ARCHITECT GALINA ANDREEVA: PAINT THE FAÇADE THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO BE

— How do you define a good facade?

— A good design does not scream, does not catch the eye, but creates a feeling of harmony and comfort, when beautiful proportions attract the eye and one wants to consider the details.

The criteria, of course, are classic: usefulness, durability, beauty.

— Have you ever had to argue with your clients?

— I always use a sacred saying: no arguments about tastes. The customer's wishes are the starting point of the project, so I only respect personal preferences.

My task is to find the best compositional and technological solutions that connect the desired and the existing architectural volume. In the process of sketching I can always abstract and draw the facade as it wants to be, taking into account the thickness and material of walls, storeys, geometry of the roof, size and proportions of openings and partitions and often this facade becomes the basic choice of the customer.

Of course a conflict, like a fire, is better to prevent than to extinguish. If there is a fire, emotions can't help. I can easily understand a client's state of mind, his worries and concerns in such a responsible and time-consuming business as construction.

A constructive presentation of the situation with an alternative solution to the problem helps.

A man who cares about the appearance of his home - already a good example. A good customer usually knows what he wants and actively participates in the creative search, and in matters of functionality and technology trusts the architect.

— How do you make sketches?

— When all the input data are collected and understood, I make a lot of sketches of which I choose the best ones, fundamentally different from each other. Refine, clarify the details, draw the final sketches and offer them to the customer for discussion. I choose any time for work.

The main thing immediately sketch first impressions.

I like to draw with my hands, the picture comes out more accurate, the facade looks alive. Sketches - on a pale printed perspective or flat view of the house on paper I draw with a soft pencil or a capillary pen, on tracing paper - use markers, for the final sketches I use colored aqua pencils.

— What inspires you? Teachers? Cities? Ages?

— All at once. Customers can inspire by setting "unsolvable" goals. Teachers - inspire the ability to solve problems in the best way, cities - give new ideas, art - educates taste, develops intuition, teaches trust, the era - give knowledge and experience.

— What fears must a person overcome?

— I do not know for a man, I will answer for myself: a fear of making a mistake and fear of the opinion of others makes it very difficult. But in general, fears, as a rule, have their reasons and a person should eliminate them.

Interview by Alexey Vatavu