The DNA of our brand


Pablo Alvarez of Estudio Maceda is the architect who has built our stores from scratch and has shaped the DNA of our brand La Portegna.

 

 

Marylebone High Street store (London)

 

 

Carrer de Sant Nicolau 1 (07001) - Palma, Islas Baleares, España

“I also like to use artisans in the construction processes because they bring warmth and humanize the spaces.”

 

 

 

"The brand was screaming to be associated with natural, noble, and simple materials"

 

 

“I firmly believe that “thinking” resides in the gesture and stroke by hand.”

 

 

“The hand must be logically trained, but that is the only way for me to connect thought, emotion, and project.”

 

 

THE STUDIO IN MADRID

 

Pablo Álvarez de Lara.

 

 

1.What influenced you to become an architect?

I think I've always had it inside me, at the beach I used to build vaults with sand... and at home I used to play with Tente pieces. But what pushed me to choose this profession is that for me, relating to spaces is a game and a necessity.

On the other hand, there were the perfect circumstances at home: my father is an industrial engineer and frustrated architect who always gave me many technical explanations about cities and buildings and on the other hand I had my mother who is a painter and sculptor.

2. How would you describe your personal architectural style and how has it evolved throughout your career?

I can't say that I have a personal style that can be identified by the proposed solutions or by something that can be identified at first glance, because in my essence is to adapt as much as possible to the client's needs. I guess this in itself already defines a character and a style! .... Although on second thought, if I have personal preferences :

. I like the texture and the essence of the materials to be perceived in my works.

 I also like to use craftsmen in the constructive processes, because they give warmth and humanize the spaces.

As for the evolution of my style, it is closely linked to travel, to fortuitous encounters... to keep my eyes open, touching and drawing wherever I go. I always travel with a notebook. And of course it also has a lot to do with the projects I've done and with learning by trial and error. Until you build something you don't make it your own. There are things that you don't repeat because they are carried out, that stage is completed and then new options appear along the way.

3. With the La Portegna project, have you highlighted any of your own identities?

After analyzing the Portegna brand and products, I came up with two main lines of work.

The first one was very easy for me because I quickly identified the Portegna product with the materials I usually work with. The brand was crying out to be associated with natural, noble and simple materials. The framework on which we would present the product had to be handmade, without industrial processes. And so we came up with terracotta, lime and plaster or natural, untreated wood. All these are the materials with which I usually communicate in my works.

The second identifying feature that I brought to Portegna was the treatment of space to enhance the value of the product. No more long displays... and no more wooden shelves... we had to break away from the predictable aesthetics of a leather goods store. From now on we would compose the spaces with small “chapels”!

We had to create a complete and independent still life. The product would be highlighted by creating constellations or families of objects.

4. Why is it important to make drawings of houses by hand?

In the times we live in, technical drawing produced by computer is a prerequisite to be productive and efficient, but I believe that we should not skip hand drawing. I firmly believe that in the gesture and in the hand drawing resides “thinking”. The hand must be educated logically but this is the only way for me to connect thought, emotion and project.

Besides, in the studio, once the concept and the volume of the house are designed, we like to present the projects through hand drawings in watercolor and graphite because we believe that these suggest enough, but leaving space for the client to complete the image. The hyper-realistic rendering is too closed for the design phase, the rendering should come later. We also use it, but at a later stage.

5.In your opinion, how can architecture influence people's daily lives and society in general?

For me, good architecture is HEALTH at all levels... both on a personal level and for a society.

6. If you had to make an architectural reference trip, where would it be (work/house/architect/style)?

It is difficult to answer this question. There are so many places that have influenced me in my career, that have shaped me. However, if I have to choose a destination that I know, it would be Rome.

Although I have yet to go to Japan. I know there will be a before and after!