Q&A Chris Bosse | Architect
Meet Chris Bosse, Architect and one the directors of LAVA – Laboratory for Visionary Architecture. Based in Sydney but operating worldwide, a couple of recent projects included his work on the amazing Watercube swimming centre in Beijing Olympics (PTW ARUP CSCEC), the Green Void at Sydney Customs House and the 2009 MTV Awards. Pick his brain and share some mind blowing creativity.
Name: Chris Bosse
Profession: Architect & 1/3rd LAVA Laboratory for Visionary Architecture
Location: Sydney, Australia
Passion: Visionary architecture, design, fashion and music
How I got my break: Breakdancing! Well, I am probably most famous for collaborating with one of the biggest Australian architecture firms to build the award winning “Watercube” Olympic swimming pool in Beijing. Today, for setting up an international network of architecture with projects around the world.
My top tricks of the trade: Using computers to make complex things beautiful
My style in a sentence: Geometry is the new blob
Travel destination and tips:
Snorkelling, being underwater, anywhere between Great Barrier Reef, Vanuatu and Malaysia. The coral reefs are the cities of the future where species coexist and thrive of each other. The light refractions of the sunlight create endless patterns and artwork together with the sand.
The city that provides endless inspiration for an architect:
Masdar City, the sustainable city being built in Abu Dhabi at the moment is an inspiration for future architectural generations. The city combines the best of Paris New York Rome and Istanbul in a carbon neutral, car free, solar powered environment.
The precinct I regard as having the most notable examples of fine architecture would be the central plaza of Masdar, where we are designing a hotel, a shopping centre a cinema complex and a conference centre to form the plaza of the 21st century. A number of large-scale umbrellas create he first mediated outdoor plaza in the middle east and makes public outdoor space inhabitable throughout the year.
I bet you didn’t know I can: Play Jimmy Hendrix “Little Wing” on an electric guitar
I get my inspirations from: Nature, technology and mankind
My latest project is about: Sustainability on a city-scale
My last purchase: A car radio that picks up my mp3s and makes phone calls via Bluetooth
My current favourite mecho item: Green Void @ Sydney Customs House 
Most innovative product designer/product:
I have been a fan of Marc Newson for years. I think the next generation is due shortly. It is insane to see the talent coming out of current design schools! In terms of product… uhm… the wheel was a pretty smart one..?
The world could do without: Cars?
Most useful trend in design in the past decade:
The discovery of computation that allows you to simulate natural behaviour such as growth and adaptation of species often misunderstood as superficial mimicry, the potential is in understanding the principles behind nature, not only the appearance.
The aquatic centre Beijing is based on the geometrical arrangement of soap bubbles, the most efficient way of filing space with structure. The skin weighs 15 of the weight of glass.
Pssst… One time I… dreamt of designing the MTV Awards and photoshopped the stage of 2006. In 2009, we did it.
I am still wishing to design the Opera House of the 21st century. Utzon was completely ahead of his time and together with Harry Seidler laid the foundations for modern architecture in Australia. Both were inspired from nature and geometry. The Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart by my partner Tobias Wallisser is a 21st century example.
The period that most chimes me…
I love the sixties-seventies, but would like to take my computer if I had to go there. Imagine Utzon and Saarinen with today’s tools…
The mecho team invites you to continue the conversation below with Chris… Make it fun! Post comments with your own free personal Gravatar
NOTE: ARCHIVE ONLY from July-09. You may leave a comment but please note Chris is no longer actively responding to any questions post 31 July-09.
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21 comments
21 Comments Add your own
1.
sean | July 1st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
WOW! thats all i got to say
2.
chris | July 1st, 2009 at 2:22 pm
hey super cool looking forward to blog
please also check out Lavas website and blog
http://l-a-v-a.blogspot.com/
http://www.l-a-v-a.net
3.
Leanne | July 2nd, 2009 at 11:16 am
Hi Chris,
Architecture or Interior Designer – I’m interested in both fields, is it possible to be both or is it better to find a niche in the industry? What do you find most challenging in your industry today?//Leanne
4.
Darren | July 2nd, 2009 at 11:48 am
I’m curious about that redlit cave or cocoon pic- what is that?? Some very impressive work you going on there. D.
5.
chris | July 3rd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
LEanne,
i think architecture goes across many disciplines and scales
a doorhandle is as interesting as a highrise tower.
try to do as much as you can and learn from everybody around you, planes, boats, trees, spiderwebs..
6.
chris | July 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Hi DArren
the red cave is the digital origami project
we developed this in a workshop with UTS masterclass students.
testing the fitness of a molecule in a feedback loop of digital and analogue design techniques.
21 century papercraft..;-)
7.
Martin | July 5th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Hi Chris,
I personally never rated Australian design and architecture very high but am stoked to see creatives such as yourself around!
What hope do you have for cities with messy infrastructure, bad landscape planning, poor architecture and general bad taste such as Sydney? Will this city ever clean up their acts?
Sorry if sounding cynical but keep pushing those boundaries!
8.
chris | July 9th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Hi Martin
sorry for the late response.
i spent the last 3 days in Canberra at the student conference REHAB
canberra pretty much exemplifies your point about lack of interesting architecture and infrastructure
for a city built from scratch it is bizarre not to be able to get around without cars and everything is miles away..
the good news is though: the students at the conference have an amazing energy and will to contribute to 21st century design and i am looking forward to see the results of this in a couple of years!..
cheers
9.
Molly | July 11th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Lolz Canberra must be the most boring place Ive been too although heard college life can be pretty wild there… I have travelled to many countries and don’t understand how old countries in Europe has much better architecture and city planning than such a new country as Australia which could have learned from those countries?!! I am looking forward to see the results too (while I’m still alive!!):)
10.
Lou | July 12th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
How do u find time both lecturing and running ur own biz, Chris? Ur an inspiration!!! Lou
11.
chris | July 13th, 2009 at 9:57 am
hi molly and lou
teaching is fun and teaches you a lot about yourself.
study shows that you learn most by teaching
however my international schedule makes it hard to run a continuous studio at uni, so i prefer workshop scenarios with 2-3 weeks hard concentrated work and fix outcome.
why emerging countries make worse mistakes in planning while having all the knowledge of the old world is a miracle…
china knows that in 10 yesr they will have 2 cars per household like australia and the US, however there are very little efforts for sustainable public transport, low consumption and low emission cars and alternative strategies..
12.
ana | July 14th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
that is so true and so scary at the same time! is the outside world going to do anything to help these emerging countries? after all we are global citizens but i guess also in a global financial crisis…
read about some expo here on mecho in shanghai next year. do you know much about that one?
13.
chris | July 15th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Hi Ana
yes the expo in shanghai could be great!
our project for MASDAR city is a zero energy development on a cityscale
see more on: http://www.masdarcity.ae/index.aspx
14.
mecho team | July 15th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
It will definitely be interesting to see the outcomes and what will be actioned. For anyone wondering which Shanghai Expo that is referred to, read the feature within our Creative Spaces:
http://www.mecho.com.au/lifestyle/creative-interior-spaces/world-expo-2010-shanghai-china/
15.
sydneyChick | July 21st, 2009 at 10:16 pm
out of curiosity, how does your house look like?
16.
chris | July 22nd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
hey sydney chick
my house is a hollowed out vulcano on a pacific island
chris
17.
sydneyChick | July 24th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
hahahah and i live in a shoebox
18.
chris | July 30th, 2009 at 10:53 am
hey so uhm
whats up?
any more conversations about the future of futurism or the past of historicism here?
19.
mecho team | July 31st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hi Chris,
Everyone seems speechless(!) Well, that is understandable with your amazing work. It has been great having you on board this month and look forward to stay connected
Love your style,
mecho team
20.
nas | August 13th, 2009 at 3:09 am
hey chris ,
how are you, we’ve meet at ajman university early this year, you had a conference there. I was hoppeing if you could talk to me about the intership programs that lava offers + dude you shouced me about the jimi hendrix number
21.
chris | October 27th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
hey sounds great
sorry for getting back to you so late
what did i say about jimmy hendrix at the talk again?
chris
send me an email
bosse@l-a-v-a.net
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