Interview with tatjana capuder vidmar by Antonio Caperna

Interview withInterview with Tatjana Tatjana Capuder VidmarCapuder VidmarCapuder VidmarCapuder Vidmar

by by Antonio CapernaAntonio Caperna

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Tatjana Capuder Vidmar obtained aTatjana Capuder Vidmar obtained a MA in Architecture and Urban MA in Architecture and Urban DesignDesign at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture in 1991.at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture in 1991.In 1994 she was awarded a PhD inIn 1994 she was awarded a PhD in Architecture and UrbanArchitecture and UrbanIn 1994, she was awarded a PhD in In 1994, she was awarded a PhD in Architecture and Urban Architecture and Urban DesignDesign at the University of Ljubljana.at the University of Ljubljana.

In 1994 she studied at the AA School of Architecture London UKIn 1994 she studied at the AA School of Architecture London UKIn 1994, she studied at the AA School of Architecture, London, UK In 1994, she studied at the AA School of Architecture, London, UK in a postgraduate programme in in a postgraduate programme in Graduate DesignGraduate Design studying an studying an environmental parkenvironmental park in Teheran.in Teheran.I th h bt i d th f l t t f A ti t iI th h bt i d th f l t t f A ti t iIn the same year she obtained the formal status of Artist in In the same year she obtained the formal status of Artist in Architecture with the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia.Architecture with the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia.

She worked in the capacity of Artist in Architecture from 1994 till She worked in the capacity of Artist in Architecture from 1994 till 2006, becoming (2006) Assistant Professor at the University of 2006, becoming (2006) Assistant Professor at the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Landscape Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Landscape j j , y, p pj j , y, p pArchitectureArchitecture..

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Antonio. Tatjana, tell us about yourself. How did you get started?Antonio. Tatjana, tell us about yourself. How did you get started?

T tj Wh I I bt i d ll ibl f i l dT tj Wh I I bt i d ll ibl f i l dTatjana. When I was young I obtained all possible professional degrees Tatjana. When I was young I obtained all possible professional degrees and at the same time I participated in a lot of architectural and urban and at the same time I participated in a lot of architectural and urban design competitions where I won quite a few awards. At that time I could design competitions where I won quite a few awards. At that time I could say that my professional life was a success Then in 90's I somehowsay that my professional life was a success Then in 90's I somehowsay that my professional life was a success. Then in 90's I somehow say that my professional life was a success. Then in 90's I somehow started to live on the margins of my profession in Slovenia. It was my started to live on the margins of my profession in Slovenia. It was my decision. I did not follow the up to date streams in architecture because decision. I did not follow the up to date streams in architecture because I did not want to I was looking at what was going on (in the architectureI did not want to I was looking at what was going on (in the architectureI did not want to. I was looking at what was going on (in the architecture I did not want to. I was looking at what was going on (in the architecture setup in Slovenia) and I simply could not identify with what I saw.setup in Slovenia) and I simply could not identify with what I saw.

Studying at the AA touched me very deeply at one point It happenedStudying at the AA touched me very deeply at one point It happenedStudying at the AA touched me very deeply at one point. It happened Studying at the AA touched me very deeply at one point. It happened during the project. For the first time I was able to grasp the idea that during the project. For the first time I was able to grasp the idea that what we see is not the only reality and that therefore our interpretation what we see is not the only reality and that therefore our interpretation of what we are seeing might be a wrong one, or can be just a reality ofof what we are seeing might be a wrong one, or can be just a reality ofof what we are seeing might be a wrong one, or can be just a reality of of what we are seeing might be a wrong one, or can be just a reality of our sight but not of our insight. This moved me deeply. It was like an our sight but not of our insight. This moved me deeply. It was like an irrational feeling that there was something I needed to investigate and irrational feeling that there was something I needed to investigate and understand.understand.

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Landscapes and Landscapes and Prints of NaturePrints of Nature

Antonio. What inspired and motivated the mood of your art?

Tatjana. It was Nature. I admire big trees and small beautiful flowers and all plants in between I canbeautiful flowers and all plants in between. I can always be consoled by their presence. On the other side being inspired by the urge to see and understand g p y gthings beyond cartesian thinking I was looking to understanding space itself. I think I am unable to

t hit t ith t thi i i ht I f d t th tcreate architecture without this insight. I found out that it is very difficult to find a space which hasn't been disturbed by a human but this is the microcosm ofdisturbed by a human but this is the microcosm of nature - the majority of it hasn't been touched yet. So there I can observe the pure space among the natural p p gstructures. Just observing it and appreciating it.

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Antonio. Do you have any formal training in the arts?

Tatjana I am an architect and I consider architecture is an artTatjana. I am an architect and I consider architecture is an art. But not all the buildings built are architecture.

Antonio When did you first start to do paper models?Antonio. When did you first start to do paper models?

Tatjana. I was always fond of making paper models since I was a t d t It i f i ti t b h f fstudent. It is so fascinating to observe how forms of paper

influence and determine space, and how it grows under your hands. But when I was young I never thought it might be interesting to observe how a space influences a form. This is what I am interested in now.

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Antonio. How has your style changed over the years?Antonio. How has your style changed over the years?

T tj A I id I it f l f i l hit tT tj A I id I it f l f i l hit tTatjana. As I said I was quite successful as a professional young architect Tatjana. As I said I was quite successful as a professional young architect untill I came back from the AA. Soon after studies at the AA my career untill I came back from the AA. Soon after studies at the AA my career somehow dropped to a zero point being frustrated by the commercial somehow dropped to a zero point being frustrated by the commercial architecture at that timearchitecture at that timearchitecture at that time.architecture at that time.

It was in 2009 when I found what I was looking for during the years of It was in 2009 when I found what I was looking for during the years of nothingness And the paper models photographed by my friend anothingness And the paper models photographed by my friend anothingness. And the paper models, photographed by my friend, a nothingness. And the paper models, photographed by my friend, a professional photographer professional photographer -- Drago Bole, are the result of it.Drago Bole, are the result of it.

Antonio What do you believe is a key element in creating a good artisticAntonio What do you believe is a key element in creating a good artisticAntonio. What do you believe is a key element in creating a good artistic Antonio. What do you believe is a key element in creating a good artistic composition?composition?

Tatjana. A contemporary curator might consider me very old fashioned in Tatjana. A contemporary curator might consider me very old fashioned in j p y g yj p y g ymy answer. I believe that the key element in creating a good artistic my answer. I believe that the key element in creating a good artistic composition is a message that supports life. There might be other composition is a message that supports life. There might be other important elements but I believe that art fulfills its purpose when it gives important elements but I believe that art fulfills its purpose when it gives p p p gp p p gpeople a faith in life, showing them the beauty of the life, and a possibility people a faith in life, showing them the beauty of the life, and a possibility of choosing constructive issues for survivingof choosing constructive issues for surviving..

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Landscapes Landscapes and Prints of and Prints of NatureNature

Antonio. How would you describe the themes in your art?Antonio. How would you describe the themes in your art?

Tatjana. Untill now I was investigating just the microcosm of trees. I Tatjana. Untill now I was investigating just the microcosm of trees. I would like to go further to the spaces in between rocky structures.would like to go further to the spaces in between rocky structures.

Antonio. You participated at our summer school. Please let me Antonio. You participated at our summer school. Please let me know what you think about biourbanism in its approach to design?know what you think about biourbanism in its approach to design?

Tatjana. I cannot tell you how happy I am that I participated in the Tatjana. I cannot tell you how happy I am that I participated in the summer school in Artena. Thank you very much for giving me this summer school in Artena. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity I consider the biourban approach to design as soopportunity I consider the biourban approach to design as soopportunity. I consider the biourban approach to design as so opportunity. I consider the biourban approach to design as so close to the field I am interested in. I am very happy that I found close to the field I am interested in. I am very happy that I found here in Artena people I can talk to using the same language here in Artena people I can talk to using the same language th h i f diff t f i d diff tth h i f diff t f i d diff tthough we are coming from different professions and different though we are coming from different professions and different countries. countries.

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Landscapes and Landscapes and Prints of NaturePrints of NaturePrints of NaturePrints of Nature

Biourbanism Biourbanism is concerned with the wholeness and complexity of life is concerned with the wholeness and complexity of life and I think this is the only possible approach to any architectural or and I think this is the only possible approach to any architectural or urban design today. Biourbanism is talking about a biophilic space urban design today. Biourbanism is talking about a biophilic space which supports equilibrium between cognition and senses, is which supports equilibrium between cognition and senses, is usable for all people, is supporting human affinity for nature, usable for all people, is supporting human affinity for nature, p p pp g yp p pp g yrespects the respects the genetic structure genetic structure of the site, and is a wholeness in of the site, and is a wholeness in itself. It is a space which supports life and I think this is the a priori itself. It is a space which supports life and I think this is the a priori purpose of any space if we consider it as an entity which hasn't yetpurpose of any space if we consider it as an entity which hasn't yetpurpose of any space if we consider it as an entity which hasn t yet purpose of any space if we consider it as an entity which hasn t yet been destructively abused by humans for their selfish profits.been destructively abused by humans for their selfish profits.

During the summer school students made some biophilic spaces byDuring the summer school students made some biophilic spaces byDuring the summer school students made some biophilic spaces by During the summer school students made some biophilic spaces by placemaking in a small scale in Artena. The new spaces turned into placemaking in a small scale in Artena. The new spaces turned into small acupunctural needles which will most probably generate a small acupunctural needles which will most probably generate a h lthi d i id lif i A t W i ht thh lthi d i id lif i A t W i ht thhealthier and more vivid life in Artena. We might use the same healthier and more vivid life in Artena. We might use the same principle in bigger scales where the biophilic placemaking would principle in bigger scales where the biophilic placemaking would generate healthier life in bigger urban and landscape spaces.generate healthier life in bigger urban and landscape spaces.

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar

Landscapes and Prints of NatureLandscapes and Prints of Nature

AntonioAntonio. What do you share with us?. What do you share with us?

Tatjana. I think I share with you the disappointment about Tatjana. I think I share with you the disappointment about contemporary results in urban and landscape spaces and I think I contemporary results in urban and landscape spaces and I think I share with you the hope for finding a solution, and the belief that share with you the hope for finding a solution, and the belief that y p gy p gthe solution is in understanding the complexity and selfthe solution is in understanding the complexity and self--similarity similarity of spaces. Selfof spaces. Self--similarity is the only characteristic of a space similarity is the only characteristic of a space which has been proved as stable. Therefore we need to createwhich has been proved as stable. Therefore we need to createwhich has been proved as stable. Therefore we need to create which has been proved as stable. Therefore we need to create our architecture and urban design out of this stable data.our architecture and urban design out of this stable data.

Antonio Thank you TatjanaAntonio Thank you TatjanaAntonio. Thank you TatjanaAntonio. Thank you Tatjana

International Society of BiourbanismInterview with Tatjana Capuder Vidmar