“De situatie is drager
van de oplossing”
Over the last couple of decades, Vittorio Simoni (°1954) has become one of the leading architects in Belgium. In 1987, he set up his own studio. At the time, he had not yet qualified as an architect but he slowly developed his field of expertise, expanding from interior design to architectural projects. It was a seamless evolution, as clients for whom he had done interior design contracted him to work on small architectural projects.
Eventually these requests blossomed into large-scale assignments.
In 1996, the Limburg Province awarded Vittorio with the triennial architecture prize, for designing the Fashion Museum in Hasselt. During this period, he designed various public buildings, commercial properties, offices and private homes, especially in Belgium, but also in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Mallorca, Austria, Germany, Dubai, Japan, Bangkok and Curaçao.
Vittorio Simoni trained as a technical draughtsman at the Provinciaal Hoger Institut voor Kunstonderwijs [Provincial Higher Institute of Art] in Hasselt, and later studied interior design at the Provincial Hoger Architecturinstitut [Provincial Higher Institute of Architecture] in Hasselt. In 1980, he and the engineer-architect, Alfredo de Gregorio, founded the practice De Gregorio-Simoni in Hasselt. Vittorio was also appointed as an assistant at the Provincial Hoger Architecturinstitut [Provincial Higher Institute of Architecture], later also at the Katholieke Hogeschool [Catholic College] in Mechelen. He would also later be invited as guest lecturer in architecture at the Hogeschool Antwerpen [Antwerp College] and the St. Lucas Institute in Ghent.
S I III O II I Architectes was founded in 1980 by Vittorio Simoni and has now existed for 45 years. From our studio, we combine architecture and interior into an integrated whole. We don't believe in decoration as a final layer, but in a total project in which space, materials and experience form one timeless experience.
Our approach always starts from the place and the client's wishes. Each project is thoroughly analyzed before the first sketch is made. This dialogue between context, function and identity forms the foundation of our work.
We like to work with local materials and craftsmanship to let the soul of the place speak – whether in Belgium, Austria, Lombok or New York.
In 2007 he graduated in architecture at the Academie voor Bouwkunst [Academy of Architecture] in Maastricht (the Netherlands). His dissertation described his design methodology, as set out in the introduction:
'My design methodology, which is based on both interior and architectural design, shows that the characteristics of interior design can be transposed to architectural designs. My emphasis on details that create an inviting interior, I transpose to my architectural design, which, in turn, creates the same intimacy in its surroundings. My attention to detail is undoubtedly a result of adhering to the discipline of interior design, but, nonetheless, valid when it comes to architecture too. I became very much aware of this way of thinking whilst studying the work of the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978). I learned that details are not just accessories but the realisation of architectural thinking.
From the start of his career, Simoni has followed a very specific design methodology, which he describes as situational theory. He believes that architecture cannot be encapsulated by universal theories but should take into account different elements that come into play during the design and realisation phases. In this book, we take a look at the unique work of the Simoni architectural design studio but also at Vittorio Simonis unique situational architecture.
Werkwijze
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In een eerste gesprek luisteren we naar uw wensen, ideeën en verwachtingen. We analyseren de mogelijkheden van de locatie en geven een eerste advies. Zo leggen we samen de basis voor een ontwerp op maat.
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We vertalen uw wensen naar een helder ontwerp met oog voor esthetiek en functionaliteit. Met 3D-visualisaties krijgt u een realistisch beeld van het toekomstige resultaat. Dit laat toe tijdig keuzes te maken en bij te sturen.
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Het ontwerp wordt verder uitgewerkt in technische plannen en materialen worden vastgelegd. We stellen een raming op zodat u een duidelijk zicht krijgt op het budget. Dit vormt de basis voor een vlotte uitvoering.
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Tijdens de bouw waken we over de kwaliteit, planning en het budget. We coördineren de werken en staan in nauw contact met aannemers. Zo zorgen we ervoor dat uw project zorgeloos en volgens plan wordt gerealiseerd.