Architecture Top 50 2017

10 BUILD - Architecture Top 50 / April 2017 , Frank la Rivière Architects Inc. is amulti-disciplinary and internationally oriented design practice based in Tokyo. We invited Founder Frank la Rivière to tell us more about the firm and how it works to ensure that it always creates stunning buildings which enrich the space they occupy. Designing the Future Established in 2007 and drawing on Frank’s vast experience working in Japan and around the world, Frank la Rivière Architects provides a wide range of architectural design and interior design services including construction supervision and project management for architectural and interior works. The firm also occasionally takes on product and graphic design projects in order to offer clients a full service and ensure that they always meet their needs. “What differentiates Frank la Rivière Architects from the rest of the architecture market is that we are one of the very few foreign- run office in Japan that are fully registered and licenced in Japan (First Class Architects office) and the first registered office by a Dutch national. Furthermore, we are also registered in the EU (The Netherlands: Architecten Register). We are multilingual and have extensive experience in working in international teams. “This ensures that we always meet our client’s requirements, and we aim to achieve this right from the very start of the project. The first phase of any project is always an exchange of thoughts to get to understand the client’s ambitions and needs. We aim to get as clear a picture of how people would like their building to be. If the project concerns a residence, it is about their style of life. If the project is of a commercial nature, we interview the client regarding their business image and operation. Additionally, we need to understand what opportunities the site offers as well as the legal and planning constraints. From all this information, we distil a program and start working on first ideas that put all the requirements in a logic organisation and response to the design problem inherent to the commission. “In consecutive phases we go naturally into further detail to come to an increasingly precise identification of the projects contents, realisation techniques and cost. We find it important that throughout the design and construction process all procedures and steps are sufficiently concluded. This guarantees the best workflow and leads to the most satisfactorily result.” To get the best result we do not feel constraint to stay within the boundaries of the traditional disciple of architecture and interior design. We feel that we gain a lot through involvements in other discipline such as graphic design, photography and product design. Gained experiences that help us tackle design problems and feed back into our architectural and interior design solutions. In other words, we strive to deliver a total design direction to our projects. As the firm approaches its tenth anniversary Frank, who draws on vast industry experience both to support his clients and teach vocational courses on architecture, discusses the changes that have occurred since he first started working in the Japanese architecture market and how his firm has adapted to offer clients the services they need. “Throughout the 25 years that I have been working in Japan, the most significant changes that have taken place in the field of architecture are in the first place, after the burst of the bubble economy of the years 80, the change from extravagant architectural projects to more moderate and economic designs. Additionally, whilst in the 90s there were still numerous projects undertaken by well- known foreign designers, this stream of fame came to an end; in contrast, Japanese architects were gradually starting to take on commissions abroad. Another key development over the last 10 to 15 years has been a gradual shift in the type of commissions from newly build to refurbishments. Refurbishment is now a viable option however there is still much growth potential in this area as, compared to the UK and EU, this field is still underdeveloped. “Lastly, after the disaster with the Fukushima Nuclear power plants in March 2011, there is a stronger drive to come to greater energy saving in the building sector. Regulations were established, new techniques developed and clients have become increasingly aware of the benefits of better energy efficiency of their properties not only regarding running cost savings but also because of the increased comfort levels resulting from the measures. “In line with these changes in the industry, here at Frank la Rivière Architects we have undertaken refurbishment work and feel that the interest of working on these kind of projects lays in the fact that dealing with existing structures can lead to interesting unexpected results. We have come to see that existing structures do not necessarily need to be a burden, but could just as well be regarded as the catalyst for innovative design solutions.” The firm has three key focuses which drive it towards success and help it to offer clients the very highest standard of cutting edge service. Frank is eager to discuss these goals and how the company works to achieve them. “Here at Frank la Rivière Architects we have three key aims which we work towards every day to provide our clients with the very best solutions and services which meet their needs. Firstly, our aim is to create richly varied environments that are both responsive to the needs of its occupiers and result in stimulating spatial experiences. Central to this is our continued observation of the relation between man, object and space. Recurring themes are lightness, transparency, continuous flow of space and a trueness to the nature of the materials used. We express this in a thoroughly contemporary design language while showing a distinct awareness of the fact that we work in a Japanese cultural environment. 1702BU43