Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 45
Occupation: Architectural designer.
Instagram: @space_exploration_design
Hometown: San Antonio.
Studio location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Describe what you make: Space Exploration designs interiors and occasionally standalone structures. We embrace an honest approach to detailing that expresses the way things are made, as well as the beauty and nuance of the materials employed in their construction.
We often work within the existing fabric of old buildings in and around New York City, which requires sensitivity and usually at least a little bit of archaeology. We seek to be sensitive to historic fabric and context, while gently updating the spaces entrusted to our care to reflect the lives and lifestyles of our clients. Our work is rooted in ongoing dialogue with our clients; the most important part of any of our projects is the person with whom we work to realize it.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: I don’t know that “importance” really ever enters into it. Every project presents unique opportunities to learn and improve our practice. Naturally, we gravitate toward projects that already have what we think of as “soul,” and embody something difficult to articulate. They have nuance or a fascinating backstory, or they’re situated in an interesting place. Existing conditions and context inform our work, especially in the early stages of development.
Describe the problem your work solves: I’d like to hope our work elevates everyday life for the people who experience it. Whether it’s a private residence or a hospitality destination, our goal is to provide spaces that, in their own quiet way, make the experience of life a little better for their inhabitants.
Describe the project you are working on now: We’re lucky to always have numerous projects at different scales in development at any given time. Right now we’re working on a small hotel in Newport, Rhode Island. The design is heavily influenced by the historic home and art studio of Howard Gardiner Cushing, a prominent regional artist who was most active around the turn of the 20th century. At the other end of the spectrum, we’re designing multiple apartments and hospitality spaces in Manhattan and Brooklyn that each have their own unique language and personality.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: We’re putting the finishing touches on a beautiful rowhouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It’s a full gut renovation for an especially gracious and trusting client. We’re very happy with the way it turned out, and we look forward to sharing images of it soon.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: Our Greenpoint studio is filled with light, plants, and beautiful books and periodicals, plus thousands of material samples, which are critically important to the way we work. Other must-haves include copious tools for drawing and painting, the occasional stick of Japanese incense to help with focus, and of course a great chair for the occasional afternoon nap (our choice is Hans Wegner’s Flag Halyard chair by PP Møbler).
What you do when you’re not working: I love spending time at my house in Litchfield County cooking, entertaining, practicing archery, or just enjoying the landscape with my wife, the artist Melissa Gamwell, and our cat, Zelda.
Sources of creative envy: Sam Shepard, Samuel Beckett, Robert Irwin, Gerhard Richter, Carlo Mollino, Daido Moriyama, Ricky Swallow, Lina Bo Bardi.
The distraction you want to eliminate: I’m always looking (mostly unsuccessfully) for better ways to tame my email inbox and the constant influx of texts and other messages across multiple digital platforms. And does it make me sound crazy to say unnecessary noise? It’s a cliche, but the older I get, the more I enjoy the luxury of quiet and stillness.
Concrete or marble? Marble.
High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse.
Remember or forget? Remember.
Aliens or ghosts? Ghosts.
Dark or light? Both in equal measure.
