Matthew Flores Villamil
Join as we speak to Matthew about his awesome mahi!
You can see his portfolio here and read on to find out more!
Kia ora, Matthew - What a portfolio! What has been your favourite project so far?
Project "Fale Poutu" from Design 5 has to be my favourite design project so far. "Moananui", the social-housing brief with Lama Tone addresses new housing types for Kāinga Ora to suit the modern and cultural background of Pacific peoples living in the diaspora, the design is inclusive to Māori and non-Pacific peoples
This project holds particular significance for me because I was designing something for the people, place and landscape that I spent most of my life with. The design site took place in my own neighbourhood of Māngere in South Auckland. I grew up here since I was three years old and the feeling of giving back to my community was a driving factor that made this project successful.
I experimented with different media that I don't typically use such as charcoal and watercolour. I challenged myself to do hand-drawn sketches on butter paper and model-making, a skill outside my usual expertise and in-turn gained a significant amount of knowledge and a variety of new skills from this project.
The collective approach involved the concept of Vā, which emphasizes relationships and connection. This was a new concept for my peers and I and it was a key consideration for this project. My approach connected with choosing a Samoan proverb to guide me:
"Fa’ae’e ia le ‘au’au, ‘ae tatou velo ‘aso i ai” (“Place the ridge pole first, then we shall pass the battens”).
This proverb guided the project, suggesting that we prioritize foundational elements before proceeding with the rest. It influenced how I positioned the three main dwellings and oriented them towards the surrounding significant landmarks. This fosters a sense of belonging rooted in cultural (Mana Whenua and Pasifika) and spiritual beliefs. This approach challenged traditional housing practices and aided to better accommodate the concept of Vā.
How do you approach the design process?
I usually tailor my design process to how the brief is. I find that for each brief has a new approach and it's me learning something new and trying to fit it in with what I've done successfully before. The lack of autonomy from my differing approaches from brief to brief tends to create uncertainty and a steep learning curve. In saying that, I still choose to do it this way because I learn a lot more. I do my best not to bite off more than I can chew and get my Z's in. (I haven't pulled an all-nighter yet!).
It looks like you use a range of mediums to put together your projects - what is your go-to?
Similar to my design approach, my media are not always consistent, and I don't have a distinct style as it's ever evolving with experimentation. Each project I face, I challenge myself to try something new that seems fun and induces the most growth. When it comes to design & art, I typically pick up new things quickly and I like to see myself as a renaissance man rather than a specialist. After using what seemed like a kilometre of butter paper roll from Design 5 & Design 6, I think that butter paper using markers and pens and layering them over might be my favourite medium so far. It's so easy, especially with my rough drawing style.
When it comes to design & art, I typically pick up new things quickly and I like to see myself as a renaissance man rather than a specialist. After using what seemed like a kilometre of butter paper roll from Design 5 & Design 6, I think that butter paper using markers and pens and layering them over might be my favourite medium so far. It's so easy, especially with my rough drawing style.
What’s your plan moving forward?
I'm currently taking a break from my formal studies this year and using this time to gain experience before doing my post-grad in landscape architecture.
I found out that I definitely want something more than architecture. I've learnt from lectures and design & tech briefs that sustainable design, specifically the life cycle assessment of buildings as a response to the changing climate, is important. I slowly gained an understanding why the world needs more landscape architects, green infrastructure specialists, and sustainability analysts. These professions also fit my passion for plants, biology, design, and looking after our environment. Lessons not directly related to architecture academia are how important sleep is especially before crit-day and to make the most memories with your peers who might even turn into life-long friends!
I'm interested in a niche called biomimetic architecture and I've written a critical review essay on it during my bachelor's. In addition, I'm enthusiastic on exploring new alternative materials for construction, adapting to vernacular architecture to the modern context, and indigenous views like Te Ao Māori. With these important topics in mind I hope to continue my research on designing and apply them to real life projects and overall contribute innovation in the construction industry.
What’s your advice for your fellow students?
As architecture students, it's general knowledge that the majority of the time we choose not to sleep/rest when we know we could do more or should do more. It's a struggle for me to learn how to switch off sometimes too. *Everyone has twenty-four hours in a day but not everyone has the same amount of energy and focus. Time management is important and so is managing energy and focus. Make sure to clock in your sleep and play hours not just your grind hours so you stay happy & healthy!
Thanks for sharing your mahi! Ka kite!
