THE ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE?
Alvar Aalto [1+2]. As a young architecture journalist, I had the opportunity to travel to Finland on a tour of Aalto’s seminal projects, including his lakeside summer house and studio he shared with his wife and collaborator Aino Marsio-Aalto. Aalto’s unique interpretation of modernism, which was humanist while remaining in dialogue with nature, offered a set of values that made sense to me. I recall being fascinated by his capacity to shift in scale – from vase to chair, house to hospital. That trip began an ongoing conversation for me about design being rooted in place, respectful of the local, a balancing act between technology and craft.
CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS WHO YOU ADMIRE?
I believe situations with emotional intensity are what defines memory and shapes us as individuals. I admire artists, designers and architects who maintain an expanded view of the interconnections and entanglement of life. They can create opportunities for people to step outside themselves – to transcend the everyday and momentarily grasp something bigger than us all. I have admiration for those who orient their practice towards the audience, inviting people into a shared experience.
WHAT DREW YOU TO A CAREER IN DESIGN?
My parents are designers so I grew up in a place where design was valued. I studied environmental science and have always been fascinated by systems and ecologies. I also love writing. These led me to a job at an architecture magazine. Design and architecture appealed as a sector that is creative [and] capable of improving the world.
DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING?
This story is from the October 2021 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
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This story is from the October 2021 edition of Belle Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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