The first thing one notices about the houses and other projects of Fran Silvestre and his studio is their distinct atmosphere of elegance and luxury—extravagantly understated—which is as recognizable in its own right as the work of, say, John Lautner or John Pawson. While this first impression might seem somewhat superficial, it is actually indicative of an elusive quality in their work, something we might call an essential “geist” or “gestalt” deeply rooted in their architecture, and one that is far more complex and interesting than a mere matter of “style” or “brand.”
One way to approach this depth and complexity might begin with the evident tension in his work between formal themes and practical concerns. Fran Silvestre's designs are not merely solutions to given design problems, even if he tends to present them as such. They absorb and synthesize countless challenges of program, site and context, structure, construction technology, and more, subsuming them into the play of space and form that could be understood as the true protagonist of his architecture.
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.jpg?1561565607 "Solid and Void: The Work of Fran Silvestre")
