The second interview in the series is with Chris Romer-Lee from architectural practice Studio Octopi.
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• How did you come to work with Build?
• Build sent us a book on Brockmann and Betty. Build then designed our website.
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• What is it you like about the studio?
• Your use of the humble hyphen in all correspondence.
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• What are you looking forward to seeing at the London Design Festival (apart from the Build 11 Years show)?
• The 1960’s sorting office on New Oxford Street, the setting for this year’s designjunction.
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• What is your favourite piece of your own work and why is it your favourite?
• Park Avenue South was the most complex and crafted piece the practice has worked on to date. The project’s manipulation of light and views continues to influence our work. Favourite? We can’t have favourites really.
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• Where are you based?
• Burrows Mews, Southwark
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• Three words that sum up you + your attitude to what you do?
• As a practice we’re obsessed by place & craft.
Attitude? Oh its always upbeat, we look outside our industry for inspiration.
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• How did you get started?
• The desire to make things the way we wanted.
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• What project has given you the most satisfaction?
• Recently we completed ad agency 18 Feet & Rising from concept to completion in two months. That was good for the practice, but not our health.
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• What kind of music do you listen to whilst at work?
• We’ve had The Futureheads’ new album Rant on loop.
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• Describe your style...
• Contextual.
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Thank you Chris, James and everyone at Studio Octopi - you can visit their site here.
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Build—Blood, Sweat & 11 Years opens on Tuesday 11th September until Sunday 16th September at the Dray Walk Gallery on Brick Lane. Further information can be found here.
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Park Avenue South images courtesy of Lyndon Douglas Photography.
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