ROOM + WILD NATURALS: APART(E)STUDIO
Pedro Léger Pereira, founder of APART(E)STUDIO, redefines form and gives us the architecture of the future
In envisioning landscape architecture of tomorrow, designers are increasingly inspired by the dynamic interplay between structures and the rough terrains of our planet. Embracing the elements of nature and adapting to ever-changing weather patterns, one architecture studio seeks to seamlessly integrate with the landscape rather than dominate it. These modern infrastructures are conceived as organic extensions of the natural environment, employing sustainable materials and innovative construction techniques that harmonize with diverse terrains. From resilient structures that withstand extreme weather events to eco-friendly designs that harness renewable energy sources, they are poised to be both adaptive and regenerative. It envisions a world where buildings not only coexist with nature but actively contribute to its preservation, creating a symbiotic relationship between the man-built and the ever-evolving landscapes they inhabit.
Room + Wild Naturals was born in order to shed light on truly exceptional individuals that show excellence in the “landscape-enhanced” field. Most importantly, the series is about seeking inspiration and new perspective, which we found after speaking with a true pioneer and one of the most innovative architects of our time - Pedro Léger Pereira.
Pedro Léger Pereira ©Filipe Oliveira 2020 08b2
Pedro-Léger-Pereira-©Bent-René-Synnevåg
Pedro Léger Pereira is an accomplished architect and sculptor known for his global explorations, where he immerses himself in diverse countries and cultures to draw inspiration from iconic contemporary buildings and art. His nomadic spirit has led him to reside and work in various countries, including the Netherlands, the United States, Portugal, Norway, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. With a rich professional background, Pedro has earned numerous awards in sculpture and architecture competitions, showcasing his talent through solo exhibitions and installations in public spaces worldwide. Currently residing in extreme Arctic Norway, Pedro founded APART(E) STUDIO AS, an architectural practice that embodies his unique approach, blending Scandinavian influence with southern European cultural heritage. His interdisciplinary laboratory, named (h)eART(h), focuses on ArchiSculpture, an innovative fusion of architecture and sculpture emphasizing space, light, and time as its core elements. Pedro's hands-on attitude, passion for exploration, and dedication to craftsmanship make him a notable figure in the realm of contemporary architecture and sculpture.
We spoke with Pedro in detail about how APART(E)STUDIO is paving the way for the future of landscape architecture.
LoopHouse | Karasjok - Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“APART(E)STUDIO was born in one of the least likely places on the planet. Since the beginning of our practice, we have suggested implementing some projects in other distant planets, which brought a smile to those to whom we enthusiastically showed these ideas. In a few years, we will prove that this is not a “hallucination”, but a very concrete reality… I think this shows our attitude, where the only limit is our imagination.”
R+W: You have worked at some of the top architecture firms in the world. How is APART(E) STUDIO different? What do you hope to achieve in the future and where do you see the Studio in five to ten years?
PLP: Before I start, I would like to thank Sasha and Nicholas (R+W) for their affection and synergy in our last conversation and for their flattering words about my recent work, which surely motivated the invitation to this conversation.
I have had the opportunity to work with architecture firms with international relevance in several countries. From my early days as a young architect, I have also had the privilege of having bosses and studio leaders with great vision who trusted my creative abilities, and gave me carte blanche to explore my ideas and concepts in a wide range of geographical locations, allowing me to travel and design across the world.
In my professional journey of over two decades, I have gradually managed to reconcile my two academic backgrounds: Architecture and Sculpture. The fusion of the two disciplines has come closer to their culmination in the projects and concepts being developed at APART(E) STUDIO. This is a very hands-on process, exploring, sometimes exhaustively, hundreds of sketches and dozens of scale models to study shapes, concepts and ideas. This makes our architectural process a bit different, which I believe comes from my practice as a sculptor. All these years of experience and thousands of ideas explored are the know-how that I carry and use in any new project or challenge, which we always try to approach as a blank canvas. I frequently come across projects I helped bring to life in the studios where I worked, and I feel greatly proud and happy to see them published in specialized magazines and winning awards.
“In each new project, we assume a rather free and spontaneous process, but at the same time, a very rigorous and systematic nature, which grants the works we develop a unique identity. This is namely due to the special relationship we have with each place, as a result of our deep admiration and respect for nature, which has become significantly more intense, given my recent personal experience in the far north.”
The sparkle in the eyes during the creative act is what really drives my practice. However, I do not hide that the recognition of my works is highly motivating for me. In each new project, we assume a rather free and spontaneous process, but at the same time, a very rigorous and systematic nature, which grants the works we develop a unique identity. This is namely due to the special relationship we have with each place, as a result of our deep admiration and respect for nature, which has become significantly more intense, given my recent personal experience in the far north.
In five, ten or even fifty years… This is a very difficult question, as it is hard to predict the future, but we have the intrinsic desire to, regardless of the obstacles we may face, never lose motivation and a certain dose of naivety, stubbornness and the dreamy nature. Therefore, I wish to keep insistently designing, with the same passion and enthusiasm, poetic and generous architectural works that provide not only comfort and safety, but also unique spatial and sensorial experiences for their inhabitants.
Silence Pavillion | Syltefjord - Finnmark Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“Imagine the context: Båtsfjord, a small village 70.6° north in the Norwegian Arctic, next to the Barents Sea, where I live and where my studio was established a few years ago. A few metres away, is the fjord that branches out from this sea, invading the land, which I glimpse from the window of my studio. I regularly go to this place, with my feet almost touching the water (sometimes they even do), to renew energies, draw a little, listen to music, or simply reflect and think.”
R+W: Room + Wild’s core ethos is “landscape-enhanced accommodation”. What does “landscape-enhanced” mean to you?
PLP: I believe that this question relates to the close affinity I felt with the exceptional accommodations you promote at R+W, and the clear connection I find with the projects and places we have been working in, and others that we intend to work in the future. However, in my opinion, the “landscape-enhanced” is a very subjective and personal issue, and it will not be an easy concept to generalize or define, as it comes from each person’s individual experience; each place and each person is unique and carries along all past experiences and the corresponding memories and feelings, all of them personal and non-transferable, which grant each individual the hypothetical “landscape” of a certain place.
I could close my eyes and transport myself to an architectural space that lives within me, a place where I could have the privilege of hearing the “sound of silence”. This place, where I mentally travelled in this exercise, could become a definition of “landscape-enhanced” for me. But, if physically this object and sensations must have an effect on a real place, it would certainly be one of those places I have been to (and that I kept within myself), most likely located in a majestic, breathtaking landscape, which I watch sitting by the window or lying in bed, contemplating all the purity and beauty of nature. I can clearly see this happen in the near future in many of the architectural objects we are developing.
“I could close my eyes and transport myself to an architectural space that lives within me, a place where I could have the privilege of hearing the “sound of silence”. This place, where I mentally travelled in this exercise, could become a definition of “landscape-enhanced” for me. ”
Trekant Hus/Triangular House | Avô-Portugal ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: Let’s talk about a sense of place. Location seems to be the inspiration as well as the most important element in your projects. Which locations have been the most inspiring? Which have been the most challenging? What destination is the next frontier for APART(E) STUDIO?
PLP: We believe that each place, due to its specificity, is undoubtedly unique (historically, geographically, climatically, topographically), in its traditions and habits. So, it will be difficult for us not to make a very strong relationship between the architectural works we design and the places where they will be implemented.
The process begins with an in-depth analysis of the land where it will be located and each project inevitably incorporates much of that physical and sensorial “cocktail” from the first sketches. We increasingly believe that architecture must complement and respect nature, because it comes therefrom. Honestly, I do not think it could be any different, because (although it is forgotten by many today) we, humans, are also an integral part of it.
“Our role is to read and understand the place and its specific aspects, then interpret, decode and surgically integrate them into the works, enhancing (or protecting) one aspect or another. All places, without exception, are a tremendous challenge, and maximum respect for the place and for nature is one of the primary rules for each of our projects.”
It is hard to imagine (with rare exceptions, such as A POD, which blatantly breaks the rules) an architectural object for a “non-place” — 90% of the spirit of the project is already there long before we get there. Our role is essentially to read and understand the place and its specific aspects, then interpret, decode and surgically integrate them into the works, enhancing (or protecting) one aspect or another. All places, without exception (and each in its own way), are a tremendous challenge, and maximum respect for the place and for nature is one of the primary rules for each of our projects.
Due to our nature and attitude, we do not have many frontiers. The studio itself was born in one of the least likely places on the planet — such a remote place that the studio got its name from it (“apart,” a name that simultaneously comes from the abbreviation of “Architecture plus Art”). Since the beginning of our practice, we have suggested implementing some projects on other distant planets, as we have property illustrated, which brought a smile to those whom we enthusiastically showed these ideas. In a few years, we will prove that this is not a “hallucination,” but a very concrete reality… I think this shows our attitude, where the only limit is our imagination…
Look Like a House #3 | Berlevåg - Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: Norway is known for its revolutionary design and architecture. In what ways has living and designing in Norway been an inspiration? In what ways has it been a challenge?
PLP: Living in Norway has many challenges, especially when you come from a totally opposite country in terms of culture and climate, like Portugal, where I am from. The architecture practiced in this country is very interesting, particularly because the use of wood is widespread, and there is a certain “simplicity” in the Norwegian way of living, which I believe is inherent and transversal to the cultural of the people. But Architecture (with a capital “A”) will always be interesting and revolutionary in any geography, if it is made by interested architects who are passionate about their profession.
“The architecture practiced in Norway is very interesting, particularly because the use of wood is widespread, and there is a certain “simplicity” in the Norwegian way of living, which I believe is inherent and transversal to the cultural of the people. But Architecture (with a capital “A”) will always be interesting and revolutionary in any geography, if it is made by interested architects who are passionate about their profession.”
At the moment, after being in Norway for 10 years, I am starting to feel very divided, as around 50% of my professional life has been spent here. I believe that the Scandinavian influence is slowly merging with my personal and architectural culture from Southern Europe, where I worked for around 15 years, which gives me a unique character and way of thinking. Today, my attitude is clearly influenced by both cultures — an attitude that is unmistakably artistic and yet extremely meticulous and systematic.
"V" Landscape Rooms | Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“There is not one Norway, but as many Norways as there are places in this country… living in Bergen under the incessant rain is totally different from living on the East coast, in Oslo or in that other planet called the Arctic, where I currently live. It is a very special place, where we can witness three months of continuous night, and three months of uninterrupted sun, a place where I meet the local fauna, such as reindeers, moose, huge eagles and whales, more often than other human beings. All of this is “my Norway”. ”
Having already lived in some places in Norway (from south to north), I usually say that there is not one Norway, but as many Norways as there are places in this country… Living in Bergen under the incessant rain is totally different from living on the east coast, in Oslo or on that other planet called the Arctic, where I currently live. It is a very special place, where we can witness three months of continuous night and three months of uninterrupted sun — a place where I meet the local fauna, such as reindeers, moose, huge eagles and whales, more often than other human beings. All of this is “my Norway.” The only common thread that connects the country from north to south is its powerful and stunning nature (although very different from place to place), which is undoubtedly my greatest source of inspiration.
“The only common thread that connects the country from North to South is its powerful and stunning nature (although very different from place to place), which is undoubtedly my greatest source of inspiration.”
Polheim Hytte | Oslo - Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: Your design has a “fearlessness” when it comes to dealing with the elements of nature. With climate change becoming more evident, you are embracing tougher terrains and making harsher environments liveable with your innovative structures. Tell us about moving to the Norwegian Arctic, and how this has inspired you.
PLP: I would not say that what we do is “fearless,” but they are indeed ideas generally free from prejudice, that are born from dreams. We have to know quite well the “rules of the game,” that is, the characteristics of the place to make the most of it, always respecting it deeply, so that each work can “survive” as part of the place where it is located and in total harmony with nature in all its magnificence and power.
Given the intensity, I would say I could write a book on my experience in the Arctic, although it is still short. I do not think it is possible to explain it in words, because only by living the experience in the front row will you be aware of its magnitude. In a few words, I could say that it is as difficult as it is exciting … I had many moments of distress in this place, but also very grateful moments of emotion and commotion, for example, with the colours and display that nature surprisingly offers us every minute of the day …Throughout the year, I was also happy to make some good friends who supported me in my daily personal and professional life here, which can sometimes be a little inhospitable.
Look Like a House #4 | Alentejo - Portugal ©APART(E)STUDIO
It is very difficult to describe what inspires me here, but maybe it’s the constant contrast of opposites… Perhaps nature in its extreme rudeness and subtle gentleness, perhaps heat and cold, perhaps fullness and emptiness, perhaps light and darkness … In summary, everything and nothing.
“There is an inherent intangible luxury when we offer our clients sunrises on their bedside table, stars under their heads to fall asleep or the sunset served at dinner… all of this combined with a very accurate technical, material and formal rigor, which creates an extremely pure connection with nature and its specific elements in each place.”
R+W: Your work condenses our connection to landscape and interaction with space to its basics, unveiling a luxury we didn’t know existed. What do you want your design to communicate? Is the goal the purest possible connection to our environment?
PLP: I believe that is a possible and very assertive understanding of our work in recent years. There is indeed an inherent intangible luxury when we offer our clients sunrises on their bedside table, stars under their heads or the sunset served at dinner … All of this combined with a very accurate technical, material and formal rigour creates an extremely pure connection with nature and its specific elements in each place, which we always try to incorporate into projects. It’s something very simple, but requires a lot of investment and precision from us.
What we wish to communicate with our projects is that we create unique shapes and spaces that allow people to enjoy remarkable sensations. In my opinion, this is the great “luxury” we offer. Not everyone can say they “own” the stars, the northern lights, the sound of the wind or the song of a wild bird, or even the light of the sun … Our clients can.
Hygge Hytte | Northern Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“On a journey with my son to watch the whales, we sat on a rock and I told him, “we should build a small shelter here, so that we could be comfortable talking while we patiently wait. We should create a building not only for us, but to be freely accessed by the entire community, at all times, “without a lock”, so that in winter, with some comfort, one could watch and photograph the colors of the Northern lights.” Thus, the challenge was set for the A POD to be developed.”
ApOD Shelter | Båtsfjord- Arctic Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: Tell us about your most innovative creation to date — the A POD Shelter, a mobile, transformative, and kinetic structure that redefines form. What was your inspiration and your process? What makes the final product ground-breaking?
PLP: The A POD (an abbreviation for Apart POD) was the result of a need that I can try to demystify in a few words, as this is a recurring question. I may also clarify our intention of placing the first prototype in the Arctic, in the exact location where this idea was born.
Imagine the context: Båtsfjord, a small village 70.6° north in the Norwegian Arctic, next to the Barents Sea, where I live and where my studio was established a few years ago. A few metres away, is the fjord that branches out from this sea, invading the land, which I glimpse from the window of my studio. I regularly go to this place, with my feet almost touching the water (sometimes they even do), to renew energies, draw a little, listen to music, or simply reflect and think.
In this place where silence reigns, I glimpse groups of whales and giant eagles passing by, breaking the solitude of my sight. From the rock where I sit, silence was now broken by the breath of these large mammals, sometimes just a few metres away. This is extremely exotic and fascinating for a city person … But, as “the picture is not all rosy,” standing still for long periods in this place becomes complicated, and I often stopped feeling my fingers when drawing, or the ink in the pen failed due to freezing. It is in this context that the idea of creating a link between myself and nature was born … A second skin was needed, hence the idea of this micro “cocoon.”
On one of these journeys with my son to watch the whales, we sat on that rock and I told him, “We should build a small shelter here, so that we could be comfortable talking while we patiently wait for the visit of the curious seals and whales.” We should create a building not only for us, but to be freely accessed by the entire community, at all times, “without a lock.” So, in winter, with some comfort, one could watch and photograph the colours of the northern lights in their tireless dance in the skies … thus emerging a second window, a window to watch the sky. Then it was a whirlwind of ideas to finally reach a concept as refined and simple as possible. The challenge was set for the A POD to be developed.
“A POD Shelter - a mobile, transformable and kinetic experimental object with more than 70,000 different combinations. ”
Then, the features that make this shelter unique came naturally: The location is difficult to access, so it had to be prefabricated and mobile. Nature is extreme, and the four seasons may show up in a few hours, so it had to be adaptable. Last but not least, the world is constantly moving, so our shelter should be able to automatically follow this movement and adjust to the circumstances. It should automatically follow the route of the whales when they enter the fjord, or follow the sun from its rising to its setting — an ingredient that would greatly enrich the experience. Firstly, it could rotate manually, and subsequently we could implement a fully automated system.
ApOD Shelter | Båtsfjord- Arctic Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
ApOD Shelter | Båtsfjord- Arctic Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
ApOD Shelter | Båtsfjord- Arctic Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
A mobile, transformable and kinetic experimental object would then emerge with more than 70,000 different combinations. Given the nature of the removable parts that compose it, the same part placed in different positions could have several different practical functions. A front part which serves as a terrace in summer, turned upside down will serve as a cover for rain and snow in winter, or turned sideways will protect against strong seasonal winds). This transformability grants this object an incredible formal richness. I think it will be difficult to find two identical A PODs.
“Born in the Arctic, a difficult to access location, A POD had to be prefabricated and mobile. Nature is extreme, and the four seasons may show up in a few hours, so it had to be adaptable. Last but not least, the world is constantly moving, so our shelter should be able to automatically follow this movement and adjust to the circumstances. ”
R+W: How will A POD revolutionize the way we interact with landscape, space, and light?
PLP: This small shelter is not intended to be revolutionary, but rather an extension of the human body … We usually say that it is essentially a link between earth and sky, as it is a tubular shape pointing towards the sky and the horizon … a second skin materialized in wood and glass, connecting people and nature.
At each location, each person will be able to enjoy a unique experience in their A POD, be able to create a shelter to their taste, and point it towards the landscape that thrills them most. When tired, they will be able to change its shape or the landscapes framed by the two windows, or simply … take it to another place.
bølgeN / The Wave | Båtsfjord-Northern Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“This small shelter is not intended to be revolutionary, but rather an extension of the human body … We usually say that it is essentially a link between earth and sky, as it is a tubular shape pointing towards the sky and the horizon … a second skin materialized in wood and glass, connecting people and nature.”
R+W: A POD is currently backed by Innovation Norway. Tell us about receiving this grant and what it means. What is still required to make A POD accessible and adaptable all over the world?
PLP: Innovasjon Norge (IN) has been a strong partner from the beginning, having provided financial support for several detailed market studies. More than an object, the A POD is an “experience generator” that can be integrated anywhere in the world, adapting to each place like a chameleon.
IN now proposes to fund part of the first prototype, which will allow us to test the idea, but IN is not only key to this process in economic terms; it has boosted our self-confidence since this idea was still embryonic. The fact that they believed in and supported this small conceptual project is a great honour for us, and has opened many doors, as subsequently other people and entities became part of the team, supporting us (not only monetarily) in a joint effort so that this object soon becomes a reality.
The slogan of this object and its concept has been,“Mobile, Transformable and Kinetic … with ‘any’ shape, of ‘any’ size, in ‘any' material and in ‘any' place.” The “A POD family” has objects in the most varied scales, and with different uses and functions … from 5 m2 version of the experience generator pod, to a version which has the dimensions of a micro-house of 50 m2, and other intermediate versions like the landscape room/suite or a 25 m2 hut.
“IN now proposes to fund part of the first prototype, which will allow us to test the idea, but IN is not only key to this process in economic terms; it has boosted our self-confidence since this idea was still embryonic. The fact that they believed in and supported this small conceptual project is a great honour for us, and has opened many doors, as subsequently other people and entities became part of the team, supporting us in a joint effort so that this object soon becomes a reality.”
It is a project with only 5 m2 in its smallest version, but extremely ambitious and challenging. It has given us a lot of work and is taking a long time to be implemented, both because of its conceptual and technical assumptions, and also because the first unit will be placed and tested in one of the harshest scenarios on the planet. It will be a huge challenge, but we usually say that if it works in this climatic context with the necessary tests and adjustments,, it will survive anywhere else in the world.
Whether for a private client who owns a world-class hotel and wants to offer different experiences to their guests with some of these objects, or for a public entity that wants to include them in a natural park or a prominent landscape in the municipality, or even for a private client who wants to make the A POD their hut or micro-home, all versions have a single assumption: provide unique experiences with a very close link between the human being and their place in nature, as each person, each place and A POD are unique.
Ø The Arctic Hotel - Cliff Houses & Aparthotel | Vadsøya - Northern Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
Ø The Arctic Hotel - Main Building | Vadsø-Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: Light is a recurring theme in your work. Tell us more about your experience in extreme climates.
PLP: I often say that shape, space, light and time are the ethos of our studio. In particular, following the recent experiences, light gained a very special meaning, as it allows us to reveal the world, its shapes, colours, and textures. Just imagine that one day the sun sets and the night lasts for several consecutive weeks. The paradigm naturally changes.Having lived this experience for several years, and risking sounding commonplace, it is often said that you only miss something when you do not have it. Light was one of the things I learned to value even more after discovering its absence in the far north. Until then, it was a given thing that was always present.
Lisbon, where I am from, is a city of light. Everyone unanimously recognizes that it has a special light, given its geographical location. Portugal is generally a sunny country throughout the year, and this is naturally reflected in architecture, which is very white and bright. In the south, the sun and the light are often something that we must protect ourselves from, and in a certain way avoid; in the north, the roles are reversed, as it is something a bit rare, therefore very precious and desired. I am very familiar with these extremes, and they are quite rooted in my way of thinking. I carry them in my eyes and in my heart, so they are expressed quite spontaneously in the architecture I create.
Look Like a House #2 | Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
“The sun and the light gained a very special meaning to me. I remember the day I finally glimpsed the sun and felt its heat after many months of being trapped in the Arctic during the pandemic. It was early in the morning, and I was served a sunrise over the clouds for breakfast, on the plane to Oslo. It was a moving experience, as I had almost forgotten its existence and how much it warms us — I would say a luxury, given the circumstances.”
The sun and the light gained a very special meaning to me. I remember the day I finally glimpsed the sun and felt its heat after many months of being trapped in the Arctic during the pandemic. It was early in the morning, and I was served a sunrise over the clouds for breakfast, on the plane to Oslo. It was a moving experience, as I had almost forgotten its existence and how much it warms us — I would say a luxury, given the circumstances. I try to convey these experiences and sensations in my architectural creations, trying to pass on this sunrise experience, since the day I have seen it, to my clients, at their breakfast table.
Look Like a House #4 (Interior) | Finnøy - Stavanger - Norway ©APART(E)STUDIO
R+W: You have lived, worked, and travelled all over the world. What has been the most inspiring experience to date?
PLP: “All over the world” is too kind of you, since the more I travel the more I am sure how little I know. There is geography and then perhaps time; each place when revisited, is always new, as it slowly transforms. However, there are places I have been to from which I keep the same memories; places where time does not exist. The Arctic is a good example of this — the same feeling every time I come back home (whether I have been away for a week or a month), always a feeling of unparalleled calm and silence, as in very few places I have ever been to.
A recent trip to Greenland was a very remarkable experience, as it meant a new encounter with the power and magnificence of nature, which has reinvented itself in this place. But if I had to choose the most enriching trip in cultural and human terms that I have experienced to date, I do not hesitate to pick the weeks I spent backpacking through India. This “time travel” significantly and irreversibly changed the way I see the world and live today. I carry with me what I learned there, both in the way I started facing life materially and spiritually, and in the way I create objects of Art and Architecture, trying to make them more and more timeless … because, as I usually say, there is no such thing as time.
Landscape Frame | Azores - Portugal ©APART(E)STUDIO
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