual format alone. Sketching interesting views or elements of a building, contributes into understanding its structure and organization of its form. In a way, this intimate process may help one get in the shoes of its creator and trace the elements that make a building distinct and outstanding.

The design style is for an architect is actually his or her personality, carved meticulously along with their living environment and conditions, cultural context, education, experiences and many more defining factors. Design style cues are apparent even in the early works or in the school years but are rough and yet immature expressions of the deep personal values that each designer shares. It is really hard to express what my style is, because I think that it is more or less a characteristic that is formed and refined dynamically with every project, with every experience I have had. Individual beliefs and merits inherent to each person, both create the basis for this personal expression manner or style. Though, central to my design approach in each project, is the user-centered philosophy; a design that creates environments which respect their users, enables and empowers them.

I live in Athens, a multi-cultural city with great history and heritage. The cultural context in which we live has a great impact affecting the designers profoundly. These relationships that have been constructed solidly piece by piece since their childhood, may be traced in a designer’s work through subtle or intensive gestures, stemming from their background. The recent experience of the economic crisis has affected not only the society as a whole but also each individual and particularly architects and designers. We have entered in an existential quest, doubting even the need for our services and reviewing all our values that formed us as personalities and professionals. This process is tough, insular and has impinged on the survival terms of the construction disciplines link that interconnects all these professions. Now, we are phasing the Covid-19 contagion, a global pandemic that threatens to change the life habits and style once and for all.

Working with companies differs a lot from working for private clients. The procedures are different, usually because the decision maker is not a single person but a board, consisting of members that take into account aspects that may be even irrelevant to the project itself. Legal commitments, strict deadlines and contracts come into play and interpersonal relationships may be underrated. But architecture involves interaction, needs social approval and mutual commitment of all stakeholders to endure all the difficulties until the completion of a project. I therefore struggle to maintain this interpersonal team spirit and mutual understanding, in order to meet the expectations of all stakeholders.

I think that apart from the CV and the experience of a designer, an additional factor is that the profile of the designer should match the profile of the company profile. Both the architect and the company should share the same goals, agree with the basic stepping towards the completion of the project and find a common ground for understanding one another and respect each other’s priorities. I believe that these elements can create the perfect foundations for a successful project.

I always follow more or less the same design procedure. I insist in the preliminary and conceptual design phase being the most important step of a project. It is like a sacred ritual to me! Visiting the place is very important I order to sense the local character and absorb as much information as possible. Information that may provide design ideas. An interview or a creative dialogue with the client and/or the project’s stakeholders in order to approach each other and set a basis for the future design options is also imperative. Then I write down very strictly, just like a mathematician does, all the parameters concerning the project as well as my desires and the aspects that should never be neglected during the design process i.e. inclusivity terms, certain functional demands etc. And then conceptual phase follows…What it is very important to me, especially at the beginning of a project, is that I give the necessary time to each stage to help me comprehend what has be done and to decide the next steps. This means that I even stop, take small breaks, or even entire day offs, before returning back to continue the conceptual process. This phase involves 3d models and visualizations, plan/sections/elevation basic design and cost estimations. Once we come up to a fundamental agreement with the client we may further proceed to the next design phaces.

I am great fan of industrial design as it was first expressed and evolved during the Bauhaus movement. I love my old time classic metal stovetop espresso pot and my vintage metallic alarm clock. In my office I have a vintage wooden articulated doll bought by my parents during their studies in Geneva along with my mother’s student Bauhaus style armchair set and of course a vintage articulated desk lamp designed and produced in 1960. All these are everyday fixtures and utensils and great pieces of industrial design that were manufactured during or right after the closure of Bauhaus School in Berlin and Dessau.

A typical day in my life usually begins rather powerfully, as it involves playing with my 3 year-old daughter who wakes up too early in the morning. At about 8 o’ clock I take the public bus and head to my office in Mets, a picturesque and old Athenian neighborhood located behind the old marble Olympic stadium of Kallimarmaron. There, I take my breakfast and morning coffee with my father in a local bistro discussing about the current projects and reading the news. At about 9 o’ clock we return to the office to begin our work. I try to keep track the technology advances in sustainable design and inclusive design and I take online courses of the AIA Continuing Education programs. What I also love is that twice a week, I teach architectural drawing to future design students who are preparing for the Panhellenic university entrance exams. These teaching hours involves interaction with young students, an experience which is really refreshing and creative.

One great problem right after the completion of architecture studies, are the unlimited options. Option selection leads to evolution. Start working in a design studio? Work abroad, to famous architecture firms? Set up your own studio? Collaborate with your friends and fellow students as professionals? Continue with a postgraduate level of studies? Participate in architecture contests and competitions? Take a year off? Travel? Unlimited options, unlimited career paths.
But still, even before graduation there are options and opportunities for self-improvement. The great difference between the two states is safety and comfort. The main duty of a student is to follow the demanding program of architecture studies. Participating to design competitions, summer practice or internships are valuable decisions that a student may consider adopting.
Our life experiences are our tool that feed or boost creativity. To me, experience comes by trying different things, other than design. By meeting different people and cultures, by travelling, by playing music, dancing, or through sports and leisure. Theater, Beaux arts, cinema are all art forms that share similar design rules and creation methods. Reading, having fun, going for a walk, falling in love…living and enjoying life. Each of these activities offer valuable lessons, cultivate different skills, carve one’s personality and character, feed creativity and imagination providing people with unlimited resources to draw from.
So what I would recommend to a young designer is to take advantage of his youth, energy and thirst for life and knowledge. Go out to the real world and observe, experience and live. Feel all the emotions and reflect. Transform all these invaluable personal experiences to universal forms, places and environments. This never ending process will lead to clearer career decisions and determined efforts towards meeting reasonable goal settings.

As every creative occupation, architecture demands absolute devotion. It is a time consuming and intense profession that absorbs all intellectual and spiritual resources in order to reach to a high design status. Creativity, imagination, contemplation, reflection, focus to the ultimate goal are some of the skills that a designer should master. The feeling of fulfilment that follows the completion of a project or even after the discovery of the tiniest detail is invaluable and rewarding.

Never rush, take your time to focus and reflect

I think that the most valuable skills a designer should have is patience and drive. Social skills, communicational skills and empathy are also imperative in order to associate and interact with partners, clients, contractors and workers and accommodate or address their competitive demands and desires. Presentation and pitching skills are foundational in order to convince all stakeholders for the value of a design solution and why it should be adopted as is. Having the courage to admit a possible mistake or inadvertence, listening carefully to others’ objections and opinions, being loyal to your own values while respecting others’, being honest, frank and straightforward are personality qualities that are well appreciated. Last but not least defending and respecting your partners helps building a trustful and powerful team.

I use ARCHICAD as a design software, Artlantis and Twinmotion for renderings and visualizations and Adobe Suite for presentations and photo editing. I am happy to exploit the powerful computer capacities of my IMacs that enhance my work and produce reliable results. I always refer to building or local codes and inclusive design regulations and literature when designing.

When we are close to deadlines, usually the work load is increasing significantly. I always pre-organize the schedule with the tasks to be delivered estimating the time needed to complete each task. At the beginning of a project and especially the conceptual phase though, time calculation is hard to estimate. The preliminary design phase involves considering almost all aspects of a project and has to be conducted consistently and intently. Going back and forth in architecture is the standard for this profession, as well as anticipating unforeseen twists and turns due to the complex nature of design.

Actually this depends strongly on the project, its category, the difficulties that the site poses into adopting certain forms or solutions and the complexity of the design attributes of a project (sustainability, inclusivity etc.). Unfortunately time is not our ally; we always feel that we need more. But we should also respect our client’s needs and project deadline and make sure that everything will be there on time. Time schedule, deadlines and deliverables are agreed with the client.

Apart from the cost of design service which is always a serious concern for all clients, they are also interested into understanding the Inclusive Design concept and how it can be employed in buildings and environments. The initial doubts or possible objections usually transform to either surprise or admiration. Common sense, sensibility, scientific arguments and knowledge are our powerful tools to support solidly a design concept.

My most important job experience was the renovation of a massive exhibition center in Athens of a total surface of 32.000 sqm. This project involved upgrading the old, industrial, metal framed warehouse building shell into a modern and attractive exhibition space. All planning and design phases were completed and the construction permit was issued. Unfortunately the project did not qualified for construction for budgeting reasons. This was my first experience as a project architect right after graduation from Architecture school.

Most of our clients come from the private sector, including both private individuals and companies. In its long-lasting activity, the Bureau has completed a significant number of projects – of both small and large scale – in various fields of building design and urban planning (residential buildings, office spaces, industrial buildings, tourist facilities, golf resorts & sports centres, culture, restoration and reformation of listed historical buildings, urban planning, decorating, special designs etc).

As I mentioned before, I do not have a particular preference because every project has its own, special challenges that should be addressed. If though, I had to select a category of architectural projects that I favor, that would be Residences because of the complexity of human activities conducted within their body. It also involves inclusive design in the sense of lifetime housing, interior design and customized design solutions. Each project is a unique case study widening our design prospects and capacities.

Apart from the client oriented projects, I love deepening my research horizons in design by developing conceptual projects that may lead to universal solutions. Such project is INTERelationships. I am also interested in spreading the concept of inclusive design, a field with which I am passionate and I have been studying since 2010. All these activities have come up and have been refined during the economic crisis which has stimulated and directed creativity in new, unprecedented fields.
Following this pattern of work, our next design project would be the offspring of INTERelationships. We are currently focusing on implementing its values in the smaller scale of affordable inclusive private residences that are energy efficient, have reduced environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions and waste management.

During the Architecture School years, I had been trained to work in Teams and form collaborations in various projects. I believe in Team’s capacity to develop powerful ideas through creative dialogue and through setting and sharing the same goals. Architecture nowadays, has become complex with the introduction of sustainability, new technologies and materials. Even the design procedure has changed significantly, with the use of effective design tools that has expanded creativity tremendously. In building design apart from architects, other disciplines such as civil or structural engineers, mechanical engineers, sustainability consultants, industrial designers, contractors, project managers etc. are essential in order to complete a project. Thus being part of a Team is both inevitable and imperative and creating a team that is project-oriented and works in tune is extremely important for an architect.

The global pandemic unfortunately has violently affected the natural continuity and evolution of the creative business too. A cataclysmic pause has embarked and this fact will have a deep impact to all aspects of life and to our projects consequently. It is a chance for all to retrospect and evaluate the past and to reflect about the new future that is rising. I wait for this process to bear fruits and I am looking forward to better and much more solidary societies and leaderships.

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This interview has covered a wide range of fields and aspects. It exceeded my expectations and demanded time and deepening into concepts and terms that I have never had the chance to reflect so intensely and extensively. I hope that you will enjoy my answers as I did. Stay safe and healthy!