Detail: Your office is known for cost-efficient building. What influence does the budget have on the quality of the architecture?
Jean-Philippe Vassal: We try to look at the budget in a positive light. When a client fixes it at some point, it’s no problem for us. Architecture is always related to a social situation, and cost effectiveness is important for society
today. It’s a pragmatic thing.
Anne Lacaton: We don’t regard a limited budget as an obstacle to architectural quality. It’s our task to achieve quality, regardless of the constraints. Costs are an important factor, just like the structure or the finishings; but the overriding goal of our work is to achieve architectural quality.
Jean-Philippe Vassal: We try to look at the budget in a positive light. When a client fixes it at some point, it’s no problem for us. Architecture is always related to a social situation, and cost effectiveness is important for society
today. It’s a pragmatic thing.
Anne Lacaton: We don’t regard a limited budget as an obstacle to architectural quality. It’s our task to achieve quality, regardless of the constraints. Costs are an important factor, just like the structure or the finishings; but the overriding goal of our work is to achieve architectural quality.