MANIFESTO
Architecture gives the dimensions of our space, it constitutes the built, designed world that physically surrounds us and in which we have our being. We form our lives within the frame that architects have established, through their design of buildings, planning of cities, design of landscape or simply by their interior designs. An architect has a unique position of creative power, and of responsibility as well, being bound to have a positive effect on the surroundings of a large number of people. The architect can create a better world, for those who themselves do not know how. Instead of routine designing, instead of being limited by the setting, instead of kitsch and mediocrity, the architect can, and must, select more, offer better.
Albatross is developing a multilayered, holistic approach to architectural design, always aiming at the creation of architecture as the best possible life-surrounding, based on detailed research into the immediate physical space, into the social and economic context, the progress of technology and cultural and social advances (research-based design), so that ultimately there should be a design that offers the unexpected but is also responsive to the client and the client’s needs — and the wishes that sometimes the clients do not even know they have. Albatross does not repeat: it always creates one-off architecture that has unique appeal; its ambition is for every new design to be at the global cutting edge, at the same time never neglecting rationality and functionality, and always taking care that everything should be done in such a way as to be as economical as possible with the resources and time of the client.
Office structure and designs
Albatross is organised more in the way of a start-up than as a formal architectural design studio; its ambition is to observe the universal and the local context, to be a laboratory in which new knowledge is produced. It brings together academic research, education and practice, so as to achieve innovations on the interface of technology and art, aiming to materialise ideas for the 21st and visions for the 22nd century. The office culture is oriented to the young, to those who are prepared to push back the borders, aimed at eliciting fresh ideas, and the team is regularly interdisciplinary and composed of students, professionals and enthusiasts that are willing to leave their comfort zone.
The projects on which we work want to achieve no mere passive aestheticization but participative and interactive interior and exterior spaces. We design approaches of all scales in this spectrum — from the design of furnishings, apartment interiors, family houses, apartment buildings, business towers and also sporting and cultural facilities, large urban zones, parts of cities, squares and parks… the focus being on sustainability, social awareness and always with a vision of an ever more rapidly variable world. Instead of one-way designing by an architect, we offer our partners professional consulting, in a word — advising and planning together happy and dynamic spaces — doing studies, testing the capacities of the space, giving not just one unchangeable vision but various possibilities of the scenarios that can be played out when the projections of the future in a given building or part of a city are concerned.
We create together
We allow ourselves the freedom to correct and supplement, abbreviate, discard or rename this manifesto, but for the moment we have a deep belief in it. We hope that you will turn to us if you share our ambition for devising contemporary and innovative spaces, and we will take you with us to the achievement of your objectives. Creation of architecture with an identity, architecture that gives off creativity and success, the architecture of your dreams — we invite you to join us so that we can create together the spaces of your future.