Architect Axel Vervoordt on Loving his Work and Designing Homes for Art Collectors

WHEN YOU ARE MAKING WORK, DOES IT FEEL SEMINAL IN PROCESS?

I never think of my work being seminal. I like taking my inspiration from nature. I find the knowledge and understanding of sacred proportions very important and valuable. I don’t like to think of my work as “decorating,” because this feels so unnatural and theatrical. I like people to feel at home in their house. Designing a home for art collectors is inspiring. It means giving their collection a better place and creating juxtapositions and dialogues between the artworks that can even add value that the owners hadn’t yet discovered.

CAN YOU REMEMBER A TIME YOU THOUGHT ABOUT STOPPING?

No, not at all. I love my job. I don’t even like holidays because I like to work on my projects. The most satisfying moment is when a client tells you he spends more time at home because that’s where he comes to rest and feels really comfortable.

WHAT DOES ENDURANCE MEAN TO YOU?

There is always a solution for every problem. The hard way to get there is usually necessary but fruitful. You have to encounter obstacles in your way and not turn away from them. It gets you stronger and more powerful. In Japanese there is an expression, “ichi-go-ichi-e,” meaning “accepting things as they are.”