Deer Park Alpha

A student from Solent University sent DPA director, Carl Leroy-Smith some questions to answer. We thought we would publish the Q&As here:

What or who inspired you to study Architecture?

I always loved designing things and drawing. When I was about 12 my parents bought a house that required complete renovation and meant they had to appoint an architect. I got interested in what this guy did, my father arranged for me to work in his office for a few days. From then on I was hooked on designing buildings. However I was not a good student at school, generally lazy through lack of interest in what my teachers were telling me. I liked art. I was predicted pretty rubbish GCSE grades. I was told that I’d never be an architect by teachers. The grade predictions were right, though good enough to get me out of school and too college to study a BTEC in Construction. I loved this course, got really good grades in all subjects, except one. I was not interested in this subject and the teacher was not engaging. A pattern started to appear, if I wasn’t inspired in what I was doing I didn’t try. I always keep this in mind now and only do what I enjoy. Anyway, I managed to get the grades to get to Uni to study Architecture. I found it difficult, I had come from a practical background. I was asking myself “where does the damp proof course go?” Heidegger et al weren’t interested in damp proof courses! To cut a long story short, I do not really feel I was truly inspired to study architecture until I had finished university after six years and started work in a small architectural practice. Here I was inspired by an architect called Paul Baker. He made me realise that work was studying, work was fun and not something to do just for the money. I started re-reading the books I superficially read at University. From this point on I was inspired to study architecture and I continue to do so.

You also lecture at Portsmouth University, which do you enjoy doing most, teaching the profession, or running your business and doing the designing?

Well if I had to pick one it would be designing. I love coming up with new ideas. Every morning I go into my office – fight the urge to switch on a computer and check my email – sit at my drawing board and paint a 7×5 inch watercolour. I paint anything that comes into my head, could be a project I am working on, or just a bunch of abstract shapes. It is a great way to develop or find an idea. This morning I came up with an idea for the interior design of an Airstream caravan, which is a new project in the office. It is amazing to look at these small diagrams when the project is finished or developed further and see how from that one painting a whole building developed, sometimes with hundreds of people working on it.

Having said that I do love running a business. I love being an entrepreneur, making up projects and generally doing what I want. Teaching is great too. I am driven by my own experience as a student, i.e. generally uninspired by the teaching I received, to show students what a great job designing stuff is. Being paid to draw and make models is just amazing! I also see teaching as a way to develop my own ideas on architecture and design. To teach design you have to understand how and why you design the way you do, it forces one to adopt a philosophical position. I also teach at the University of Southampton.

How did you meet Oliver Merkin?

We met whilst working for an architectural firm in Portsmouth called Pottinger Architects. Oliver is an artist and was working there when I joined the firm. We hit it off immediately and started Deer Park Alpha soon after.

You stated that the name ‘Deer Park Alpha’ was chosen because you had a tight deadline for the International Ideas competition in 2005. If you had to change the name what would it be and why?

I wouldn’t change it! It’s a stupid name really, but I love it. I was dead against calling the firm ‘Carl Leroy-Smith Architects’ as I have worked in firms like this and you feel like you are working FOR one guy and making him lots of cash. I wanted to start a firm where people worked WITH one another, and where everyone feels part of the projects we work on. In the long run when we have more people and when some of these people become Directors or take senior roles it will work well I think. 

Who came up with the concept behind ‘The Route’? And how is the project coming along?

I came up with the Route a year ago in one of my morning watercolour sessions. It was whilst I was writing a book on Urban Design and I was thinking about linking the city together. We didn’t have a client, there were no fees, it was just a dream. Oliver and I worked hard on it, fitting it in between projects that paid fees until we were ready to promote it in September 2008. Oliver did all the drawings for it, he is very skillful at producing presentations and communicate an entire idea in one image. We have had really positive feedback and have presented the project to well over 300 people since October. It has had a double page spread in the Portsmouth News.

What other projects are you currently involved in?

Lots: an adventure playground in Portsmouth; a 60-bedroom officers accommodation building; an interior fit-out of an Airstream caravan; a new cafe on Southsea seafront; an office building in Hove; a school playground; two new houses in Beer, Devon; a house that is 2.5m wide and has a pond on the roof; developing ideas for a new book on urban design and using streets; a new bar in a private members club; changing rooms for Portsmouth Football Club’s Respect charity; erm, that’ll do. Oh, and a Greek City State in central Portsmouth called AthensToo, it’s going to be made from shipping containers and will provide work space for designers and other creative types, they’ll be a market, gym and a school of philosophy. It will be so cool.

I’ve noticed that a lot of your projects are to help with the community, ‘the route’ and the Adventure playground. Is building the local community relationship within Portsmouth something that is important to you?

I like working on projects that benefit more than just one person. I am not mad about doing private domestic projects. It seems wrong to me that all the effort that goes into designing something should be for the benefit one person or a couple or family. My feeling is that society paid for me to study to be an architect, so that society could benefit. To make the skills I have learnt exclusive seems wrong to me. Lots of people, especially those that cannot afford good design, should benefit from beautiful environments that make their life better. I really believe that architecture can change peoples life’s. We are so poor at making ‘places’ in this country. Houses, schools and public spaces are not financial investments, they are places for people to live, work and play. We must disengage building from finance if we are to be happy in our environment.

Where would you like to see yourself and the company in 10 years time?

Happy and healthy primarily. Continuing to make interesting projects and buildings. Still painting every morning. Working with people I enjoy working with. Developing the business so that we can employ good people, and making them feel happy and creative in their life and work.

I’d like the firm to be known as a great place to work, as a family. As a firm that makes extraordinary architecture, that makes peoples life’s better.

If you where to go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t wish University away. Being a student is a fantastic opportunity and architecture presents you with five-years of it. I remember just wanting to get out and work. Also, I’d tell me that I should start skateboarding when I was 18 years old not 30! 

And last but by no means least – If you where to give me some advice as a student interior designer what would it be?

Enjoy it. I teach so many students who seem to be constantly worried, maybe I was too. Relax. It is supposed to be fun. There are pressures of deadlines and money, but they never go away, even when you get to the grand old age of 35. I would also say get interested in a designer that inspires you and learn everything you can about them, become an expert in their work. Then find someone else to get interested in. My favourite architect is Steven Holl. Learning about him inspired me to paint every morning and to study phenomenology. Every Christmas I get a new book on him from my wife, I think she does it to keep me quite for a few hours.