Portegna DNA by Pablo Álvarez de Lara

The DNA of our brand

Pablo Alvarez del Maceda Studio He is the architect who built our stores from scratch and shaped the DNA of our La Portegna brand.

Marylebone High Street store (London)

Sant Nicolau Street 1 (07001) - Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

"I also like to use artisans in the construction process because they bring warmth and humanize the spaces."

"The brand was calling for a partnership with natural, noble, and simple materials."

"I firmly believe that 'thought' resides in gesture and handwriting."

"The hand must be trained logically, but it's the only way I have to connect thought, emotion, and project."

STUDY IN MADRID

Pablo Alvarez de Lara.

1. What influenced you to become an Architect?

I think I've always had it in me. I used to build sand vaults on the beach... and at home I used to play with tente pieces. But what pushed me to choose this profession is... For me, relating to spaces is a game and a necessity.

On the other hand, there were perfect circumstances at home: my father is a frustrated industrial engineer and architect who always gave me many technical explanations about cities and buildings, and on the other hand, I had my mother, who is a painter and sculptor.

2. How would you describe your personal architectural style and how have you evolved throughout his career?

I can't say I have a personal style that can be identified by the solutions I propose or by anything identifiable at first glance, because my essence is to adapt as much as possible to the client's needs. I suppose this in itself defines a character and a style! ... Although, on reflection, I do have personal preferences:

I like the texture and essence of the materials to be perceived in my works.

I also like to use artisans in the construction process, because they provide warmth and humanize the spaces.

As for the evolution of my style, it's closely tied to travel, to chance encounters... to keeping my eyes open, touching and drawing wherever I go. I always travel with a notebook. And of course, it also has a lot to do with completed projects and learning through trial and error. Until you build something, you don't make it your own. There are things you never repeat because they happen, that stage is reached, and then new options appear along the way.

3. Has the La Portegna project highlighted any of your identities?

After analyzing the Portegna brand and products, I came to distill two main areas of work.

The first was very easy for me because I quickly identified the Portegna product with the materials I usually work with. The brand was crying out for us to associate it with natural, noble, and simple materials. The framework in which we would present the products had to be handcrafted, without industrial processes. And so the fired clay, lime and plaster, and natural, untreated wood came to be. These are all the materials I usually use in my work.

The second defining feature I brought to Portegna was the way the space was designed to highlight the product. No more continuous displays… and no more wooden shelves… we had to break away from the predictable aesthetic of a leather goods store. From now on, we would compose the spaces with small "chapels"!

We had to create complete, independent still lifes. The product would be enhanced by creating constellations or families of objects.

4. Why is it important to make hand-drawn house drawings?

In the times we live in, computer-produced technical drawings are an essential requirement for being productive and efficient, but I think we shouldn't skip hand-drawn drawings.I firmly believe that "thinking" resides in gesture and handwriting. The hand must be trained logically, but that's the only way for me to connect thought, emotion, and project.

In the studio, once the concept and volume of the house have been designed, we like to present projects through hand-drawn watercolors and graphite because we believe these suggest enough, but leave room for the client to complete the image. Hyperrealistic renderings are too concise for the design phase; the rendering must come later. We also use them, but at a later stage.

5. In your opinion, how can architecture influence people's daily lives and society in general?

For me, good architecture is HEALTH at all levels… both personally and as a society.

6. If I had to make a reference trip Architecture Where would it be? (work/house/architect/style)

It's difficult to answer this question. There are so many places that have influenced my career and shaped me. However, if I had to choose one destination I know, it would be Rome.

Although I'm planning to go to Japan, I know it'll be a turning point!