The co-founder and director of his own architectural studio on expanding to London, the frustratingly slow pace of the construction process and his in-depth interest in insects
Why did you choose architecture as a career?
I chose it for several reasons, but I think architecture also chose me. I was born into a construction family, with both of my parents being educated in this field.
When I was 11 years old, I visited a public library in my hometown and saw a project by an architecture student redesigning the city’s main square. This was in 1996, in the mid-90s, in the Czech Republic.
At that time the country was undergoing significant development after 40 years of Communism, which had left it devastated. The student’s project uncovered the potential beauty of the square, and something about it felt like magic to me.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
Our most important project has always been the studio itself. My partner, Michal Kristof, and I founded Chybik + Kristof in 2010. Since then, the firm has grown into an international practice with 70 talented architects.
We just celebrated the opening of our first global studio in London with an event at The Barbican this year. That was a landmark milestone for us.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career to date?
Back when I was 26, we won our first large-scale urban transformation project in Prague. The Waltrovka project consisted of 800 housing units and was completed seven years later.
Michal and I had just graduated with no prior experience on projects of this calibre, and it was something we had never tackled before.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
Architecture is slow. Completing a building, from initial design to construction can take up to a decade. The profession evolves at a much faster pace than the permits and construction processes, posing a significant risk that new projects may become outdated by the time they are finished.
What is the most helpful advice that you have been given?
Many other professions can earn you more than architecture. Of course, you have to earn money to sustain your studio and pay fair wages, but money should not be the primary motivation for pursuing this profession.
Architects play a vital role in the stewardship of our cities and can fuel positive change on a global scale.
Name your favourite building in the world?
Jested TV tower in Liberec.
Which famous building do you most dislike?
Charles Bridge in Prague – when it is overcrowded by tourists.
Which famous building do you wish you had worked on?
The Centre Pompidou in Paris.
What single piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in your profession?
Walk, watch, feel.
Who do you most admire in the construction industry?
Alejandro Aravena [the Chilean architect and executive director of Elemental SA who won the Pritzker Prize in 2016], for his socially responsible architecture.
What is it like being you (and doing your job)?
Travelling, sketching, talking, meeting people, discovering new things…
Do you have a life philosophy?
To be fair – and, where there’s a will, there’s a way!
What do you think your best quality is?
Creativity, I hope.
What trait do you most dislike in yourself? And in other people?
Losing focus on the important things. And I don’t read enough.
Name three things that you like
Family, architecture, sleep.
Tell us about a secret skill that we don’t know you have
I can determine many species of bugs.
What is your most prized possession?
I don’t drive, and it’s the biggest luxury of my life.
Early bird or night owl?
I am an early riser, up consistently at 7am and asleep by 11pm.
What is your favorite food?
Grilled trout.
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