INTERVIEW with Aleksa Babic - Belgrade based architect
Hello everyone!
We are back!
Today I would like to present to you a new interview, with one of my closest friends. Aleksa and I met in high school, then started the same Architecture University in Belgrade, that both dropped out of and went different directions, but the friendship stayed.
I hope you enjoy this read! Let me know in the comments :)
Q: Describe yourself in one sentence
A rockstar in an architect’s suit.
Q: Favourite colour?
All shades of grey with a golden accent.
Q: Favourite city/country?
Barcelona is my favourite city, and Italy is my favourite country, both of which I was fortunate enough to live in.
Q: What advice would you give to your younger self?
Just to keep going! The truth be told, I am still connected to my younger self, as much as my younger self was connected to its future self. It’s difficult to explain. I’m the same Aleksa, but with so many more layers. There has always been an inner voice that has helped me remain strong and has motivated me during difficult times, and I have always known that things will work out for me.
Q: What inspired you to focus on interior/space design?
I was doing my PhD studies in computational design in Paris when one morning I woke up feeling completely frustrated. I realised then that I didn’t want to do this anymore. It wasn’t the life I wanted. I had already spent a year in Barcelona completing my master’s in biodigital architecture & robotics, so I had to make a tough call after two years of studying that particular field of architecture. I had two choices - either to completely change the direction of my career or to continue doing something that simply didn’t resonate with me anymore. So, I decided to take a break and go to the Dubai Design Week. It was there, while I was sipping whiskey and reading the Architectural Digest magazine in the lounge of my hotel with the most magnificent view of the Dubai skyline, that the answer suddenly dawned on me. A new life was born - BAAL Design. I knew instantly that I had made the best decision of my life. It was a “eureka” moment which dictated everything that was to follow.
Q: Which designers/architects you find the most inspirational?
I seek inspiration not only from my colleagues but also from daily situations, movies, places, etc. When it comes to the ateliers that I follow, Yodezeen Architects have influenced me the most. I also really like the work Cheryl Leisen is doing with her IMG NYC staging company, and I have to mention Bjarke Ingels, whose workshops I had the opportunity to attend in Barcelona. They were the ones I’ve learned most from and the most transformational experiences of my life.
Q: Is it important to you that people understand your work?
It is not about people understanding my work, it’s more about them understanding my commitment and my dedication to every little piece in the puzzle of building a design brand. That’s why we plan to showcase more of “behind the scenes” moments where people actually get to see for themselves the whole process of designing and its complexity.
Q: How much did your cultural background inspire your current work?
Tremendously! I am so happy that I was influenced by different lifestyles in my home country which has helped me to understand and become familiar with our clients’ wants and needs.
Q: What do you aspire to achieve with your work?
I want my work to be meaningful. It already is, as we create beautiful homes for people, and it is a big thing. Someone trusts you with a space that is so important to them, where they are going to wake up every day for the next couple of years or so. I want to have a huge impact and to inspire people. I am making sure that I become the best I am capable of becoming at what I do.
Q: What did you want to become as a child?
I knew I was going to become a civil engineer or an architect from an early age. My late grandfather was a civil engineer, my uncle also studied architecture for a while before he switched to economics, and I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. All of my toys were mini bulldozers and cranes, and I used to build towers from VHS boxes, pretending I had my own building site. I guess I predicted it all somehow. (laughs)
Q: Favourite travel destination?
I like to discover new cities and countries, so my next travel destination is always my favourite destination, because I get so excited about visiting a new place. There are some places, such as Milan, Dubai and Paris which I can’t really call my favorite, but I know that I will have an amazing time every time I visit them.
Q: How have experiences of living in different European cities affected you?
They haven’t only affected me, they have shaped me and helped me to become who I am today. That is why I always advise young people to go abroad for at least one semester in order to gain some life experience, independence, broaden their horizons, meet new people, get to know different mindsets and lifestyles. I’ve had the opportunity to live in cities such as Barcelona, Paris and Florence, and needless to say, living in those cities has influenced me professionally and helped me to create my own style, mindset and lifestyle.
Q: If you would have to pick one city to live in, which would it be?
Definitely Barcelona, because the time I spent there was the most inspiring year of my life.
Q: How do you see the world changing after 2020?
I know things will never be the same again. We will never be the same. The way we live will never be the same. I believe that 2020 was a wake-up call, a huge frequency switch that was meant to happen in order for us to reset our collective consciousness button.
Q: Goals for 2021?
If I could even put them in one sentence I would say - to focus and keep on doing what I love. To continue on expanding, and to create even better spaces and enjoy even better projects.
