John Robertson ‘My family should be more critical’

What got you started?
Lego, Airfix, Meccano, sandcastles and holidays in London.

Who was your most inspiring tutor?
For inspiration, Alberto Morrocco, former head of the School of Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee. During my time there I was inspired by his art; he is famous for his landscapes in Scotland and abroad, still-life, figure painting and interiors. I feel he worked in the Scottish Colourist tradition.

Which architect have you learnt the most from?
No one single architect, I learnt a huge amount during my study visits to the USA as a student, looking at the work of the American post-war generation of architects; Saarinen, Roche and Dinkeloo, Kahn, Eames, Mies, SOM and I M Pei.

Which living architect do you most admire?
Too many to mention, I study and admire the work of many different architects: Richard Meier for precision, Foster for achievement and Zumthor for his crafted concepts.

What “great” architecture leaves you cold?
Herbert Baker’s 1935 addition to Soane’s Bank of England.

What is your best project?
Difficult to say, probably the restoration of the Daily Express building in Fleet Street.

What project do you most regret losing?
Every lost project is a disappointment. We recently came a very close second on the Canada House Chancery project in Trafalgar Square - that was tough!

What part of the design process do you most enjoy?
Sketching ideas and concepts on a roll of yellow tracing paper.

What is your Achilles’ heel?
I try to please too many people.

Which house would you most like to live in?
Any designed by Jarmund Vigsnaes.

What is your favourite city?
I am fascinated by all the cities I visit; New York, Berlin and Beirut; but I could only live in London, Vancouver or Copenhagen.

What building would you most like to see demolished?
The Arcelor Mittal Orbit tower at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

You can work in whichever city you want at any point in history - where and when would you choose?
Renaissance Florence, 1440, working alongside Brunelleschi on the designs for his dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.

What is the most important relationship of your working life?
Working with my team at JRA.

Who is your favourite client?
Alasdair Nicholls of Native Land, he has been a client of our firm for 20 years.

What would be your dream commission?
A high rise project in New York.

What one piece of legislation would you introduce?
I would reintroduce the mandatory fee scale for architects. I think our profession undersells its services and this makes it very difficult for young people entering the profession.

What is your favourite architectural book?
Bannister Fletcher for reference and Kevin Lynch’s The Image of the City - I like his notion of mental maps of a city.

What is your favourite novel?
I rarely read novels but recently I enjoyed The Last Enemy by Richard Hillary and Reinhold Messner’s The Crystal Horizon: Everest - the first solo ascent.

What are you listening to?
Nothing, I enjoy the (rare) sound of silence.

Complete the sentence: At heart I am a frustrated…
Artist and potter.

What have you sacrificed for your career?
Holidays, and occasional peace of mind.

What does your family think of your work?
They have always been very supportive - I think they should perhaps be more critical.

Your child tells you they want to be an architect. What do you tell them?
It’s too late! My son has just completed his year out with Cullinan Studio and as a result is more enthusiastic than ever about becoming an architect - which is great.

Is it getting easier?
No, however I am now able to get it all into perspective.