One of the first manifestations of a project is the drawing, the image. From a broader perspective, the image of each project contributes to shaping the image of the studio. But what is the image of the studio? How is it built? What does it depend on? How is it cultivated? In this eighth article of the series Twelve Themes, Twelve Months, Teresa Barbosa and Verónica Rodrigues delve into the topic of image, from project to brand.
Why does the image matter?
The image is extremely important, in the sense that it must have the capacity to tell our story, the story of a project, to make a captivating impression, and above all, to endure over time. Besides being an essential tool for communicating our projects to clients from an almost embryonic phase, from the beginning of the concept, through all development stages to the final product, I believe it is crucial that our image, the image of our studio, which is attached to our projects, is equally captivating. Here I specifically speak of the studio, but I could talk in a broader sense and even about the personal image we leave behind. The image has an impact, it has power, for better or for worse, and it is important to know how to manage it, to be aware of it. (Teresa Barbosa)
Of course, the image matters, I think there is no doubt about that. And it not only matters but can be absolutely decisive. If I, for example, am a client looking to build a hotel in Lisbon, I might go to Google and search "Architecture Studios in Lisbon" and be confronted with several options. What leads me to choose option A over option B? Not knowing the studios, or knowing their projects little or not at all, there is a huge impact on how a particular studio positions itself and what it conveys with that positioning. This is its image. To the limit, what good are brilliant projects if we then do not know how to present or communicate them, like a play without an audience, dazzling structures whose existence is confined to themselves. As you said, the image is what makes it last. (Verónica Rodrigues)
Is the image conveyed or built?
This question can be viewed in several ways. For me, it's not much of a form-over-function discussion; for me, talking about image is obviously talking about a brand. Since the brand is the perception that others have of us, this means we have some leeway to shape this perception. The brand, being an abstraction, is not a pure truth; of course, it is conveyed and there is a coefficient of truth, but it is something built based on a set of measurable objectives. I believe this is changing, but in architecture, there is still a tendency to associate success or growth purely with the work done. And this is not just a matter of image but a systemic issue, of management. A studio might ask: I already have so many projects in progress and don't necessarily need to get more work, should I worry about my image? Should I worry about marketing? Here, the operation would be to take a step back and try to understand, is this the work I want? Are these projects that add value? Are these clients that add value to me? Am I where I want to be? This window of reflection, which studios and companies often don't find time for in their day-to-day, will help you understand your goals, outline a strategy, and there you have it, build an image that allows you to achieve them. In this process, I must highlight two elements, intention and coherence. To stabilize this image, to create a brand, all our actions must be done with intention. There is a purpose and measurable objectives. It's not because I like pink that I will choose pink for a high-tech company. I can even do it if that is my intention, if I want, for example, my high-tech company to deconstruct the idea of technology as something inherently masculine or pink as a color typically feminine. But all these are intentional gestures aimed at achieving a specific objective. Alongside intention, I think it's crucial to emphasize coherence. We must communicate coherently, be coherent in all our actions, in the way we present ourselves as a company. The more coherent we are, the more confidence we will inspire. (Verónica Rodrigues)
I agree with everything you said about coherence and intention, but I would add two more ingredients. Coherence inspires confidence, and we see this even in our personal and relational sphere. Intention, I also believe, is a key ingredient; you need to know what you want to communicate and how you will do it, but here I think you cannot leave out that touch of emotion. This ingredient, “emotion,” is often what adds value, what differentiates. Like everything else, including architecture, we cannot stop at intention alone; I would say it is essential not to forget emotion, it is part of our work and our daily life and ends up reflecting in our projects. And I would add more, besides emotion, there is another element that cannot be missing: truth. As you said, there is a coefficient of truth in what we present. I agree with this a lot. We have to be genuine and true and know how to convey that truth. The image has a strong power to help us tell a story, to evoke these emotions and create the perception we talked about earlier, but no matter how much intention we have in what we want to communicate, no matter how much emotion we add, if we are not true, we will be judged by the final product we deliver. No one wants to fall short of expectations, and here lies the danger of creating inflated expectations and then not living up to that image. We, as architects, have this responsibility, and you, when communicating our architecture, do too. (Teresa Barbosa)
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