Post-Spectacular Office is a narrative-driven design office that combines the wide experience from the fields of architecture, exhibition, graphic design, and academia.
The founders Stergios Galikas, Evelina Garantzioti and Elli Christaki and their team design spatial and iconic environments for individuals, brands, exhibitions, trade fairs and museums that have narrative power. Their projects are trans-disciplinary approached with an intellectual and narrative perspective motivated by a strong intention to realizing concepts in the world. Their aim is to design meaningful environments that inspire visitors and immerse them into new experiences.
How and why did you start this design studio?
For our mental health and prosperity. Trained as architects that have always existed as creatives in large or small groups, forming our own type of platform was essential. This started as a wish into each one of us and became a seed when we joined our forces.
What are your personal challenges and inspirations?
Smooth involvement in every day and extraordinary activities. Being part of a community and evolving through deep and thoughtful changes. We find inspiration in all form of arts and applied techniques.
“Architecture, exhibition, graphic design, and academia”. How do you manage to combine all these fields?
All four -and maybe more- come pretty natural as forms of expression. It is the same like shifting between mediums: drawings, photography, design etc., always there to feed you with excitement and crossed knowledge.
How do you lead yourselves from concept to design? Is there a common methodology and philosophy in the way you approach your projects?
Structuring a concept-oriented idea has been a paved way since school. Evolving and bringing up all the small and triggering elements of this procedure is our main cause of existence. It contains all the nutrition of design.
What part of the design process gives you the most satisfaction?
We believe in re-orientating our interest in every part of the process so as to keep it alive. And when you can’t spark that flame alone, there comes the dynamics of the rest of the group.
Living in the era of images, how can visual communication stand out from the crowd?
Be sincere, without big design statements but with persistent gestures.
Are visual artists the new writers? Do you feel that you are kind of “recording” the contemporary world through your works?
Sometimes they can be, but never underestimate the bold ways of expression and recording through the years. The narration has presented many different faces. The image is a powerful one but not a levelling one – we don’t like to think of it that way. And one way or another the contemporary world is recorded through a whole way of living, being engaged has become a necessity.
Your works have many references to Greek culture. What does Greek culture expresses to you?
We believe that speaking a universal design language is connected with the foundations of our office. To deconstruct the distinctive characteristics of our culture and re-approach them is always challenging. The moment that we are fine tuning with these elements is when something is simple and majestic and still made in Greece. Many masters especially in architecture have been coining these approaches for years.
What is the project you are mostly proud of?
The best in-house experiences do end as the greatest projects. The sense of innovation is a catalytic turbine for a studio. We have many of those to remember, but if we had to choose one this would be the start of us with the visual identity and exhibition design for “Diaspora” project which brings together all of our specialties: branding, set design, curation.
Give us the top 3 tips for inspiring young designers.
-There is always a way of doing what you have in mind, don’t only flip through the ways that have been tested by others.
-Communicating your ideas (with makers, fellow designers, clients etc.) is key.
-Give yourself time to stay completely out of focus, disoriented and designless. You always come back somewhat different in a good way.
What are you excited to have coming up in the future?
Large scale projects to fill our lungs and smaller ones to feed our core. Let the games begin!
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Never seat with one leg up on your chair and do not sit slumped to one side.
Why Thessaloniki?
It’s a stable base from which we can channel to other places. As a small place it can also give you a lot of disappointments. Now we are going through a downward curve of excitement, but when we will climb again higher it would be definitely because of a solid creative community and free spirits climbing the city walls.
