The Philosophy of Architecture as a Way of Life: An Interview with Abam Founder Alexey Bubnov

— Alexey, what do you see as the main goal of contemporary architecture?

Architecture isn’t about walls — it’s about emotion. It’s about how a person feels within a space: how they live, breathe, move. We always start with a lifestyle, not a facade. We’re interested not just in what to build, but why it needs to be that way.

— So architecture is a continuation of the person?

Exactly. I often say a home isn’t an object — it’s a state of being. At Abam, we don’t just create buildings — we design environments where people can unfold. It could be silence, the right kind of light, a window view, the smell of wood. For one person, a home is the ritual of morning coffee; for another, it’s where their children grow up. All of that matters to us in the design process.

— How do you define a “premium” home?

To us, premium isn’t gold or marble. It’s when everything is in its right place. When your home just feels right. When you sense that every detail was made with respect — for the person, for the material, for the setting. Sometimes it’s a single perfectly placed line. Or the fact that it’s quiet inside, even if the city is just outside the window. It’s refined simplicity — not showy, but deeply intentional.

— Today Abam is more than just an architectural studio. It’s an entire ecosystem. What led you to that?

Architecture is always more than just architecture. A truly holistic project needs more than a beautiful facade. We wanted interior, architecture, landscape, product design, and even digital visualization to function as a single organism. That’s why we’ve added departments for interiors, product design, 3D tools, and development. It gives us freedom — and full control over quality at every level.

— What inspires you in your work?

That moment when a sketch starts to take shape. When you see a house becoming someone’s living space. And, of course, the clients. People come to us with all kinds of requests, but behind each one there’s a story, a personality, a dream. Architecture is about listening. If you know how to listen — you know how to design.

— How do you see the future of architecture?

It’s already happening. Architecture is becoming more flexible, quieter, smarter. We’re moving away from spectacle toward meaning. Spaces are getting deeper — not in size, but in how they affect people. And I’m proud that we, as a studio, are part of that shift — creating architecture that’s truly alive.

— You say “we” when talking about your projects. What does the Abam team mean to you?

I don’t believe in the lone architect myth. A project becomes real only when more than one or two people have invested their instincts into it. At Abam, we’ve brought together people who know how to listen, debate, revise, and think as one. These aren’t just specialists — they’re people who breathe architecture.

— From defense facilities to timber villas in the UAE — not the most obvious path. How did that happen?

Honestly? Through inner discomfort. When you’re designing bunkers, at some point you realize you’re capable of more. You don’t want to close people off — you want to open space up to them. I love complex challenges, and building a timber house in the desert is exactly that: part technology, part poetry. It proves that architecture is possible anywhere — it all depends on how you approach it.

— Everyone’s talking about the “new luxury” today. What does it mean to you?

New luxury is silence. It’s the ability to be alone with yourself in a space that doesn’t intrude — it supports you. It’s natural materials, a sense of air and light, and a feeling that everything is exactly where it should be. When you don’t have to prove anything — not to yourself, not to anyone. When a house is just you, as you are.

Architecture doesn’t end when a project is finished. It continues in the lives of the people who inhabit it — in their habits, rituals, and memories. And if the space becomes part of their life, then we’ve done our job right.

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