WHAT’S YOUR NAME?
Eric Safyan
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO CHOOSE THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE?
I attended Brooklyn Tech High School. They made us choose majors so i chose architecture. I stuck with it.
WHAT TYPE OF WORK ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN?
Adaptive Re-use of Landmarks structures and also restaurant interiors.
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES SINCE OBTAINING YOUR ARCHITECTURE DEGREE?
Raising twin girls.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL?
I loved the studio environment and access to so many different streams of thought and approaches to architecture and peripheral fields.
ANY CRITICISMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE?
Could have done better at preparing for solo or small architecture practices on the business and legal side of things. Not that you’d expect an accounting seminar at SCI-Arc, but still…
WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS?
Operating as a general practice and keeping a balance of various project types. It’s nice to have a balance of residential and commercial projects across different scales since they tend to have their own tempos and logic and it keeps things interesting.
WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARCHITECTS?
I went to architecture school in the 90’s and early 2000’s era and my top 2 were Rem Koolhaas and Enric Miralles. These days it’s whoever can get a clean contextual modern building approved in a landmarked district.
Photo: Sebastien Cordat
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BUILDING OR CITY?
My favorite city is still NYC. I grew up in Coney Island which remains the people’s playground and sometimes the city itself feels that way in its constant reinvention, urbanism, randomness, day to day interactions, food, arts, etc. … and sometimes it doesn’t.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF YOUR AIA BROOKLYN CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP?
Access to events and lectures that are directly relevant to my practice as well as exposure to other designers and architects working out there today; and meeting some new people.
