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Basulto from ArchDaily: Prishtina is similar to Chile, the roads look alike

The CEO of one of the world’s most famous architectural websites, David Basulto from ArchDAily, has spent two days in Prishtina. He has given an interview for Ndërtimi Media during his stay for the Kosovo Architecture Festival.
He talked about his unrepeatable experience in the adventure of launching a website that would become the world’s most famous architectural webstite. Basulto has had a walk in Prishtina, which for him, looks a lot like his country in Latin America.
“I come from Latin America, and for me, more than chaotic, Prishtina seems familiar. I have been walking around and I have seen the same things I see in the streets of my country, messy, but it also has to do with energy. Without it, the city would become boring, so I have seen many similarities with Chile, especially in the way we park”, said Basulto for Ndërtimi.info.
He also talked about Prishtina’s architecture and urbanism, pointing to the importance of different times facing each other within a city.
The full interview by Agnesa Sejdiu
1. What was the main purpose behind ArchDaily when you first started it, has it changed so far?
At the very beginning, it was mostly to have Access to proper architecture knowledge. I was spendin a lot of time in libraries in my city and I would see that all the content would come from certain sources and it was outdated because you would see the date of publishing and it was very old, but it was also very expensive to have access to it so we thought that the internet would overcome that and then over time it started to change because it was not just knowledge, not just to put it on the internet but to have focus and we started to understand the phenomenon of developing countries, on their developing economies, how architecture was raising there and that they needed more knowledge and they needed ArchDaily.
2. What were the first difficulties?
Well the very first difficulties was mostly to have the proper technique and knowledge because I knew how to program I did all the technical part but as ArchDaily grew it would crash. We had to hire a technical team, it was very complex at that time we passed through three teams until we found the right one.
3. How difficult is the integration in the architecture market?
I think that something very interesting that has happened is that it has reduced mini steps something before to learn about what dries important architect you will have to wait till he’ll come to have a lecture to present his work and his ideas but now you can just go and see their Instagram, you will see, what they are thinking, what they are looking at with interest.
4. In your lecture you talked about “start-up-s”. When do you think it’s the best time to begin with a start-up?
Today we live in a world where the most valuable company in the world, from a perspective, is a design company, they design phones, so they are designers. We as architects are trained to think as designers. This skill is not usable just about building buildings, we are able to design from a spoon to cities because we have the capacity to solve the problems. We have used these skills to create ArchDaily. We can see how many architects work in different companies such as Facebook or Apple or other big companies, actually Pinterest was founded by an architect. So our mentality, our way of thinking can be applied in all these areas where we need it.
5. Today you have been able to spend some time in Prishtina, what do you think about architecture and the urban city?
Two important things for me during the walk in Prishtina, first, there are many layers of history that they belong to. From the very different points of view, from the Romans to the Ottomans, and then communism era, but now all these layers, a bit messy, have certain growth but also need to take a certain identity, there is a lot to be done, but it depends on how local architects will take responsibility.
6. Do you find it chaotic?
I come from Latin America, and to me, more than chaotic, Prishtina seems familiar. I have been walking around and I have seen the same things I see in the streets of my country, messy, but it also has to do with energy. Without it, the city would become boring, so I have seen many similarities with Chile, especially in the way we park.
Kosovo Architecture Festival: http://kosovoarchitecture.com/
