Josep Ferrando: Matter & Light

In the essence of the architectural project or the final built work resides an inherent duality: the place and the architect. The place always imposes itself, and architects adapt our method, gaze and, with it, a personal interpretation that will prevail during the process.

This duality between the immovable state of reality –the context and the territory-, and our interpretation of it is combined in the project and, finally, is realized in the built work. The architectural work as a combination of matter and light. The volume –matter- in as far as the inanimate object: silent and still. And light –indefinite space-, like a void defined by matter: alive, moving, dynamic. In order to reach this symbiosis between matter and light, between the definition of space and the habitable space, the architect works in a place with a context, a place that imposes itself and that cannot be ignored and that must be addressed.

This architectural process is managed through many types of documents. A language is generated by the architect –personal- and specific –from the place- that – beyond being used by the architect to build- is the origin of a story that, in some cases, will arrive at its ultimate goal: to become spaces can be inhabited by people and can shelter new stories.

As an architect, I live in a duality between the craft and education; between practice and method. The process feeds the ultimate goal of becoming a building, and the built work, feeds the process and the entire architectural project. Therefore, how a place is reached is of as much importance as simply reaching a place. Because its interpretation through process will become more tangible with the human condition, with time.

If the solid is not defined, there can be no habitable void. Without matter, there is no light, and therefore, no life. Nor architecture. Recognizing a place and the process of adapting ourselves to it affords the architect the ability to provide it with life. It gives us the opportunity to bring matter to life through a correct interpretation of light.