In celebration of our latest collection launch, we are thrilled to introduce Cristina Manta, a London-based ARB/RIBA Chartered Architect to join the platform of MUSE.
With a distinguished academic and professional background, Cristina's exploration of architecture and art has marked the theme such as flow, movement, and the interplay between permanence and transience. She often employs a diverse range of mediums, including drawing, sketching, digital art, and photography, to articulate her visionary ideas. We welcome you to sit down with us to delve into her creative process and the inspirations of her work.
MUSE:
Hi Cristina! We are thrilled to start today's conversation with you. To start, knowing that you have studied at prestigious institutions like the University of Manchester and The Bartlett School of Architecture, how have these experiences shaped your architectural philosophy?
Cristina:
The University of Manchester provided me with a robust architectural framework that struck a delicate balance between theoretical concepts and practical technical skills. During my time there, I was able to delve deeply into design exploration and critical thinking, expanding my horizons on a macro level. It was within these explorations that the seeds of my architectural philosophy were sown, as I seamlessly integrated my long-standing passions for literature and mathematics into my early projects and academic endeavours. This environment fostered the development of my drawing, collage, and layering techniques.
Subsequently, my experience at the Bartlett offered a more specialized approach, delving into detailed analysis of previously identified patterns and areas of interest, with a particular emphasis on digital fabrication and parametric design. This deepened my proficiency in visual communication mediums and provided avenues for testing conceptual techniques.
MUSE:
Your work frequently explores themes of flow, movement, and the juxtaposition of permanence and transience. Could you elaborate on what draws you to these themes?
Cristina:
From a young age, I've been captivated by the convergence of Philosophy, Literature and Mathematics, particularly in the works of South American authors like Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Their narratives render worlds interwoven with themes of time, memory, and repetitive motifs.
This early fascination laid the groundwork for my academic pursuits and culminated in my final year thesis, where I delved into these themes through the lens of spatial dynamics. I explored the notion of space metamorphosis, dissecting the intricate mechanisms that dictate whether a space is perceived as permanent or transient, and how it can undergo transformation while retaining its core ideological essence. These investigations often yielded unconventional solutions for familiar, challenging environments. In today's digital age, where adaptability and connectivity reign supreme, it's imperative to ponder how architecture can embrace elements of transience and transformation without sacrificing its inherent significance.
MUSE:
As an architect interested in the intersection of architecture and digital technology, how do you integrate digital tools into your design process?
Cristina:
In addition to sketching and various design exploration techniques, I tend to integrate digital tools into every phase of my design process. From the outset, these tools allow me to rapidly experiment with a multitude of forms, assess responsiveness to immediate context, effectively communicate and test evolving ideas with the design teams/ clients. Virtual and augmented reality tools are also enabling immersive experiences that empower clients and stakeholders to visualize designs in unprecedented detail, fostering greater transparency and engagement throughout the design process. In later stages, the digital tools enable efficiency and optimization and, ultimately, refinement of design and detailing.
MUSE:
With your experience working across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, how have different cultural contexts influenced your architectural designs?
Cristina:
I firmly believe that every setting, context, and project comes with its unique set of challenges and opportunities, which demand a robust understanding of the cultural, environmental, social, and political frameworks active. Responding to these nuances requires highly contextual approaches, allowing for bespoke solutions tailored to specific parameters. My experience working across different continents has been an exercise in comprehending the intricate mechanisms of each distinct context and responding to them with appropriate reverence, while also infusing a fresh perspective. This process has compelled my designs to be more integrated, more innovative, and capable of offering experiences that cater to both current and future needs.
MUSE:
You utilize various mediums such as drawing, digital art, and photography. How do you choose the appropriate medium for a project, and how do they interact in your creative process?
Cristina:
In my journey of design exploration, I consistently find myself navigating between different mediums, recognizing their ability to reinforce and enrich one another in shaping the pursued concept on multiple levels. Their interplay offers a canvas of endless possibilities and solutions. Drawing, with its immediacy of hand-drawn sketches, facilitates the capture of spontaneous ideas and concepts as they surface – the reactive process. Photography, conversely, serves as a lens to perceive the world, the everyday, capturing moments, textures, and atmospheres that contextualise a given space - the analytical process.
Meanwhile, digital art serves as a versatile platform for experimentation, enabling me to manipulate forms, colours, and textures in innovative ways - the interpretative process, and the response to earlier observations. While it's important to consider the specific characteristics of each project and the message one aims to convey, I believe that blending a diverse range of mediums offers a layered, multidimensional experience of most design concepts.
MUSE:
Where do you see the future of architectural design heading, especially in light of current trends towards sustainability and digital integration?
Cristina:
Looking ahead, the intersection of sustainability and digital integration is poised to redefine the architect's role, extending beyond built environments into the realm of natural environments. In the face of increasingly complex and dynamic environmental challenges, design must harness technological advancements to propel more sustainable practices, fostering resilience and equity within our surroundings.
Under the urgency of addressing current conditions, I believe that architects are placed in a unique position to innovate, visualise and construct in ways that minimize impact. Already, technologies such as parametric design software and digital fabrication techniques are revolutionizing workflows, fostering collaboration, and unlocking boundless potential in architectural expression and functionality. These are indeed challenging yet exciting times, with sustainability at the heart of our generational imperative.
MUSE:
What advice would you give to aspiring architects who wish to follow a similar path?
Cristina:
My advice would be to invest time in understanding one’s inner design drivers and deeply pursue the knowledge that accompanies these interests. While design tools/ software become more and more readily available, tools alone don't guarantee quality or significance in content creation. Just like AI requires the right prompt to generate meaningful outcomes, the design process needs a refined 'prompt' - our analytical understanding and intent. Regardless of the specific architectural path chosen, I would say take the time to hone your analytical skills, refine your approach, and follow the design process with purpose, a deliberate approach that would lead to more meaningful and impactful design outcomes, particularly in this hyper digital age.
MUSE:
Could you share your reasons for choosing to feature your drawings on Muse Collab and describe how your role as an architect influences your relationship with visual art?
Cristina:
Muse Collab is an inspiring, beautifully curated platform, a hub for creative expression and a window into architectural minds – and I am happy to be part of this community. As to my role, I believe that the architectural lens has always enabled me to perceive the world with a heightened awareness of space, form, and composition. This perspective deeply influences my approach to visual art, infusing it with a sense of structure, balance, and purpose. .
