Interview with Ioannis Panagiotou

My design priorities are human needs in whatever area of the design process I participate in. I try to integrate algorithmic design as an element of expression and innovation of the design result. But the depiction of the original idea in sketches and diagrams, as well as the theoretical approach of the basic idea is a necessary element of my architectural design.

Contact with art and photography for an architect is crucial before seeing through architecture. Along with the content of the design composition, the architect should constantly update his stock of knowledge in various fields that complement the architecture.

The immediate goal of our design team is to participate in architectural competitions both in Greece and in the rest of the world, with the aim of designing on a larger scale.

There are always design, bibliographic or philosophical references in an architect's work that influence the design result. It is crucial for me beyond the modern trends to create a design language that characterizes my work, without determining this vocabulary by the prevailing trends.

Architectural competitions are a unique experience that helps the architect continue to move towards his design completion. It is a perfect experience.

Our architectural firm P9 Arch Studio was founded in 2019 by me on the basis of many years of experience in the field of Architectural design and construction since 2004. The establishment of P9 Arch Studio aims at the innovation of architectural work and cutting-edge design for projects of any scale.

The architectural firm was awarded in 2022 with the international Bronze A 'Design Award, while in the past it has published its works on international and Greek architecture websites. Its main activity is to study and build mainly in Greece and especially in the Greek islands.

Life begins with creation, so we are inspired by the environment, memory, time, materials to meet the new space we design for our customers.

Design is the human need that meets aesthetics and all this together is approached through innovation which is in itself a difficult factor in the function of the implemented architectural work.

I try to design on all scales, from the construction of design details and furniture to the scale of an urban redevelopment of public space. I am more interested in the design that involves various constraints (space, financial, law), so that I can overcome them creatively. In these cases the production of a good design gives multiple satisfaction.

My favorite recent design is "Event Scape / the public space otherwise.
It is a public space of about five hundred square meters.
The inspiration for the creation of the project is the urban geometry around us, the urban
landscape, the encouragement for alternative use of space by visitors.
The architectural composition is designed to arouse the curiosity of the participants to
discover the geometry of the space through the many alternatives that the design idea gives.
The specific geometry of the space helps visitors to use the construction in many ways, to sit,
lie down, climb, talk to each other, and finally socialize, developing human relationships.
The alternation of curves and sloping surfaces that are shaped by colour concrete beton which
create the outdoor benches, the canopies, the climbing, and play areas.
The architectural composition also includes some moving elements of plastic without internal
mass, low weight that fit the construction and are also functional to sit or playing to place
them in recesses and on the surface to change the geometry of the space to a small scale in
a controlled way.

The first thing I designed was a residential complex that was a big challenge for me when it happened.

Important design tools that are part of the innovation in design in general, but also especially for me are the algorithmic design and the three-dimensional scanning of the space, at the same time with the developments in the augmented and virtual reality that come into our lives.

Creativity is all around us as long as we reveal it. I am particularly creative when I have the freedom and the conditions to use innovative design methods and cutting-edge architectural design in my work

My feelings about my works are a reflection of the feelings that the users of these works feel when they live in them.

Design is primarily about human needs. Designers can improve living conditions on any scale. The Avant-Garde in art and architecture contributed to this goal.

The future of design goes through the development of design tools, combined with innovative materials such as biomaterials and new production methods such as 3D printing, robotics and the integration of augmented reality methods in construction. All of these areas already shape the future of design and construction.

While updating my knowledge of design tools, I try to extend the references and good theoretical documentation of the design idea to most projects.

We work with young architects that we integrate into our creative team so that renewal and innovation is an ongoing process.

The most easy way to communicate with us is our email: info@p9archstudio.com and our website: https://p9archstudio.com/