Interview of Architects Reny Lijo and Lijo Jos, Kerala

How did you start your practice? We started LIJO. RENY Architects in the year 2005. Apart from our consistent experimentation with architecture we are also responsible for several site/space specific art installations. It’s our love for art that keeps us inspired/charged to develop interesting contemporary sensibilities in the architecture we practice.  Tell us something about your approach to your projects. As we have always considered ourselves to be ‘architects by profession’ and ‘artists by passion’ we try to strike a balance in the way we practicing both. This has helped us see most of our projects beyond just being mere buildings. During the initial stages of our practice we constantly reminded ourselves that ‘taking inspiration from the past was fine but replicating images from the past for the sake of nostalgia could arrest growth’. This prompted us to explore and experiment with new languages for the region. This could be a never ending process as it can only be done in small dosages or else it would be difficult for the public to digest. We look forward to a time when Kerala would also find a place for itself in the world map of contemporary architecture. Which kind of projects do you enjoy the most? The kind of projects that let us experiment and learn and those which demand the best from us are always exciting to working on. Source: Zingy Homes