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We Interview Albert Tschechne: Architect and Expert in Inflatable Spaces

LEARNING
Emotions are there; they exist and emerge with greater or lesser frequency depending on the personality of the person experiencing them. This is why we sometimes divide the world between those who are more rational and those who are more emotional. After all, reason is often capable of concealing emotions or even, after analyzing them, managing to soften their effect. We generally tend to associate rational people with the scientific world—mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, or architects—while we associate emotional people more closely with the world of literature and the arts. But when you strike the right chords, emotions emerge, no matter who you have in front of you. That is when the magic happens, and I assure you, dear reader, that listening to a rational person speak with passion is one of the most beautiful things there is.
Today, Quim and I are interviewing one of those people who are absolutely crazy about their work, the kind of person who seems to have architecture running through every pore. Albert Tschechne is a 30-year-old architect who was originally headed for a career in mathematics, with an extraordinary background for someone his age. He is currently a familiar presence on projects at the prestigious and eclectic Berlin-based firm Raumlabor. He is one of those humble people whose story becomes more and more surprising as he tells you about his career. I have a feeling that, between him and Quim, I’m going to have to keep things under control amid so much passion for the art of designing and building.
A. I started studying mathematics, but I switched to architecture in my first year.

P. Wow! What prompted such a quick change? Was there a particular “lightbulb moment”?

A. Not exactly. There wasn’t any particular moment that marked a major change. Out of curiosity, I enrolled in a few architecture courses and realized that architecture allowed me to satisfy three aspects that I was—and still am—looking for: the analytical side, involving the calculation, technical aspects, and logic; the creative side, which gives free rein to imagination and the conceptualization of spaces; and finally, the more practical and social side, since these spaces are used to improve people’s lives.

Q. Berlin is also a unique city when it comes to architecture.

A. Without a doubt! Berlin is one of those cities that has embraced architecture in a context that gives equal importance to the interpretation of space for practical purposes, creativity, and style.

P. I notice that you place a lot of emphasis on addressing social needs when you talk about the concept of architecture.

A. Yes. For me, architecture fundamentally has to translate social needs in terms of the use of space, obviously combining them with style. Functionality and beauty don’t necessarily have to be at odds with each other.

“My conception of architecture is closely tied to this way of understanding space: it is striking, alive, you can breathe it in, and it has a whole world to explore.”

Q. How does someone your age manage to have collaborations with such important figures in the world of architecture, such as Ryue Nishizawa, in their portfolio?

A. It’s almost impossible to get internships with firms and architects of this caliber. I was lucky! My mother is of Japanese origin, and my father is a journalist who writes about architecture. Through my knowledge of my mother’s native culture, I was given the incredible opportunity to collaborate with them.

P. How long were you there?

A. I spent two years at SANAA, the firm founded by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. I really enjoyed learning how they conceptualize their buildings and how they make the most of and maximize space, always striving for harmony.

Q. When did you decide to leave?

A. Let’s just say COVID made the decision for me! When the pandemic began, I returned to Europe. Sejima was teaching at the Polytechnic University of Milan at the time, which was a decisive factor in my choosing to finish my studies there.

Q. The Polytechnic University of Milan is one of Europe’s leading architecture schools. Did you enjoy your time there?

A. Yes, very much!

P. So, you’re studying in Berlin, then you go to Japan, and then you return to study in Milan… How did you manage to get your courses and exams recognized?

A. I spoke with the professors, explained my situation, and helped them understand that what I was learning was important and that, from an extracurricular perspective, it was a valuable opportunity. They allowed me to sit the exams directly.

P. And what about your final degree project?

A. I wanted to design an inflatable pavilion. I presented it from a theoretical perspective, and it allowed me to immerse myself in inflatable architecture. We have several projects of this kind in Berlin, and I was really drawn to the idea.

Q. What do you value most about inflatable architecture?

A. My conception of architecture is closely tied to this way of understanding space: it is striking, alive, you can breathe it in, and it has a whole world to explore. Its pursuit of perfection through minimalism, together with the need for precise calculations to make it a reality, makes me feel very connected to it.

“I don’t see inflatable buildings, but I do see rooms, spaces for museums, offices… There is a whole world of possibilities for inflatable architecture coexisting with traditional architecture!”

Q. Do you see inflatable architecture as being conceptually related to any traditional school of architecture?

A. My education in architecture and my influences combine SANAA and Raumlabor. I understand SANAA’s architecture as an innocent and gentle form of modernism, focused on flow, light, transparency, and materiality. For me, inflatable architecture is the extreme expression of these highly modernist principles, and I know that Sejima also has a great appreciation for some inflatable structures. But in experimental architecture, such as Raumlabor’s, inflatable architecture is also an ideal way to create spaces with flexibility, spontaneity, mobility, adaptability, lightness, and responsiveness. In all these characteristics, I see a logical continuation of modern architecture.

P. Do you think Inflatable Architecture will eventually replace more traditional architecture?

A. No, I think they will coexist and be used for different purposes. I don’t see inflatable buildings, but I do see rooms, spaces for museums, offices… There is a whole world of possibilities for inflatable architecture coexisting with traditional architecture!

P, Q. Thank you very much, Albert!

A. Thank you!