We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer OFGA about their original and creative Ballet School design work. OFGA is an award-winning architectural designer, that makes our world a better place with their original ballet school works.
OFGA ("OFGA") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Beijing Morning Star Ballet School. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
OFGA : We wanted to explore the dichotomy between Ballet on stage, and in the studios.
OFGA : My main focus was to communicate the different qualities of ballet through the language of space, light, and textures. I wanted the student to feel the lightness and the grace of a ballerina on stage whilst entering and ascending the sculptural staircase. Then, for the patron to appreciate the physical and mental discipline behind the art form as they walk through halls of unfinished concrete and exposed structural columns.
OFGA : I hope to continue this exploration with future venues of the foundation.
OFGA : From concept to bidding took about three months. Construction took another seven.
OFGA : The brief originally called for a commercial shop front in the entrance space. I thought it would be important to give set the foundation apart from more commercially driven schools, and so I pushed for an interpretive piece instead. Something that would set the stage for the foundation.
OFGA : My parents both come from the world of ballet. I took ballet lessons as a young boy and was always made fun for it by my peers. So when this opportunity came I really wanted to tell a different side of ballet, a side of strength and character.
OFGA : No. I had just set up OFGA at the time and worked on this project alone.
OFGA : A new generation of Chinese ballerinas.
OFGA : It doesn't try to sell the prevailing image of ballet.
OFGA : It's the name of the foundation.
OFGA : Pencil and paper at first, followed by Rhino and Revit.
OFGA : The interpretation and execution of the stair balustrade, that is at once ceiling, wall, balustrade, handrail and furniture.
OFGA : I worked with E-Grow who specializes in glass fiber reinforced concrete panels using re-usable wax molds.
OFGA : It helped rationalize the surface and gave me much finer control of the final outcome up front.
OFGA : I researched ballet methods, including classical, modern. Some of the lines in the stair, especially where it engages the ceiling and disappears into the wall surface attempts to echo the hand to eye connection used in Ballet, in particular, Vaganova's methods.
