MASK Architects is an international architecture and design firm established in Italy and Turkey by Founder and Principal Öznur Pınar Çer and Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer Danilo Petta.
Öznur Pınar Çer graduated from Faculty of Fine Arts at the Cyprus International University 2014. Prior to that, she studied Architectural Restoration at the University of Karabuk, Turkey.
Danilo Petta studied Civil Architecture at the Politecnico of Milan and Interior Design at Istituto Europeo di Design (IED).
SP: Where do you draw your inspiration from in terms of materiality and designs?
MA: We are inspired by the physical, mathematical and kinetic movements of plants, animals, in short, living and non-living beings or objects in the world. An example of this is how plants survive and how they adapt to survive in their ever changing environment, as well as the lifestyle of humans and their viability in the flow of the natural world. We love this different perspective. Because we are all different and due to these differences the thought process of us all allows new different thoughts to be created, leading us to carry out very different work.
SP: What are your views on sustainable architecture and how do you merge the idea of sustainability with contemporary designs?
MA: Looking at sustainability from another perspective, even if a designer or architect has designed something that is needed according to the economic and sociological conditions of the period by making use of today’s technological developments, that design must be flexible, expandable, developable, ergonomic and sustainable. The design should also be able to directly respond to any future problems. Sustainability is not only to increase the perception of green with formal necessity, but also to combine ways to protect it and other designs are needed to protect them with a common perception and action. In short, a product and project designed under today’s conditions should be able to directly respond to the problems that may occur in the next generations and in the next era, and should be able to respond to the problems of every age.
SP: Your works involve technology that is closely associated with scientific devices along with the development of the eco-experiential system. What are your visions for futuristic architecture and design?
MA: While designing our projects, we try to understand today’s perception of architecture and design. What should be done, for what, and for whom? Is it right or wrong? So being curious is our way of life. In this sense, we question the architecture and design of the future and identify its deficiencies. The architecture of the future is to question the present and the past, to identify the deficiencies in it, and to establish a better and unmade, undesigned, and unthought future with the opportunities offered by today’s conditions and the needs of the users. In this step, we aim and realise that everything we design is not just an object and will benefit the world and the perception of the user in the conditions of the day.
While designing the building or the object, we do not think of them as concrete and soulless generations. We think of them as magic that will open new life paths for them in their psychology by helping them develop a different perception of life by communicating with people. Because we care about human psychology.
SP: Which project has been your most exciting one, to date and why?
MA: I think that all projects that have been done by our passion and hands-value are exciting for us as in the period. At this moment, the Artificial palm structures project is the most exciting one in our life, because of its definition of the future and we found a solution for humans who have been living in the soaring heat on the islands in the middle east zone. Heat island users are not able to carry on with their life outdoors. We are happy to find a solution for users who would like to socialize outdoors.
Overall, this project provides multi-purpose benefits for the entire Middle East. One of the key points is to combat climate change and aim to benefit the world and everything that exists on it, animate and inanimate. On the other hand, instead of focusing on one target and a single city for a better life, it aimed to address a certain area. For example, people living in the whole Middle East and in the Middle East band have created areas of respite where they can socialize in outdoor areas.
SP: Your works derive from finding a solution to climate change, considering it the biggest concern. What are all the difficulties you have to face in the execution of ideas pertaining to such a solution?
MA: In fact, we can say that the data we have obtained as a result of certain research and the project we imagine can overlap in an equal way. We are imagining something and how this imagined product or project comes to a conclusion with some findings is the design process that we discuss the most. Right after that, we move on to the physical testing phase of the design finding with these values. At this stage, at a certain point, we start to enjoy the project we have done and we realize that we are on the right track.
SP: Tell us something about your ongoing projects.
MA: We have many projects from Architecture to industrial design. I would like to share what we have been doing in this period. We have designed subway stations as a result of our cooperation with the sub construction and construction companies of the government of China. The 2 metro stations we have designed are currently under construction. We have a new generation luxury villa design in Dubai, which is currently under design and which we will present to you in the coming months. I am sure that it will take its place in the world press as one of our most favorite villa projects. At the same time, we are continuing our work for the construction phase of the VG01 villa we have designed in Sardinia.
We continue to prepare on displaying our product designs at “furniture fairs”. At the same time, we have been designing new interior design products for some important brands as a collaboration. We have been preparing for “Venice Biennale 2022”. Even though we got an invitation to “Venice Biennale 2021”, we could not join due to covid cases. We hope that we will have the opportunity to exhibit our “Hole Zero + Timeless Kinetic Art Sculpture” project in San Marco square in Venice.
Currently, we are beginning a new partnership with Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) which was founded by the renowned Engineer Paolo Garella, for one-off car designs that match perfectly our architecture and design vision. We will be side by side with MAT not only for one-off car design and manufacturing but to provide a complete lifestyle identity design service.The collaboration is conceived to offer a complete lifestyle experience, integrating a uniquely styled dream house with a bespoke one-off vehicle: an exclusive proposition tailored for Mask’s and M.A.T. ‘s demanding clientele. Our goals are to realize the projects we have designed and to continue new exciting projects from where we left off. We are very happy with the results.
SP: Any suggestions you would like to give to the young emerging architects and practitioners?
MA: We think that one of the most important virtues to be possessed in architecture is self-awareness. The more you are aware of yourself and what you can do, the more solid steps you can reach to the point you dream of. Courage is the most important step. If you are brave, maybe you can break down your existing walls and discover a talent you have never seen or experienced. We are always changing everyday, and to be able to adapt to the changing world is very important. To exercise different interests and views, to have ever evolving opinions and to always challenge the notions of the world and environments around you to make it a better place.
Image Courtesy: MASK Architects
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