Carlos Ott: Global Architect

MANILA, Philippines - Google his name, check out his website, but make sure you have time to spare because you’re going to need it. When I accepted the invitation to interview Carlos Ott I was totally clueless as to who and what he was all about.

All I knew was that he was a celebrated architect credited for the design of “some” super structures in Dubai and is in town to do a “real huge” project at the Rockwell Center. To be honest, although I have interviewed over 500 celebrities in the 5 years that I did a talk show on TV, I was not altogether comfortable interviewing a complete stranger.

So I googled his name and out came a stream of references and a ton of images that quickly resulted in my brain having an information overload. That’s what happens when the subject you’re researching has a career that spans 29 years, covering at least 3 continents, over a dozen countries and 2 to 3 times that in terms of projects that starts out at one million dollars all the way to several hundred million dollars.

In terms of architectural footprint, Carlos Ott has designed luxury hotels and resorts, museums, several International airport terminals, bank headquarters, office buildings and commercial complexes, as well as national theatres all over the world.

At 66 years of age, this Uruguay born and educated architect indeed has a portfolio that would be hard to match. At the very young age, Carlos Ott gave notice of his world-class talents as an architect when he won first place in the design competition for the Opera de la Bastille in Paris, France, which was built in time for the Bi-centennial celebration of the French Revolution.

From there he moved on to design the Broadcast Center Development bldg. in Toronto Canada, The exclusive Punta del Este Shopping Complex in Uruguay which looks just like an international resort, The Union National bank headquarters in Abu Dhabi, the Weimar Vereinte Krankenhaus, a hospital complex in eastern Germany, the Etisalat Headquarters’ New Telecom and Administration building in Abu Dhabi, Aero Puerto Internacional terminal in Punta del Este, Uruguay as well as Malvinas Argentinas airport terminal in a place popularly known as “Tierra Del Fuego : the gate to the end of the world”

Following global trends and development, Carlos Ott has made his presence known in parts of Asia particularly China and Singapore. Carlos Ott designed the Hangzou grand Theatre, the Shanghai Harbour – International Passenger terminal Center, as well as the Hennan Art Center.

As I spent hours downloading and reviewing the works of Carlos Ott, I began to form an idea of what makes him exceptional at his work. Carlos Ott is not just an Architect, he is an Artist in its truest sense. Where Architects designs structures, Carlos Ott creates architectural sculptures that are so inspiring they make you want to own a piece of his work. But don’t take it from me, go check out his website and be inspired.

Some might call them “structural statements”, but as I studied the “evolution” of his style and concepts, I observed how Ott successfully blends unique forms, with high -end functionality and environmental adaptation.

His design or structural “lines” often flows with the terrain or the surrounding landscape. Along the coastline he may use “waves” or sail boat shapes while in areas where there are nearby mountains he has made use of triangles and layers in keeping with jagged peaks or hillsides.

In one of his more recent works, the TATA Consultancy

Services – Siruseri Techno Park located in Chennai, India, Carlos Ott created a multi-layered, environmentally sensitive design that had the ability to lower searing temperatures by at least 10 degrees through the use of canopies, inter-connected ponds, cooling towers that added humidity to the extremely dry air, while maximizing the use of solar power generation systems. Combining this with proper orientation in terms of sun and wind, Carlos Ott achieved a “cool design” both visually and structurally which earned it a “Gold” standard.

His choice of exterior materials and rendering usually reflects the environment where his structural sculpture would be erected. This is perhaps the reason why, even when his designs often always stands out, they are never out of place. For this reason, Carlos Ott is clearly deliberate in his approach. He visits his potential sites a number of times, studies the surrounding environment and builds not only for the present but into the future.

Because of his artistry and global brand, it certainly makes sense why Rockwell Land invited, and partnered with Carlos Ott since the Rockwell Land Corporation has long been known for working with internationally known and respected Architects particularly from the United States in the last 16 years. Coincidence or not many of the modern luxury towers within the Rockwell development project in Makati are named after celebrated artists such as Joya, Manansala, Hidalgo, Rizal, Luna and Edades, which signifies how art and architecture is part and parcel of the Rockwell lifestyle.

After completing all their projects at the original Rockwel power plant site, most people assumed that the corporation would continue on with their projects in the Ortigas Business District particularly the Rockwell Business Center and their fast rising project called The Grove by Rockwell. But unbeknownst to many, Rockwell land had been quietly negotiating to acquire the former Colgate Palmolive property right beside Rockwell Center and literally a stone’s throw away from the historical Pasig River.

Rockwell suddenly had 3.6 Hectares of prime property. The challenge before them was how to come up with an even better concept? If you were already doing great, how do you become “greater”? Rumor has it that, that is the plan: To build a “Greater Rockwell” and in order to achieve that, Carlos Ott is now officially working with Rockwell Land with local consultants on the conceptual plans of the site.

When we finally met up, I was glad to know that Carlos Ott was not a stuck up snob living in the glory of his designs. Instead I met a man who was confidently relaxed with who he was, respectful of people and things around him and especially admiring of Filipinos. At age 66 he was in good health and reminded me of a wiser George Peppard from the A-Team TV series, with his wide grin and silvery white hair. He loves cars and knows their history and even when we talked about architecture, he regularly used cars as a way of explaining classic versus modernist design.

Carlos Ott may love classic things but he is an avowed “Modernist” and his designs will predictably reflect modern amenities and will address such requirements in his design. With this in mind, it may be, that the latest project for Rockwell Land will be the birth of and development of modern day living

by the river just like in London, New York, Shanghai, Paris or Bangkok.

Given the fact that Rockwell Land transformed an abandoned power plant complex into a modern mix-use luxury residential community, I can easily visualize the transformation of life as we know it along the historical Pasig River. Yes it will be the “Greater Rockwell” indeed!

I am certainly grateful that I got to know Carlos Ott, because I came to know a man who made me realize the difference between a dreamer and a visionary. Dreamers are people who can only think and imagine things, but Visionaries are people who are well able to explain, share and convince people to pursue the vision and actually bring them to reality.