Interview of Architect and Urbanist, Henrik Valeur, Denmark
Who is your inspiration? You can rebel against your background but you can't escape it. I guess that's my experience. I decided to become an architect because it represented something different from art and fashion but due to my upbringing I probably have a more creative and artistic than say technical or scientific approach to architecture though I was exposed to that side of the profession too as my grandfathers were both civil engineers. I grew up in a small village in the countryside and, in reaction to that, I was always fascinated by big cities and have enjoyed living in a number of big cities around the world. But lately I've become more appreciative of the “slow” life of the village and the close relation to nature. Could you rewind a bit and narrate a short story of your design career? When people talk about a career they often imagine someone climbing a ladder, whether that ladder symbolizes status, money or whatever. However, some careers, including my own, are probably better visualized by someone dancing in a room. You move a bit in one direction, then a bit in another. There are ups and downs and at the end you realize you're more or less in the same place where you started. As a student of architecture I went to Barcelona, found a place to live in the historic part of the city and began studying with Enric Miralles who was known for an artistic and personal style, like his predecessor Antoni Gaudi. But I was also fascinated by the modern city and went to Rotterdam, a city that had been completely erased during the Second World War, to work for Rem Koolhaas who is known for an analytic and eclectic style. I started out on my own making competitions and nearly won one for a new university in Copenhagen, a multi-thousand crore rupees project, and worked on some relatively large urban development projects, but I also made small artistic projects, including a sound installation in a phone booth, and digital projects, including an interactive 3D planning model. In 2005 I began working in China, in 2007 I founded UiD Shanghai Co., Ltd in China and in 2009 I had to close that office down again due to the financial crisis. Actually, I lost more or less everything. Then in 2010 I came to India where I have been teaching, researching and practicing independently and in collaboration with others. Your proposal on transforming one of the sectors in Chandigarh into a 'Car free zone' reflects your social responsibility as an Urbanist. Could you please tell your thoughts on the reasons for such proposals not getting implemented. The car-industry, and the related oil-industry, is very powerful. These industries exert immense influence through political lobbying and clever marketing. They let us think that the car makes us free even if in fact it does the opposite. They have also managed to connect the image of the car with the notion of progress. Thus, across the globe, the car is seen as a symbol of freedom and status. How can you ask people to give that up? Another reason is that many civil servants seem to enjoy driving or being driven around in cars themselves and rarely get down on the ground. As testimony to that are the many bizarre solutions for pedestrians in the city like pavements ending in nowhere and crossings that can't be used. source: Zingy Homes
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