The tastemaker: Rafael de Cárdenas
Christie's interviews UCLA Architecture and Urban Design Alumnus Rafael de Cárdenas
Rafael de Cárdenas, who received his Masters in Architecture from UCLA in 2002, told Christie's about his upcoming plans with his design practice, Architecture at Large, and how he incorporates centuries-old artwork and objects into contemporary interiors.
"‘In our own work, where we do use a lot of historical objects, the aim is always to bring everything into a contemporary context,’ says architect and interior designer Rafael de Cárdenas. Putting together a number of vignettes using pieces from The Collector, a series of sales taking place in April in New York, his aim, he says, is ‘to suggest that these things can be readily used, and not necessarily cordoned off like they would be in a museum.’
Having graduated in fashion from the Rhode Island School of Design, de Cárdenas worked as a designer for Calvin Klein and in special effects before studying architecture at UCLA under Greg Lynn.
After returning to his native New York, de Cárdenas founded Architecture at Large, a full-service design practice, in 2006. The firm has subsequently completed some 100 projects, from museum installations to residential and retail spaces — the latter including high-profile commissions from Baccarat, the New York restaurant Asia de Cuba and Au Pont Rouge, one of Russia’s first department stores."— Christies, March 26, 2018
This post is an excerpt, read the full article on the Christie's website.
Stay engaged. Use #UCLAarts to stay connected.
