Mediterranean Architecture and Design: Interview with Manuel Villanueva, Co-founder of Moredesign
What is contemporary Mediterranean architecture for you?
Good contemporary Mediterranean architecture is an architecture that incorporates within its resources the experience acquired over hundreds of years in a space that is the cradle of civilization, that makes the best use of local resources to offer solutions adapted to the environment. These solutions are revised and reinterpreted, sometimes improved or perfected (such as the multiple lime-based materials appearing on the market recently), or adapted to current living conditions.
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How would you define a Moredesign house?
In short, we see a house as a structure built around a fire, where we can settle in, use the kitchen and, most importantly, gather around the fire.
What role do Deia and the Tramuntana play in the identity of Moredesign?
It is the place where we started and grew, a breeding ground for ideas and contemporary interpretations of living, community and landscape. Deia has been at the forefront of cultural thought since the 1960s, at least in the Balearic Islands.
Moredesign has its main office in Deia, Mallorca, and another office in Ibiza. What does each location bring to the studio’s work and approach?
We have just bought an old cinema in Palma which will be the new headquarters, although we will maintain our presence in Deia. The new space comes at a time of change, not only in our company, but globally. It will be the answer in the years ahead. Regarding the differences in the approach to the offices in Mallorca and Ibiza, I think the best way to explain it is precisely by looking at the differences in the architecture on each of those islands. As when we work in other locations, the understanding of the history and solutions, and resources, developed in each place generates in our creative process different responses to common problems. Ibiza does not have Roman or Catalan heritage, its architecture is North African and Phoenician, and the physical environment and materials also differ. We try to be permeable to these nuances.
In the current context, what are the main challenges for the sectors in Mallorca and Ibiza?
I think that Ibiza should take note of what has happened in Mallorca over the last few years and go deeper into architectural solutions. Beyond what has been done in the luxury sector, for example by Blakstad Ibiza and the few works by masters such as Broner, Sert, Elías Torres or even Bofill Sr. We need to help the architect, not create constant obstacles that unnecessarily extend the licensing process.
Since the creation of Moredesign, how have you perceived the evolution of Mallorca in terms of architecture and design?
We are currently facing a wonderful generation of architects and designers, but also of clients who come prepared and informed, who want and strive for the principles I mentioned before. When we started, very few clients were aware of these things, now it’s rare that they don’t mention the materials used or the local variations. We go hand in hand. In the same way that 20 years ago a luxury bathroom would use marble from Italy with imported palatial details, today we use other resources. We draw on the local heritage and use local materials as much as possible.
What are the keys to bringing Mallorcan architecture up to date?
The key now is the fight against climate change, the debate on the balance between construction and the environment, the local economy and the impact of tourism. It is essential to find a solution and a plan that lays the foundations for the next 30 years. Some issues go beyond the scope of the Autonomous Communities and require thinking in the immediate European context.
On an individual level, much more focused on our case, we are worried about losing our ancestral knowledge of building. Just as no one wants to work in the fields anymore, the crafts are being emptied of the people who keep the traditional knowledge. We have defended the artisan since our first project because of his exceptional role in this context.
How do you combine tradition and local craftsmanship with a contemporary approach in your projects?
Craftsmen have always been contemporary because their work, when honest, is essential and uses only local resources in the best possible way. Tradition is the result of hundreds of trials and errors until a solution is established as the right one. It is natural for us to use these resources; the challenge is to update them or challenge them to go further.
Could you name some of the Mallorcan craftsmen or artists that you consider essential?
The brothers Jaume and Catala Roig, 2monos, Adriana Meunie, Pere Coll, the master of Portol ceramics and the builders Miquel Morell and Jaime Salas.
In your opinion, what elements make a home a true luxury?
That it is in balance with the place, that it makes the people who live there happy, that it creates places of comfort, and that it is a healthy place where you feel at peace.
How do you achieve a harmonious balance between architecture, interior design and landscaping?
By approaching them as a single practice.
What is a must in a space with the Moredesign stamp?
A fireplace, a kitchen, a workbench.
If you had to invest more budget in a specific area of your own home, what would it be and why?
In the kitchen, it is the engine of the house.
Do you have an architectural reference in Mallorca that inspires you?
The work of Pawson and Jorn Utzon (Casa Neundorf and Can Lis). The work of Teda, Aulets, Isla, Munarq, the reuse of Posidonia, but also the historical references, the Lonja, the palaces of Palma, Son Rullan, the possessions of the Pla.
What is your favourite plan for a Sunday in Mallorca?
Going out and sailing in my old LLaut, it has a Volvo Penta engine that is more than thirty years old, it burns like a cigarette lighter, it is slow and grumpy, but it is the best way to sail the sea with minimum impact.
That and enjoying my home on the Pla.
Interview by Juanita Casanas and Drew Aaron
President and Chairman of Lionsgate Capital
Their goal at Lionsgate Capital is to create unparalleled solutions for the most demanding clients and create value through service, making Lionsgate Capital the major player for financing in the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain.
