IKER OCHOTORENA
PERFECT
EMPTINESS
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Quoting interview to architect Iker Ochotorena.
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Openhouse magazine Issue Nº18
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Photography by Mari Luz Vidal
mariluzvidal.com
OOAA
ooaa.es -
Despite the OOAA’s recent success, the inquisitive but calm architect Iker Ochotorena (San Sebastian, 1984), founder and director of this successful architectural firm based in Madrid, seems oblivious to the media buzz surrounding him. He greets each day with a gentle shyness and his movements are neither studied nor conceited but instead stem from a creative discipline rooted in humility. Sheltered from Madrid’s hot July sun, we chat about his work and theorise on the past, present and future of architecture.
“During the Renaissance, architecture and art were merged into one. Furniture has to play that same role. In other words, no single element should stand out above the rest. The overall experience of a space is about creating an ambiance.”
The simple – but not banal – look of OOAA’s projects is a clear reflection of this Basque architect’s character. Excess is a trait that doesn’t represent him at all. On the contrary, it’s in emptiness that he finds his inspiration when designing a space - a creative discourse that was articulated by Jorge de Oteiza and the way in which he praised space. “He’s perhaps the artist who is most dedicated to emptiness and who makes the best use of it. I’ve followed him for a long time and his influence is clear in everything I’ve read about him.” Maybe Iker's interest in Oteiza's discourse has something to do with their Basque roots. “Someone once described Oteiza as being dark and vertical, while Joaquín Sorolla was blue and horizontal – but I can’t remember who. Perhaps there is something that is unrelated to building style but has something to do with a tougher image. I find the rawness of naked architecture attractive.”
The truth is that an ode to emptiness is part of OOAA’s identity. “It happens naturally. I believe in adding value to bare spaces,” explains Iker, whose own architectural ethos aim is to create a refuge: “For me, home is a place where you feel protected from what’s going on outside, a place that must convey a sense of calm.” It is this understanding of home and privacy that makes interior design a fundamental aspect for Iker. “During the Renaissance, architecture and art were merged into one. Furniture has to play that same role. In other words, no single element should stand out above the rest. The overall experience of a space is about creating an ambiance.”
Iker started on his own architectural work while he was completing his final university project in Madrid. A couple of complete refurbishments came up – one from a relative and the other from an acquaintance – and the rest is history. In 2011, he set up his own studio, and had to expand it only four years later. Although from the outside it looks as though everything happened very quickly, his steps have been firm and confident, perhaps strengthened by his father, from whom he inherited his love of architecture. “My father had a studio in San Sebastian and I began working on some of his projects. He studied in Mexico and was involved in a lot of construction over there. It took him a long time to get his degree validated in Spain, which is why he never had a very large studio and why he dedicated his career to designing single-family homes. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been connected to architecture in some way because of him. I’ve always been interested in it, although it wasn’t something that he particularly instilled in me or my brother.”
After discussing the past and the present, I’m intrigued to know if Iker has an idea of what the house of the future will or should look like: “In my opinion, there are two aspects: In a world where high tech is becoming so prevalent and everything once revolved around perfection, stainless steel and industrialised processes, it seems that craftsmanship and imperfection are now being valued once again. There’s also the matter of sustainability, which is also a cornerstone of architecture. As good architecture is all about function, it is clearly connected with the concept of sustainability right from the start.”
A question that comes to mind listening to Iker’s words is whether it’s really possible to design timeless architecture: “Yes, it is if we associate timelessness with the most primitive or artisanal construction methods, which results in an elemental, restrained and simple style.”