Soler Orozco Arquitectos is an architectural practice based in Mexico. Formed by a group of like-minded architects, the firm focuses on planning and creating unique functional Spaces, focusing on the interaction and coordination between the building and its environment. For them, it is always possible to address the client's concerns in a comprehensive and creative way, as each project is unique in its context and relationship to the site, and presents a new challenge each time.

Yinjispace：What is your design philosophy in the years of practice? Has it changed through time?

Soler Orozco Arquitectos：Our design philosophy has remained constant through the years, but with every project, our design process evolves and matures. At our core, we have always believed that any project is an unrepeatable opportunity and thus must aspire to be timeless; we believe in using materials honestly and in the power of well-lit and proportioned spaces; we believe in integrating constructive processes within the design and in the beauty of the resulting simplicity; we believe in teamwork and in being open to ideas disregarding seniority. It is hard to foresee a moment when these values could change in our practice.

However, it is how these values find their way into a project’s design process through iterations and variation. It is a process that we believe is a dialog with between design ideals and reality, abstraction and specification, planning and realization.  Our body of work to date is the result of how our core values are interpreted as we explore new interests and apply new abilities acquired through experience. 

Yinjispace：How do think the relationship between architecture and nature? 

Soler Orozco Arquitectos：When breeze makes its way through facades and patios to cool them, when sunlight projects shadows upon walls and floors and you see time pass, when green and views are brought within a space and make you wonder, when rainfall can be appreciated without getting wet, then there is a sense of place. That relationship with nature is what makes architecture possible. 

Yinjispace：There are intense geometry symbols in your work. What are the meanings?

Soler Orozco Arquitectos：Intense geometry, like you put it, is a bit in vogue. Our practice is not exempt in the quest for geometric gestures when exploring a solution to an architectonic problem, and for the most part there are no hidden symbolic meanings. We try to use it when we need an aid to make our way through the design process. Strong geometry creates rhythm and allows for beautiful proportions and composition systems, but also for powerful exceptions. All solutions require exceptions because no program is as succinct as the geometry you are trying to force it into, and that may turn a design exception into a design’s theme. 

Yinjispace：How do you get inspiration when you start a new project? What is the biggest difficulty?

Starting a new project is always exciting because inspiration may come from anywhere. More often than not, the parti surges as a response to tangible conditions, such as site constraints, like accessibility, topography, zoning and building codes. Sometimes, other less tangible factors feed into it, like time or budget constraints, preconceived notions from the client, or the need for a particular construction system to be used. 

But it is once all those variables are sorted that architectonic ideas spring, and the project starts to take shape. Inspiration may come from investigating the context, its nature, climate, or its history. Sometimes it may come from recent trips or conversations with colleagues, but most other times it comes from unsuspected sources that memory spawns as we iterate ideas.

The biggest challenge is letting go of an idea that has gone through a few design iterations, and then you realize that it may not be strong enough or simple enough. Normally, letting go will allow inspiration to let ideas flow, but there is always a leap-of-faith-moment, when you must trust the process, and remember one never runs out of ideas. 

Yinjispace：What are your mostly-used materials?

Soler Orozco Arquitectos：We love materials that are expressive. Be it natural materials or processed ones, we tend to select them because of what their characteristics tell about quality, durability, history, or performance. What really draws us to a material is how it will weather and age, lending to the building’s character in time.

We use stone, volcanic rock and and concrete when aiming for solidity and groundedness. Steel and wood come handy when in need for a more tectonic approach to building. When seeking warmth, wood, brick, stucco walls and weathered steel, are our go-to choices. 

Yinjispace：Your favorite designers? How do they influence you?

Probably, like most, we tend to look up to the great modern architects like Barragán, Mies, Wright, Kahn, Scarpa and Juan holds a special place for Aalto. The modern precepts of their architecture and the classical architectonic values of rhythm, harmony and proportions are awe inspiring. Their attention to detail and craftmanship is always a source of inspiration and our aspiration. 

More contemporary influences may be household names too, like Zumthor, Chipperfield, Siza and Moneo in the architectural realm.  However, design transcends disciplines and we look up to great designers, landscapers and artists alike, from Judd, Chillida, Albers, to Wegner, Rams, and the Bouroullec brothers, to Teresa Moller, Lance Wyman, and many others. Simple admiration for their compelling and powerful stances on materiality and composition, can sometimes be enough to come out of a creative block by trying to answer ourselves, “how would they approach or solve this problem?” 

Yinjispace：How do you think the Mexican design’s development today?

It is hard to talk about Mexican design without having to take a few steps back to try and grasp how deep rooted, but also how widely global it is, too, and wherein lies its mexicanity. Certain characteristics though, do come to mind, be it how it responds to climate, labor costs, material availability, tradition and more recently, high quality technique. A lot can be done in our country thanks to good craftsmanship and more relaxed laws and restrictions. 

We can allow the expert hands of artisans and craftsmen to co-create with us as conductors. In recent years with the rise of social media, Mexican architecture has become better known across the world, but also better known within our borders. It is has become more identifiable and more self referenced. Collaboration among practices is an interesting phenomenon characteristic of the current moment in Mexican architecture and design, allowing for a cross pollination of approaches to design and disciplines, leading to beautiful results.