See photos of Galia Solomonoff's works 

MG: Do you consider yourselves as part of an intellectual collective of Argentinean architects that have a strong and defined presence abroad? If not, could you describe why?

GS: As I grow older, and as my influence deepens as a teacher, I have a stronger sense about an Argentine collective and I respect the efforts of everyone involved before and after me. I realize that there are traces in common, yet not as strong as other collectives—like the Madrid Club, for example. The sense of belonging to several communities has intensified. I am aware of the particularities of being an Argentinean woman practicing architecture in New York. Diana Agrest and Florencia Pita have helped establish the respect that comes before and after. In our office, SAS, we always have a young Argentinean architect, currently Ignacio Guisasola. I find that as a collective we combine theory and practicality, humor and horror with a unique ease!

MG: Being familiar with figures such as Machado and Silvetti, or Agrest and Gandelsonas, among others, how do you think your experience is different to this earlier generation of architects that emigrated, and was their experience ever a point of reference to you when you decided to study abroad and establish yourselves outside Argentina?

GS: I was too ignorant when I left Argentina at age 18 in 1986. However, I was stunned when I started to connect to Ivy League schools and found out first about Gandelsonas and Agrest, later about Machado and Silveti, and Ambasz, and Pelli; it gave my sense of mission a clear drive. I have no doubt that presenting myself as an Argentinean to [Bernard] Tschumi, [Peter] Eisenman or [Rem] Koolhaas eased my path.

MG: Would you be able to discuss your professional and intellectual development in relation to your cultural and/or academic/formal background?

GS: I think, as an Argentinean—and as an immigrant —I am always prepared for something to go wrong and to find the solution. I think we are conditioned, as kids of the dictadura, to understand double talk, to work hard, and to wait for gratification one day in some dreamed future.

MG: How strong is your connection to Argentina and do you see your work and disciplinary interests having a resonance back home?

GS: I love Argentina, with all its craziness. I am very proud of it, and sometimes also embarrassed by it. I go every year—to B.A. and Rosario—I do all I can to do projects there, to help the students that want to come here, to talk to my peers there. I admire [Hermes] Binner, who was the mayor of Rosario and now is the governor of Santa Fe, because he is a doctor who has been in public service all his life and in politics for more than 20 years. He wanted to do a building with Koolhaas when I was at OMA in 1998. It did not happen, yet he got Alvaro Siza and Oscar Neimeyer to build in Rosario. It is very hard to be an honest politician in an emergent economy.

MG: You've been living abroad for many years now—how much do you think the influences of the city have played a role in your work?

GS: Life is a journey and it makes more sense if you recognize where you started it.

Galia Solomonoff earned a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University in 1994. She is founder and principal of Solomonoff Architecture Studio, and has been internationally recognized for her work. Solomonoff is currently Associate Professor at Columbia University, GSAPP.

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