Starck Contrasts

Tell me about your conceptual approach to design—the larger-than-life aspects of the design elements you choose…

Anyone can build a building that protects people from heat, sun and cold. What I am determined to do is to make a stage where people can be sexier and more brilliant, a place where they can awake smarter.

I use the poetry of surrealism, which I believe is something that everyone can understand—young and old, cultured and uncultured. A child may look at one of my public spaces as fun, a woman may see it as poetic, a man may see it as emotional. For me, the surrealism is a symbol that each individual can interpret on his or her own and glean from it what they wish to take away.

With my projects, I transform people into actors. I ask them to return home and feel how open life can be, how life without rules feels. When I design something, creativity and love are the only rules.

Creating urban sanctuaries seems to be one of your strong suits. Is this because people need to be shielded from the strife of life?

There is an old marketing rule that says if you make something, you must please everyone. I believe this rule has become bankrupt and has taken our soul with it. I try to please myself, my family, my friends and my tribe. When I make a building, I create a strong secret sign for my tribe and the building becomes a cave for my tribe.

When you plan a project, do you think about it for a long time and then have the design come out whole or does it come about incrementally?

I don’t think, I dream. I never work; I play. I know what will be the final goal—the happiness of my friends. I design for intelligence—I set a stage as if I’m creating a movie set. I never, never make architecture; I make a scenario.

What would you say is your beginning point on each project?

The first rule to having beautiful children is for the parents to be in love. It is the same with design; no project can be beautiful without a love relation. If you only think about a building as concrete and steel, people will not want to live there. You must bring joy, honesty, tenderness, vision, humor and romanticism to each project.

Architects often think only about concrete and steel, and they are surprised when no one wants to live in their buildings. I don’t care about architecture; I care about a building that has beauty.

You can choose to work with whomever you please, why have you chosen to collaborate with The Related Group so often?

If you want to dance Tango, you must have an Argentine partner and Jorge Perez is the perfect partner. He’s a man with a great deal of business acumen, one who doesn’t think about making fast money—he cares about the quality of each project and the quality of life for the people who will live in each place.

Any future projects you can tell me about?

I’m designing the first private rocket that will go into space. It will be launched in less than two years.

I’m designing a boat that is over twenty meters long and it won’t make waves—it’s about intelligence and harmony.

I’m working on a hydrogen car because this is going to be very important to our future.

You can also now wear my underwear.

[Your underwear?]

No, I don’t wear underwear. A French guy must always be ready. You’ve heard the term “Starck Naked,” right?

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