Quartier Antigone, Montpellier
Ricardo Bofill
Pancho Aiguavives
Administration building.
I got this project through a personal recommendation from Ricardo Bofill. Architect Pancho Aiguavives had won the competition for the building that was to complete the central avenue of the first phase of the Antigone district. However, the East Wing of that monumental semicircle—designed in a modern language close to the curtain wall style—was so disliked by Bofill that he refused to allow its completion unless Aiguavives agreed to collaborate with me. Since Pancho was an old friend, we both agreed. The basic design was fully developed in our studio, and in the executive project and construction management, Pancho's involvement was crucial. Adapting to the postmodern language of Antigone was easy. It was also a pleasure. The regulations were extremely strict, but Ricardo agreed to overlook them in some matters (for example, it was required that all carpentry was white, but ours is blue with bronze details).