Nicolas Adnet – Studio MHNA – Paris, France
Luxury hospitality sector, holiday resorts, spa, restaurants.
1 – Who is Nicolas Adnet?
Joined in partnership with Marc Hertrich in the firm that bears their names, Nicolas Adnet began his career in the haute couture field. Meeting Marc Hertrich made him immerse into interior architecture and they have been partners for 18 years.
2 – When did you discover that you wanted to be an architect?
A bit late, almost in my thirties, after having met Marc Hertrich. The richness of this trade struck me like lightning and never again left, rather the opposite.
3 – A reference in architecture…
Zaha Hadid, a real fascination for the play and balance of curves and volumes, besides the attention for the indoor/outdoor relation.
4 – If you had not been architect, you would have been…
Fashion designer, of course, which was and remains a true passion.
5 – One defect and one virtue.
The same one, curiosity.
6 – What is your house like?
Our apartment is like us, it is primarily organized for comfort, and has an informal touch that expresses our sensitivity.
7 – Sunday is a day for…
The day for resting, both physically and mentally. It is essential for a rich and loaded life, to know how to stop.
8 – A place to look for inspiration.
Travels, museums, opera, reading, walks… I think that one does not seek inspiration and that indeed life feeds you, and during the creative act, these unconscious acquisitions inspire you again.
9 – What is the last book that you have read?
A historical detective novel that takes place in the English Middle Ages…
10 – 15 Years from now…
Honestly, I cannot answer that question, I only wish to live with as much passion as I do today… or even more intensely.
11 – When you think of architecture you think of…
The contribution, the improvement in comfort that the work will bring.
12 – Pencil or computer?
Both. Nothing will replace the hand, the search for the line, for the detail, but the computer offers such a great complementary opportunity for creativity that the two complement each other.
13 – How would you describe your work?
As a passion. It is a trade that lives in you in every moment, consciously or unconsciously, always present.
14 – One project you would like to do.
The scenography of an opera.
15 – Your opinion of Spanish architecture.
Spain is part of architecture’s «lands». Throughout its history, it has and offers a vision of a rare richness, legacy that turns it into a refuge land and a creative melting pot.
16 – How do you keep your own style while meeting the clients’ needs?
The demands of the clients tend to be redesign sources, discoveries, which lead us to evolve our style. There could be nothing worse than a stagnant style.
17 – In architecture, what are you better at and what do you have more trouble with?
Our creative trade is a profession that requires dreaming, exploring, inventing, and at the same time channeling all these energies and making decisions. It is a subtle balance that is at the same time a strong point and a weak point.
18 – Your recipe for success.
Passion. Expressing it, communicating it. This sincerity in creation is fundamental for me in the success of our trade.
19 – What is the role of natural products in your projects?
Essential. They constitute the foundations of a successful project. Thanks to their use forces are balanced, reaffirmed, lay out the concept, and are vital for living it.
20 – Your flagship L’Antic Colonial product is…
Personally I was dazzled by the mosaics line, for its richness, diversity, and the creative amplitude it offers.
