Jamie Webb: "You can't plan a city around cars and for cars"

Jamie Webb is the head of the regional department of the international architectural studio Benoy (Europe, Middle East and Africa). He has been working on different continents for 20 years, specializing in the design of residential premises, as well as multifunctional buildings. For example, Jamie's portfolio includes the master planning and renovation of the Brains Brewery on Cardiff's Central Waterfront, where living spaces, workplaces, education and leisure were woven around a central square and transportation hub.

In October 2021, Jamie Webb will become one of the speakers of 100+ TechnoBuild. In the meantime, in an interview, he explained how an architect's work differs in Europe and Asia, how to make cities more comfortable, and why he does not believe that good landscaping will ever appear all over the world.

– You work in both Europe and the Middle East. Is there a fundamental difference between them in their approaches to urban planning and construction? Where is it more comfortable for you to work and why?

– Now I live in the UK and therefore I work a lot in Europe, although I do not leave my job in the Middle East. If we talk about the difference between them, I can say that there is still more freedom for an architect in the Middle East. The project may be more ambitious – there are fewer restrictions and rationing. In Europe, for example, in the UK, there are a lot of all kinds of restrictions for architects and developers. This is due to the fact that cities have already been formed and built up quite densely. Naturally, municipalities pay a lot of attention to this, and they often interfere with their needs and regulations. As for the Middle East, sometimes you have to work there in a completely open space. There is more free space for developers, so there are probably fewer restrictions. Of course, sometimes it can be very interesting to work without restrictions.

– Can you remember a project in the Middle East where you took full advantage of this freedom?

– I remember a project I did seven years ago for a family. We actually worked from scratch, we were given complete freedom. Our customer said: do something that doesn't exist yet, something very unusual. At the same time, he also hired landscape designers, a lot of work was done in this area. And indeed, our project turned out to be completely unique. 

– Over the past 20 years, you have participated in the creation of many projects. Which one do you consider the most successful and why?

– It is very difficult to single out any one successful project in 20 years of work. The project I mentioned above was indeed very successful. Then, 14 years ago, we worked in the Middle East. There was a competition for unusual projects using wood and other materials. We designed a garden park with a pomegranate reef. It's a very unusual place. It seems to me that we managed to do really well. The project was successful, and it became a local landmark. I'm currently working on a project in the UK. It's not finished yet, but it's also unique. This is the restoration of the historical part of the city. I believe it will be successful.

Of course, developers or investors calculate the success of a project with money, but the architect has completely different criteria. For me, successful projects are not measured by money or any awards. For me, rather, success lies in how this project is used when it is ready. Or, for example, if it is an apartment building, how actively apartments are being sold in it, how well people feel in an already built facility.

– Are there any features that you transfer from project to project, and why them?

– Of course, people are at the very center of all my projects. And when I start working on an object, it is very important for me to know who will use it - tourists, workers or just residents, how they will do it. The most valuable thing is to make the building the most comfortable for their needs.

The second thing I pay attention to is the integration with the landscape. Of course, it is very important. People live in the building or stay inside for some time, but sometimes they want to go outside. And how they will feel outside the walls of this building, how it will blend in with the surrounding nature, is very important. Also, now I really like making enclosed, protected courtyards that can be used by employees of offices located in the building or residents of the house.

One more point – there are, of course, architects who work with complex geometry, but I prefer a simpler one. When it comes to construction, there are places where, for example, there is no access to sophisticated technologies and materials. And I try to make my facilities so that they are accessible to builders and it is possible to build properly without unnecessary difficulties.

In addition, it is very important to me where the facility is located, in which country I work, in which culture, and what kind of people live there. Location matters.

– You are actively promoting multifunctional buildings. In your opinion, what key components should a space have to make it comfortable for both the residents of the building and those who just use it?

– Of course, there should be all possible amenities. On the one hand, if this is a business in a residential building, each user should have their own separate entrance and their own space. But at the same time, there should also be common areas where all these groups could intersect with each other. For example, cafes, restaurants, carpets. For me, the ability for people to interact is one of the main components.  

– There is a stereotype that residents of Asia and the Middle East prefer small housing. Is this really true?

– Actually, that's not quite true. In the Middle East, people generally prefer more spacious apartments. As for Asia, this is mainly due to population density. And, of course, with the high cost – the density is high, and the larger the apartment, the more expensive it is. I must say that today, both in London and New York, apartments tend to decrease in size, and this, of course, is due to the price in these cities.

You can also note the availability of public transport here. If there is public transport in the place where housing exists and a person does not need his own car, he can make do with less space to live.

– The example of Russia shows how old, not very comfortable solutions for urban planning and construction are gradually changing modern ones. Do you think the whole world will ever come to make space comfortable everywhere?

– To answer your question in general, no, I don't believe in it, because there is a bad design, poor quality. Both clients and developers very often focus not on good design and convenience, but on financial conditions. How to resolve all this? This is very difficult, because if it were possible, I would answer your question with "Yes". Nevertheless, it seems to me that there will always be architects and developers who will focus on other goals. It would be great if it became possible to create some kind of regulatory conditions in order to focus only on good design. But unfortunately, it's hard to imagine it. Anyway, there will be uncomfortable spaces here or there.

– What are the most basic steps (and ideally not the most expensive) that cities can take on their way to becoming more comfortable?

– First of all, you can't plan a city around cars and for cars. We need to do everything to make the work work for the person. Maybe so that people can use bicycles and public transport more. Then our streets will become safer. Of course, we need to create more public spaces for people to use everywhere, such as parks and gardens. That is, everything is for people, not for cars.

– What are you planning to talk about at 100+ TechnoBuild?

– I plan to talk about the ten principles of urban planning, how to build better buildings for people, more comfortable, and create spaces for people to use them.