
Jason Laudat, An Architect from Paris, France @jasonlaudat
What was the situation in which this photo was taken?
I was taking some time to think about my stuffs and to enjoy a bit of free time I allowed myself to have.
Could you tell us something about what you do?
It’s hard to tell about what I do, as I work in many different fields. Mostly, I try to work on feelings that space can provide to humans.
How did you first become interested in it?
My parents did the best thing parents could have done with their child: Travelling. By travelling, you learn, you watch, you listen. Those are the three thing that build up a person. This way, you can definitely discover who you are and what you want to do with your life.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
The pluridisciplinarity of the field, the people you get to meet, the relations you get with them. The human dimension mostly.
What are you working on at the moment?
I do have some art projects coming up and I plan on spending a year in the United States of America to open up my mind.
What are the challenges in what you do, and how do you overcome them?
I am interested in almost everything, so I set up the challenge of a lifetime: “You have to go and see everything you can before you die”. As a single life is not enough to get to know, I am constantly travelling and exploring new countries, new cultures, new subjects. Curiosity is the best gift a person could have.
Could you describe your personal style?
The sentence that would describe me the best, would probably be “less is more” (Mies Van der Rohe). Purity and simplicity are the two main words I live by.
What is your present state of mind?
Right now, I am pretty excited to leave France to spend a year in California and get to know a bit about what it has to offer.
What music are you listening to at the moment?
Mostly contemplative music, piano arrangement or composition such as Michael Nyman or Ludovico Einaudi’s work.
Which artists or designers inspire you?
As a painter, William Turner. As an architect, Tadao Ando. As a drawer, Sam Szafran. As a writer, Victor Hugo. As a designer, Arne Jacobsen. As a pianist, Ludovico Einaudi.
What is the purpose of art, in your view?
In my opinion, art is one of the few things that can make you feel emotions in a way we are not used to feel. It is also a very powerful means to express ideas, feelings.
How do you spend your free time?
When I am not working or travelling, what I love the most is either cooking or playing the piano and the guitar. Those are the only two activities that allow me to free my mind and to get a bit disconnected from the world.