Architecture slow for lives that want to breathe
In a world that runs without looking, you suspect that there is another way of living: more conscious, more beautiful, more yours. Slow Studio defends an architecture slow that combines wellness, health and nature to design homes that lower revolutions and increase quality of life.
Víctor Vergés and Jade Serra founded Slow Studio and, together with them, a mixed team of senior architects and project managers has grown up, bringing ideas to life on site with rigour and care. They also collaborate with experts in management and communication and a network of specialists - energy efficiency, acoustics, water, biohabitability - that is activated as each project requires.
They work in Barcelona, Madrid and Palma de Mallorca, and share something more than a method: a way of being in the world. They are fathers and mothers, neighbours and readers; people who listen before drawing, who prefer honest materials and who measure comfort in hours well lived.
Your own name Slow is a declaration of principles, a way of looking at the world, of inhabiting it and of relating to others and to the environment, with the firm will of improving people's lives through architecturethe project is based on a shared vocation and a strong commitment to the sustainabilityhealth and well-being. His approach is not only aesthetic and technical, but also deeply human.
"The term slow to which our name refers is a statement of intent, but also a daily struggle to be present and to connect.
Connecting with natural rhythms, with parenting, with the environment we inhabit, with what really matters. In the face of the speed, noise and hyper-productivity that dominate our daily lives, Slow Studio proposes to stop, observe and design by listening.
Architecture as a way of life
What satisfies them most as architects is not only the final result, but the knowledge that their projects transform the way of life of those who live there. "We are proud to contribute to architecture with a positive impact, not only in environmental, but also in emotional and social terms. His way of working goes far beyond the design of spaces. It is an invitation to rethink how we build and how we live.
"A truly transformative architecture must add up to collective solutions".
That's why they created Slow ResearchThe project, an internal line of research that allows them to continue learning and, at the same time, to share knowledge with an increasingly conscious community. Their goal is clear: to move together towards a more respectful and regenerative way of building.
A process that starts with listening
Every Slow Studio project begins with a process of active listening. To the person who will commission it, to the terrain, to the climate, to the environment. "Each client and each context pose different questions. Our job is to find answers that are both technical and poetic". This search gives rise to an architecture that is serene, conscious and deeply connected to its surroundings.
His sources of inspiration are as varied as they are coherent: vernacular architecture, the science of energy efficiency, the wisdom of nature or folk traditions. His creative process also has a soundtrack: calm folk rock. Roots music, with a slowed-down rhythm, that evokes tradition and present at the same time, to the rhythm of his own architecture.
Victor and Jade's house: Living what is projected
Victor and Jade's house is a true reflection of their philosophy: nature, simplicity, community. They live surrounded by greenery, with a vegetable garden, chickens, birds running around at dawn and neighbours with whom they share time and care.
"We could not live in any other way than being closely connected to nature, to the climate and to people".
The cuisine also speaks of their way of being in the world: local organic products, a larder full of fruit and vegetables, and the conviction that wellbeing begins with what we grow - literally and metaphorically - every day.
When they imagine a perfect plan at home, it always includes family time and contact with nature. And if you ask them what they would take home right now, the answer is clear: time. Quality time. Time to be, to share, to rest. For them, the essential thing is no longer to acquire things, but to recover the rhythm we have lost.
Decorating with a conscience
In the Slow Studio world, decoration is not an ornament, but an extension of living. Every object, every texture and every material speaks of care and the link with nature. Earth tones are their fetish colours, and among their references are the book Regeneration by Paul Hawken, the film Tomorrow by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent and music by John Mayer. Their choices convey a balance between knowledge, commitment and sensitivity.
His favourite corners are not exhibition spaces, but places that invite you to retreat. A beloved piece of furniture, a comforting smell, a lamp that accompanies. Decorating, for them, is to build atmospheres where one can live with meaning.
Libraries and other shelters
When asked about their favourite place, they answer without hesitation: libraries. "There, the magic of transmitting knowledge is united with the magic of sharing a common good. We read, we learn, we take care of it and we give it back so that someone else can grow with it". They also reflect on travel, increasingly critical of consumer tourism: "If all 8 billion of us were to travel to every corner of the world for pleasure, we would end up destroying those corners.
Transforming the system from within
Their vision goes beyond the individual. They know that real change requires collective action, and that is why they are involved in various actions outside the studio as well. Years ago they understood that it was not enough to design responsible housing from their office, it was also necessary to transform the framework that regulates architecture. That is why they are active members of the Architecture and Sustainability Group (AUS) of the Architects' Association of Catalonia. From there they promote regulatory changes, encourage public debate and work for the decarbonisation of the sector.
They do so with a deeply ethical vision, knowing that real impact is only achieved when good practices are no longer the exception but become the norm.
