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Friday Five with Patricia Anastassiadis

Photo by Victor Affaro

Architect, interior decorator, and product designer Patricia Anastassiadis leads the Brazilian architecture practice Anastassiadis Arquitetos. Founded in 1993 in São Paulo, the international scene in Brazil, combined with a team of over 35 talented international architects, has created a sort of melting pot of design. Anastassiadis herself specializes in both interior design as well as architecture, and is best known for creating timeless projects and sophisticated interiors that are subtle yet elegant. Her love of art, history, and anthropology helps work to stand out, while the coherent design narrative she and the practice continue to create is present in locations across the world. Anastassiadis has been responsible for the architectural and interior design of internationally-renowned brands like the Four Seasons, Oetker Collection, Fairmont, Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Grand Hyatt, Sisley, Jean Georges Vongerichten, Brookfield, and Tishman Speyer, and more. Anastassiadis Arquitetos has also developed bespoke design products, including furniture collection of the high-end Brazilian manufacturer Artefacto released in March. Today Patricia is sharing a few things she loves for Friday Five.

Photo by Patricia Anastassiadis

1. Mariano Fortuny
Born in Spain, Fortuny lived most of his life in Venice where he became well-known for his work with fabrics, but that does not define his work. Fortuny was a unique artist with a very innovative and creative mind, his creations powerful and delicate at the same time. He was a painter, a fashion designer, a lighting designer, a theater set designer, an inventor… he had so many talents and was so versatile that he could not be categorized. That’s what inspires me the most, I believe knowledge can’t be kept in compartments. True knowledge is connected, and we need to have the ability to look above and understand the intersections and mixtures in everything we’re exposed to and everything that we do.

Photo courtesy of wmbreedveld, via Flickr

2. Nature
It truly influences my everyday work. It’s structural and perfect, revealing nature as an architecture master. There’s no bigger inspiration for an architect than that. It’s also impossible to live in this country and not become fascinated by the wide variety of colors, textures, patterns, and forms we get to see coming from the earth. The Amazon Rainforest and the Atlantic Rainforest, two of the biggest treasures from Brazil, are an endless source inspiration.

Photo courtesy of Pedro Szekely, via Flickr

3. Venice
The city has long inspired so many artists, painters, writers, and musicians… It wouldn’t be different with me. What draws a sensitive soul to Venice isn’t just the perfect Italian postcard scenes, but the invitation to observe the world from a different point of view. Having been constructed upon a lagoon, the channels hold the stories of different people and cultures that shared the cosmopolitan and trading atmosphere of the city for many centuries. Venice is all about getting lost on the water only to find yourself back all over again.

Photo by Patricia Anastassiadis

4. Books
The one thing I can’t live without is a good book. I’ve always enjoyed everything about the experience of reading, from the touch of the paper to the cathartic knowledge a small piece of writing can bring you. Being fascinated by storytelling is actually a family business – my father is Greek and we’ve grown up surrounded by mythology, history, and philosophy discussions. We’re all big readers at home. My most special memories are the moments when we were able to be together and just inspire one another.

Photo by Patricia Anastassiadis

5. Teshima
I’ve recently visited Teshima island in Japan to visit the Teshima Art Museum. It was a life-changing experience to be within the freestanding concrete shell created by Ryue Nishizawa. It feels like you’re inside a drop of water. The light and the wind provides visitors with a mesmerizing atmosphere to contemplate the view of the sky, the silence is absolutely inspiring. This experience changed my perception of space.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.