#369 - JAI KUMARAN, Founding Partner, West of West
SUMMARY
This week David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Architect Jai Kumaran, founding partner of West of West to discuss his background; the influence his father’s work had on his career; attending architecture school; why he pursued a master’s degree; starting and growing an office; exploring project types; branding in architecture; and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT JAI
Jai Kumaran is an architect and founding partner of West of West. He is a dynamic collaborator recognized for his design expertise and commitment to working closely with clients to develop innovative architecture. His goal is to elevate everyday architecture where we live and work by seamlessly integrating art, design, and technology to create buildings that are beautiful, functional, and sustainable.
Jai is a design leader who quickly deduces challenges and opportunities while simultaneously communicating innovative architectural solutions to build consensus. His creative direction throughout the design process has resulted in exceptional buildings at every scale from custom retail environments for emerging brands to urban campus master plans. Jai is currently leading several of West of West’s creative office endeavors in Southern California including Washington Adams, Media Blocks, and 6344 Fountain, a creative office building that combines adaptive reuse and sustainable hybrid-CLT construction.
Jai holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a licensed architect in Oregon and a member of the AIA. Prior to founding West of West, Jai worked at international design practices including Morphosis Architects where he was a key member on several large-scale urban developments and institutional buildings around the world.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Background.
“I'm always looking outside of architecture as a profession for inspiration. And it's so important to continue to do that both as a student but also as a working professional all the way through because there's so, so much inspiration that we can pull from artists, writers, and even the land and nature and things that are a little bit more organic in the way that they that they've developed.” (13:18)
(16:07) First interest in Architecture.
(24:20) Reasons for getting a Master’s in Architecture.
(36:22) Meeting Clayton Taylor.
“To some extent, we knew that working together… There was something powerful to it and we enjoyed it. The results were more than what one of us was working independently would be.” (42:04)
(42:58) West of West first project.
“The naivety or the ability to say yes to things without overthinking it… Obviously, there's some danger to it… But I think there's something really powerful about just saying yes. And then figuring it out and having the faith that you, as an architect, have a level of skill that you can do that thing.” (45:30)
(50:43) Project types.
“What we do as architects benefits or enhances the experience of someone who doesn't know about architecture. And so we've always had a practice that's focused on building projects and thinking about projects for the greater culture or the greater society versus just working in our corner and being self-referential.” (51:40)
(56:46) Authorship.
“Ultimately, I think it’s an ego issue… I think the bottom-up conversation comes in there and thinking about our studio as a brand and not as not as a figurehead-led practice is really the starting point.” (57:48)
(58:45) West of West as a brand.
(01:11:14) About the office.
(01:24:10) Challenges of recruitment.
(01:29:30) Learning from practice.
(01:38:31) Future plans for the office.
(01:41:51) Dream project type.
(01:42:46) Favorite building.
