IF Architecture 创始人 Iva Foschia 的室内设计之道

Well, well, well… What do have we here? So. Much. Awesome! First of all, I would like to make a warm welcome for our new friends who are moving in as our “roomies” for our beloved #YellowtraceInterviews. Please make some noise for Laminex, y’all! Woohoo! We are super proud to be partnering with Laminex for this regular feature series, which sees us celebrating the talent, sharing the learnings and shining the spotlight on our brilliant and diverse design community. A heartfelt thanks goes out to Laminex who’s support assists us in being able to continue to share amazing design, inspiration and invaluable lessons via these in-depth profiles.

And now for the star of today’s show – Ms Iva Foschia of IF Architecture. Oh, lordy!

I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting Iva once so far. Our encounter was very brief, having shared an extremely short car ride up the street, followed by an unfinished conversation at an intimate media preview of Jardan’s beautiful new Sydney showroom, which she designed. But despite our meeting being a brief one, I am quite certain I sensed what Iva is all about. In fact, her incredible body of work tells me all I need to know, and in person, she indeed confirmed she’s an exceptionally dedicated, passionate architect who is deeply committed to her craft and her clients. To use a Dana-ism here (cover your ears, I mean your eyes, if swear words offend you) – she is fair dinkum, really gives a shit and is fucking brilliant a what she does. Despite a pretty impressive string of major projects from a broad range of significant clients under her belt, there’s no hint of ego or bullshit there. Just really great work, a huge effort and a lot of heart delivered by a very tight team.

Iva’s interests run wide and deep, and I am in no way surprised to find out she studied psychology, and arts, prior to settling into architecture. She makes an effort to retain her curiosity, wonder and excitement for the design process, which always begins and ends in a new place. Established in 2010, her practice, IF Architecture, approaches projects by blending multiple disciplines to express a singular vision. Be it a home, a store, a restaurant or a workspace, they make it their mission to create an emotional experience of a physical space that satisfies their client’s needs and objectives, now and into the future. The team draws inspiration from a myriad of influences, including art, fashion, psychology, branding, graphic design, social and cultural trends, as well as the best examples of architecture from around the world, both historical and contemporary. Hey, that sounds a little bit like Yellowtrace, no?

Today Iva shares with us many words of wisdom, both professional and personal, and I feel proud to shine a little spotlight on someone who is well on her way to cementing herself as a key player that will define the future of the Australian design & architecture industry. A legend in the making, indeed.

+ Hello Iva, welcome to Yellowtrace and thank you for taking the time to e-chat. Could you please give us a quick introduction on yourself? When did you first decide you wanted to become an architect? And what path lead you to start your business?

+ What is your main priority when starting projects? Is there something that is fundamental to your practice – your philosophy and your process?

+ How is your studio structured? i.e. How many of you work in the studio, what types of skills do you have in-house, is there anything you are outsourcing, and how many projects do you handle at any one time?

+ How do you organise and manage the competing demands of modern business and life? Do you have any tip or tricks you could share with us that help you in your day to day?

+ Although you are now quite well established, the world of design and architecture is really competitive and it can be difficult to get a break. In retrospect, what do you consider to have been a turning point in your career? Has there been one project, one client, or an important set of skills you’ve developed that has changed the course of your career?

+ What do you feel is the most challenging part of being an architect today? And if you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

+ What are some of your methods to stay motivated, focused and expressive? And your top 3 main sources of inspiration and references you are drawn to regularly – i.e. books, magazines, websites/ blogs etc?

+ Who or what are some of your influences? What other designers, peers and creatives in general do you admire?

+ What advice would you give to emerging designers who want to follow your path? What was one of your biggest lessons learned since starting your practice?

+ What’s next – can you share wit us your vision, some of your goals (and some of your current projects)?

+ What’s the best mistake you have ever made?

+ What rules do you live by?

+ Your most treasured belonging?

+ What’s one thing other people may not know about you?

+ It’s not very cool, but I really like…

[Images courtesy of IF Architecture. Photography credits noted.]