I agree with Einstein when he said, “If you look deep into nature, you will understand everything better.” I think that for man to produce a beautiful thing, all he needs to do is go back to nature, to learn from it.
There is nothing ugly in nature — everything meets its purpose, works well with the environment, and has the right proportions, colors, everything! And so going by this logic, it is safe to say that beauty is also connected to function. If something does not work well, then maybe it is not beautiful. And if something works extremely well, most probably it is also beautiful. A well designed space is a space that works well.
Beauty should not be confused with taste because taste is something personal. It is something that is built into our lives because of our specific environments and circumstances, the media we consume, the people we interact with, and so on. When I design, I try to depart from taste.
This is also the reason why I like minimalist architecture because it gives the occupants the liberty to customize their environment according to their needs and preferences. I believe it is important that architects do not characterize too much the space and design they are building. Instead, it is better to focus on the space, materials, and function over the other elements.
It gives me great joy and fulfillment to have people come up to me and express their appreciation for what I have designed and built. This happened a few times and to me that is more important than a prestigious award. It gives me fulfillment mainly because the job of an architect isn’t easy. But I do it because I love the job and it has become an advocacy for me in some way.
I do look forward to working on more challenging projects, and for me the challenge lies in delivering a great product that does not cost a fortune for the buyer or market. Beauty must be accessible for everyone and not just for the privileged few. It’s easier to design something good and sustainable when the budget is high, but when it is more modest, then it can be a real challenge. I enjoy creating, innovating and designing for beauty and function when the limitations are tight, so to speak.
A dream project would be to help more cities redefine their planning projects to create more green infrastructure — how to reduce the use of cars in favor of low-impact vehicles for mobility, for instance. The result would be a green, sustainable and liveable city.
Having this venue, this column, to communicate directly with you, our readers, is a real privilege that not too many people have. And to be given the chance to talk about what I love the most is another important thing that gives me great fulfillment. I truly appreciate this wonderful opportunity.
About Architect Nati
Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati known as Romolo Nati or RVN, is a multi-awarded Italian architect and businessman with interest in sustainable development (energy and real estate). He is the current Executive Chairman and CEO of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), an Italian-Filipino real estate development firm that specializes in the design and development of sustainable buildings. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Philippine renewable energy company Constellation Energy Corporation (CEC) that focuses in acquiring, financing and developing small to medium-scale renewable energy projects across the Philippines country. Follow Architect Nati on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.