5 minutes with Marc Guberman

Marc Guberman is a Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, who studied architecture and business at Yale University and joined the New York office in 2008.  In 2011, Marc relocated to California to work on the design and construction of Apple Park in Silicon Valley. He set up the practice’s offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, where he currently resides.

Marc tells us about his first project at Foster + Partners, the importance of wider mentorship networks, and reflects on what we might learn from Tokyo.

Earliest memory at Foster + Partners

I don't remember my first day, but I do remember my first project, which was a competition to design a law school in Baltimore. Most of the project team were working from the London office, and I was based in New York at the time. I was asked to join them and given a one-way plane ticket to London. About a month later, I was flying to Baltimore with our competition models.

So, it was an exciting start to my career at Foster + Partners – I never knew what the next day would bring.

A standout project

For me, it’s Apple Park.

It’s had a major influence on many of our subsequent projects and the culture of our teams in California. The design process was unlike anything I’d experienced before. We didn’t design the campus in a linear way, beginning with the masterplan, then moving on to the form of the building, and finishing with the details.

Instead, we worked at all scales simultaneously. From our second meeting onwards, we were thinking about the site planning, massing, and internal layout, at the same time as the door handles. I think this is how we achieved such an integrated design, which results in a more holistic experience for everyone.

A mentor

One of the most amazing things about working here is the collegiate spirit, and the knowledge you can harness across the practice. In many ways it feels like a university – and we’re all eternal students.

Right now, I’m thinking a lot about how we can provide successful mentorship within the L.A. office. It’s an approach that goes beyond having one mentor. We’re working closely with San Francisco, and with other offices across the world, to create a wider supportive network for our young team. We have people from London visiting every other week, for major client reviews and competition interviews. There are four or five hot desks that are always in constant use, so our team are working with a wide range of people.

A recent source of inspiration

Our local neighbourhood, Venice, is a constant source of inspiration. There’s such a rich community of creative minds here, from artists and filmmakers to musicians and fashion designers. The area also has incredible architectural heritage, which is always inspiring.  

We have an open-door policy in our L.A studio, to encourage the exchange of ideas with our neighbours within the building. Creating a community around your workplace is the future of the office, and ours is evolving every day.

Your favourite city to visit

Although I’ve been to London dozens of times, I think it’s still able to hold its newness. It’s such a vast and comprehensive city; there’s always somewhere different to explore every time I visit.

Where do you call home?

New York is my home, it’s where I was born, but I'm really getting to know and understand Los Angeles.

L.A. is an amazing city for its humanness and opportunity. It feels like every door is open. You may have to call a few people to figure out how to get through it, but it’s what you do with your five minutes in the room that matters. 

A hidden gem in your neighbourhood

I live in sourthern Santa Monica and our office is in northern Venice, which means I can walk or bike to work every day. I’m living in a tiny beach community, but have access to this major metropolis with art, culture, sports and entertainment. So, I count myself very lucky.

A city we should learn from

When I was younger, I spent some time living and working in Tokyo. I remember being struck by the city’s amazing efficiency, while also being so dense and packed with energy. It has high and low-rise buildings, and some great parks amidst its urbanity. I think Tokyo straddles the line between order and chaos – and stays perfectly balanced as a whole. 

Your favourite building to visit

The Salk Institute by Louis Kahn.

I was eight years old on my first visit – and my most recent was two months ago. My father passed away when I was very young, and I discovered later in life that he always wanted to be an architect and he visited the Salk Institute. The site and building will always have a certain gravitas for me.

Early bird or night owl?

I'm definitely both.

I talk to my eldest daughter, Suki, a lot about energy. How do we power the house? How do we power the car? How do we power ourselves and recharge when we need to? I tell her that she has a battery inside her, she can choose how to spend her energy, and that it's not limitless.

She is almost seven years old and she really gets it.  It’s amazing what kids are learning about sustainability in school these days – and as an architect, I’m optimistic about a greener future.

One thing you can’t live without

Books.

We have an amazing library in the L.A. office, which we are slowly building over time. It’s specific to our projects and interests, so we can surround ourselves with wonderful visual references and diverse ideas.

We work with stacks of books for projects and research topics, which we’re always moving around the studio and trading.

Where will you be this weekend?

With my family.

My wife, Serin, is a documentary filmmaker. We have both travelled a lot for work lately, so we’re looking forward to having zero plans and spending some quality time together with our two girls.