Sixty-three-year-old architect Chris Wilkinson has deep interests in engineering, art and philosophy. After graduating from London Polytechnic, now Westminster University, in 1970, Wilkinson worked in the offices of leading British architects - Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and Michael Hopkins. The architect opened his own office in 1983. A few years later, he promoted his closest associate Jim Eyre to partners and renamed the firm Wilkinson Eyre Architects. Their Islington office is now home to 140 architects on two floors.
The firm has built many well-known projects, including a regional railway station in Stratford, the Alpine Lodge at London's Kew Gardens, the National Coastal Museum in Swansea, Wales, and the Magna Science Center in Rotherham, England. The company's project is currently completing the construction of a 437-meter tower in Guangzhou, China.
The most interesting projects of the firm are bridges. More than two dozen of these beautiful kinetic structures have been created in Great Britain, Holland, Greece, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and the USA. The tiny bridge "Desire" resembles, in cross-section, the opening aperture of a photographic lens or the folds of a ballerina's flying skirt. He gracefully linked the Royal Opera House and the Royal School of Ballet high above Floral Street in Covent Garden. Among the company's many awards, the prestigious Sterling UK Building of the Year Awards, won over and over again in 2001 and 2002, stand out.
In January 2008, the team of Chris Wilkinson and the Russian development giant Glavstroy won the competition for the master plan for the renovation of the Apraksin Dvor complex of buildings in St. Petersburg. It is not surprising that one of the highlights of the project was the spectacular pedestrian bridge thrown across the Fontanka. The conversation began with this project.
- It is very responsible and exciting to work on a project in St. Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Almost every building is a historical masterpiece and the entire city has UNESCO World Heritage status. Any new construction in these conditions is a very difficult task. Apraksin Dvor is a neglected shopping center near Nevsky Prospekt. We proposed to create on this site a complex of shops, housing, offices, hotels and museums. In spirit, the quarter will resemble London's Covent Garden. Our project provides for the preservation of all historical buildings around the perimeter and the demolition of dilapidated buildings in the center. This will cover the central courtyard and side streets with a glass roof, under which year-round outdoor cafes will appear. We also connected this area with the Fontanka, proposing to throw a pedestrian bridge to the other side of the canal with a crystal sculpture in the form of a cloud hovering over the canal and reflecting water and sky.
How are your relations with Glavstroy developing? Have you noticed any differences in the specifics of working in Russia from other countries?
Our customer is very professional. All costs related to the competition project have been paid. They also paid for the exhibition of our project in the building of the Union of Architects in St. Petersburg. At the last stage of the competition, Norman Foster and I presented our projects to the Governor and the Competition Jury. Later, both projects were put on public display in the city hall. I was amazed that the jury's decision came only 15 minutes after the presentations. This is simply impossible to imagine in the UK. It takes a lot of time to make decisions.
How well were you familiar with the local context and how did you solve this problem in your project?
We spent a lot of time on the site, and we had all the necessary measurements and historical data at our disposal, which was extremely important. Personally, I have visited our site three times. The main thing was to restore all the historical buildings, as much as possible, and try to avoid sharp contrasts of new and old architecture. This is very difficult, because if you do not want the new architecture to be very different from the old, why then introduce it into the historical context at all? Therefore, it seems to me that the contrast between the new and the old should be traced clearly, but subtly. I think that without new construction and regeneration, a real city will simply die. But of course, we must strive to preserve the historical fabric as much as possible.
Is St. Petersburg ready, in your opinion, for modern architecture? How is working in a city as attentive to history as St. Petersburg different from working elsewhere?
First, the residents of St. Petersburg are very reluctant to agree to any new projects. I understood this very clearly when I spoke to the local press. I am convinced that new construction should be very sensitive and cautious, and the only way to convince people that you are right is to show them illustrative examples. And we have something to show, since we have worked in historical contexts before. We recently completed a sports arena in the historic center of Liverpool, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our building is very modern and very well received by the locals. We are also building a traffic junction and a school in the heart of historic Bath in England.
This is the question I ask a lot of people. Do you find it useful to invite foreign architects to Russia?
Of course. I am sure that the mixing of cultures and philosophies in itself is positive. London is a very international city. Many foreign architects work here, although we ourselves have many great local architects. This adds healthy competition to our work and raises the overall level of architecture. Foreigners practicing in London today include Jean Nouvel, Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, Mecano and of course leading American firms such as SOM, KPF, HOK and Swanke Hayden Connell Architects.
What is your personal involvement in the St. Petersburg project and what are your impressions of Russia?
I am directly leading this project and get great pleasure from participating in the design process. I have been to St. Petersburg four times and will soon fly there again. Even before the competition, I was twice in Moscow - the last time, at the invitation of the ARX magazine, at a conference dedicated to high-rise construction. I am happy to have the opportunity to work on a real project in Russia. I am a big fan of the Constructivists and, of course, while in Moscow, I visited the famous Melnikov house. I also like some of the modern designs. I am sure that in the very near future the quality of architecture there will greatly increase, because there is a great desire for this. Accompanied by the chief architect of Moscow, Alexander Kuzmin, I was shown the construction of the new Moscow City complex. I visited the new Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This structure made a big impression on me, especially because it was built so incredibly quickly.
Your competition project of Apraksin Dvor won the project of Norman Foster, for whom you worked as an aspiring architect. What do you say about this?
You know, this is not the first time this has happened. Sometimes we win, sometimes they do. In general, we often win in competitions. Currently, many important projects are awarded on a competitive basis, and we are constantly participating in them in order to attract new orders.
How did your internship begin after graduating from the Polytechnic Institute?
The first few years I worked with one of my professors, and then I went on a three-month journey to figure out what to do next. I have traveled to France, Italy, Greece. It was important for me to leave London for a while. It was in the early seventies and during this trip I suddenly realized that I would like to work for Norman Foster or Richard Rogers. They weren't famous back then, but I wanted to work with them because they stood out for their desire to be progressive. I returned to London and tried to get a job with both of them. Foster offered me a job. Then there were only 30 people in his workshop. A few years later, Michael Hopkins, Foster's partner, decided to open his own office. He invited me to leave with him and for the next five years I stayed with Michael. Then I was invited to Rogers' office, where I worked for several years. After that, I realized that if I am ever destined to open my own office, then this time has come. I was 38 years old and I decided to open an office without orders.
This year I will be 38 years old. Share how you can open an office without any orders?
People were very kind to me. Michael Hopkins helped me with the orders, and I continued to work for Rogers. Also renowned engineer Peter Rice from the renowned bureau Arup brought me in on several projects. One of them was the exhibition pavilion of the IBM technology exhibition, designed by Renzo Piano. I was responsible for linking to the location of this pavilion in various cities in the UK. Gradually new orders came. Then I hired an assistant, then another. For a long time there were only five or six of us. And in 1990, we won two major orders for the new London metro line Jubilee - a train depot and a station in Stratford. Other major projects followed.
You have worked with key representatives of British high-tech. What have you learned from them?
In my final year at university, I found myself at a lecture by Richard Rogers that turned my understanding of architecture upside down. I learned about technological architecture that I had never heard of before. He talked about prefabricated structures, new materials, fasteners, all kinds of joints, technical communications and other very interesting things. I realized that architecture is constantly evolving. I have always liked modernism, but one that transforms over time, and suddenly it became obvious to me that new technologies can change architecture. This is what fascinated me about the architecture of Foster, Rogers and Hopkins - their new approach within the framework of a modernist concept. When I opened my own bureau, it was important for me to make certain decisions, because I did not want to repeat what my mentors did. It took years. I do not consider myself to be a purely high-tech architects, but I am interested in applying technological techniques and using a variety of opportunities. I strive to explore new shapes, designs and materials. We do not single out one thing, and our projects respond to very specific conditions of the place, so they are all different.
In one of your texts, you say that the philosophy of your office is to combine art and science, and to explore the facets and constituents of architecture and engineering. This is very typical of British architecture. In addition to being a continuer of this tradition, how much do you strive to stand out with your own architecture?
I think that the technological aspects of architecture should not dominate. I am especially interested in questions of aesthetics, proportions and beauty. Atmosphere is also an important aspect of how a building not only looks but also feels. Therefore, I always strive to create architecture that inspires. When you find yourself inside, it is important that it has a beneficial effect on your mood and awakens your emotional feelings. It is also important for me in architecture what meanings it carries. The building should make sense, not just obey someone's fantasy. For example, in St. Petersburg, the task is to combine the old with the new and give impetus to new development and life. All old cities need regeneration and the architect's job is to make it successful. I would highlight the most important thing in our architecture in three words: aesthetics, atmosphere and meaning.
Besides being an architect, you are also an artist
I became interested in painting about ten years ago, when my wife, a professional sculptor, decided to study painting at an art school. I just followed what she studied. I find this activity very calming and stimulating. We have a house in Italy, where I paint pictures. They have a lot more color and sunshine than the ones I am working on in London.
What does painting have to do with architecture?
I don't believe that a project starts with a drawing or an image as inspiration. I think this is where art and science diverge. The mental process in painting is completely different from work in design, which is characterized by precision and rigor. Working on an abstract sketch, you need to forget about everything and completely surrender to your feelings. But when you bring art into design, it gives the idea a special freedom of spirit. This is a very important feeling. I have a feeling of greater confidence, and in many ways I give the credit for this to painting.
Your bridges are very complex and beautiful. How did this serious engineering passion begin?
It all started with the design of a large span of the Stratford station, on which we worked very closely with our engineers. It was thanks to the success of this project that in 1994 we were invited to compete for the design of the Canary Wharf footbridge. We won this competition and the bridge was built. Then we were invited to participate in another competition in Manchester, then in another. As a result, we won five consecutive bridge design competitions. In total, we have built at least 25 bridges.
Your general plan for the Apraksin yard in St. Petersburg also includes a pedestrian bridge across the Fontanka with a sculpture hovering above it. This bridge is very light, delicate and resembles the kinetic sculptures of Naum Gabo. Perhaps his sculptures or the work of Russian constructivists played a certain role in your architecture?
Quite right. In the work of Naum Gabo, I am attracted and inspired by his skill to convey the magical quality of the transfusion of light. His sculptures are particularly sophisticated and lightweight. They inspire us in bridge design and we push our engineers to achieve the most refined and graceful design solutions.
In your lyrics, you say that good buildings have spiritual qualities. What qualities would you like people to notice and feel in your architecture?
I would like people to feel comfortable, and by spiritual qualities I mean elation. This is a combination of space, light, acoustics … When you find yourself, for example, in a cathedral, you feel something special, and it seems to me that in all buildings you need to strive to achieve such a sublime feeling.
Wilkinson Eyre Architects London Office
24 Brighton Street, Islington
April 23, 2008
