Elias Vavaroutsos, AIA, is the Design Principal with Goettsch Partners in Chicago.

Recently, W&C sat down to talk to him about his career.

W&C Architect: How many years do you have in the profession?

Vavaroutsos: 20 years.

W&C Architect: What is your work history in this field?

Vavaroutsos:

• Perkins & Will 1994-1999, Designer
• OWPP (Cannon Design) 1999-2007, Design Leader
• SOM 2007-2009, Studio Head (Design)
• Goettsch Partners 2010-Present, Design Principal
• College of DuPage 1999-Present, Adjunct Faculty

W&C Architect: Where did you go to school?

Vavaroutsos:

• University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1992 BSAS
• University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1994 MArch

W&C Architect: Did you have a specialization?

Vavaroutsos: I am a design leader responsible for the conception, evolution and execution of architectural projects. I am a generalist in terms of building types, with experience ranging from office buildings and retail, to healthcare, education and other institutional sectors.

W&C Architect: Do you approach architecture from an artistic or functional starting point? Are the two concepts exclusive?

Vavaroutsos: Both are essential and must be balanced, but I begin with ideas related to the intended experience of the place.

W&C Architect: What projects, other than your own work, do you find inspiring?

Vavaroutsos: Places that represent a fusion of architecture, landscape, materiality and place; for example, the Alhambra, Machu Picchu and Chaco Canyon. I also find inspiration in the writings of Borges and Pallasmaa, as well as the buildings of architects like Ferrater, Kahn, Scarpa, Aalto and Zumthor.

W&C Architect: How many buildings have you designed?

Vavaroutsos: Around 50.

W&C Architect: If you had to choose one to represent your work, what project would you choose?

Vavaroutsos: Very difficult to say, as most have both successes and missed opportunities. Perhaps the 700m tower among the un-built, Al Hilal and the Cancer Pavilion among the built.

W&C Architect: What are your guiding principles when designing a structure?

Vavaroutsos: I begin with the intent of understanding and concentrating the Genus Loci, or spirit of a place. I try to create meaningful places with a focus on the phenomenological and experiential qualities that people encounter.

W&C Architect: If you could have any building to redesign—anywhere in the world—which would you like to address?

Vavaroutsos: Probably something from earlier on in my own career.

W&C Architect: What types of products interest you?

Vavaroutsos: Elemental materials; stone and wood, ornamental metals.

W&C Architect: What types of products in the wall and ceiling industry really interest you?

Vavaroutsos: Sustainable materials of abstract beauty.