Francesc Pons
Francesc Pons (Barcelona, 1967) is going to study design He started his own studio in 1986 at the Elisava school of interior design and industrial design, and 9 years later he founded his own studio. His style, sophisticated and modern, made a great impact in 1999 with the opening of the first restaurant in fast food Sandwich & Friends, in which he collaborated with Jordi Labanda.
Since then he has not stopped: shops (Amaya Arzuaga, Jordi Labanda), fashion shows (Amaya Arzuaga), beauty salons (Salón de Belleza 5º 1ª), showrooms (BSB Alfombras Contemporáneas), restaurants (Noti, Ottimo, Sandwich & Friends), exhibitions (Outumuro), and residences for lucky individuals who can live in a world of their own.
L'any 2008 va ser guardonat amb el Architecture AD Design Award as the best interior designer.
We go to Francesc Pons' studio a bit nervous. Not because it's sunny and it's just a few hours before the Champions League semi-final, but because we like his work very, very much, and admiration always involves a certain distance. When he picks him up, it seems to me that he's a bit nervous too. His work is one of those that requires solitude in the office, like a craftsman in his workshop, and that talking about oneself makes him uncomfortable, not to say that he doesn't like it at all...
I sembla que ens llegeix el pensament:
F. -I still see my profession as a very artisanal job and I often feel like a species on the verge of extinction. Many times you have to fight against the elements. It's a way of life, your head is always spinning and you never stop designing. Your life is very much wrapped up in your profession.
O. -Do you feel this way, what is your home like?
F. -Until now I used to live in a very “Francesc Pons” flat (and I'm starting to make saliva). A short time ago I moved and I live as a couple in a much more conventional flat where I feel more free, more at home... Before, I used to go into history at the slightest detail. -I'm reminded of «A casa del ferrer, cullera de fusta», but then he goes on to say, “Whenever I can, I escape to Formentera where I have a very small house, and this one is very ”Francesc Pons". -(and I salivate again...)
O. -I look around me and I am surprised to find myself holding a very precious mobile phone made of struciton wires. I think of the detail, which is very important in his projects, the care of craftsmanship as a working method and the care of someone who has a passion for what he does....
F. -I listen to the needs of each client, what they want, what they would like and I start my work mainly from the plans. The most important thing is the layout, the way the house will function. There are many factors to take into account and each client is looking for something different. We focus on being interior architects, which is not the same as being decorators, although we sometimes advise on some purchases... A good client is a very good client and if they let us do things and let us advise them, we can make them a very well-made house that will last them for the rest of their lives.
F. -When the project is for a shop, what matters is the product, which is what will give it its true image. Besides, of course, you have to find a different touch to the shop, a style that distinguishes it. This is what I did, for example, with Jordi Labanda's shops, especially because his products are based on illustration.
F. -On the other hand, there is the very important factor of time. The project in a house can vary from one to one and a half years, but in the case of commercials the project has to be finished very quickly, about two months, because there are a lot of expenses during the process.
F. -One point in particular are the exhibitions, such as the current one of Outumuro, which I designed myself. I really enjoy doing them because they are very nice and quick projects.
Qüestionari ràpid:
Before and after :: No doubt Sandwich & Friends, 11 years ago. From being a totally unknown studio, it appeared in all the magazines you can imagine. It was given worldwide coverage. Afterwards, I went on to do more, but it's no longer the same. I don't like the franchise system, each place is different and demands different things.
The encàrrec of your dreams :: A quiet building in Tokyo.
The most esteemed project :: It's always the next one. Before, when I finished a project it was hard for me to disengage and I felt bored. Now it no longer happens to me, I've learned to refrain from this process of commitment.
Immediate project :: A cocktail bar in Madrid.
Herois :: In architecture, I like Scarpa, Mies Van Der Rohe, Coderch and the great masters, of course. For me, the best architects in history are those who design the outside thinking first of the inside. I also like the classic furniture of the Gavina house.
Antiherois :: Tota la deixalla televisiva.
How do you see Barcelona? :: I'm very critical... We don't know how to conserve our heritage and we deserve what is happening to us. I find it hard to believe that they destroyed the Air France offices that used to be on Passeig de Gràcia, which were a work of art in interior design, or what happened to the Ottimo restaurant or Jordi Labanda's shop... This is inconceivable in other cities like London or New York.
How did you live in Barcelona? :: I see Barcelona turning away from the sea and it's a pity in a city like ours, but I think that the coastline, the whole area near the sea has also been destroyed...
A place :: En la meva ruta particular hi ha l'Speak Easy del Dry Martini.
His style, sophisticated and modern, made a big impact in 1999 with the opening of the first fast food restaurant Sandwich & Friends, in which he collaborated with Jordi Labanda. This project gave him international exposure, and since then he has not stopped.
