Ismael Merida Gomez was born in Fuengirola and lives and works in Marbella as an architect and interior designer. His work includes also the redecoration of Olivia Valere and many other interesting projects. i-Marbella sat down with the talented man and found out more about him and his job.

1. How did you become an architect?

Actually I never planned it and I had no idea what I'm going to be when I'm older. I liked being Architect because it's flexible, never monotone: somedays artist, anotherones technic… you never get bored; i promise you 

2. Where were you educated?

I was educated in Sevilla, where I studied architecture. I did complementary studies in Rome.

I also studied interior design and now I'm working with the ecological architecture. I try to practise it also as much as I can, for example, studying the ventilation with the design, the water lakes to refresh the house… saving energy and money making a more intelligent house.

3. Where do you get inspiration and ideas?

I get a lot of inspiration by travelling around the world, but sometimes I get good ideas from simple things around us. For example the other day, waiting for an appointment I saw this interesting cup-like ashtray reflected on a glass table: that was and idea for a Jacuzzi flying over the pools, that was fantastic !!. So you never know where inspiration comes from; i just feel as keeping my mind open.

Most of things around us are susceptible of having new meanings: the important is the soul.

One day at one building´s visit, where the pillars were very crooked, before demolishing, I thought why not using them to make a inclined glass-façade? And the result was an amazing new perspective.

If we look for the sideways, instead of the obvious; that is the way.

Olivia Valere

4. What is your passion?

TO LIVE. Enjoy it with the good and the bad. Waking up and thinking, what's going to surprise me today ?

5. How did you discover Feng Shui?

For me feng shui is very important in interior design. I realised it, when I travelled to Thailand. I found out that all this time past working and looking only for an impressive, for a show architecture was a great mistake; it was about how the armony was in some houses and not in others; and the result was easy: the happiness!

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive chi. So I began to travel to the orient more often and then began to adap everytime more architectural elements from there. 

I look for the fusion at my architecture: between the new and the old. I like to keep it modern, but use the intellectual points they invented long time ago. For example the patios with water and fountains is the arabic inheritance. 

6.What has been your biggest project?

I would say it was the master plan in Dominican Republic, which was basically a project where I had to design a residential a rea: villas, hotel, golf course… 

There I could work with the Water: main actor in my works: so many characters: calm, relax, sound, mirror, movement riding you to the place..

7. What are you working on at the moment?

Lot of people buy Spanish villas and real estate with a good price and then start renovating them. Right now I am renovating a farmhouse(cortijo), which I'm trying to do in the Mediterranean style: pure white fusioned with Thai touches, in a base of Spanish more traditional architecture is a refreshing salad.

I'm also working on a beach club in Benalmadena, which will be in Bali style. In addition to that I'm also renovating a very very popular place in Marbella and I can't say the name, but I hope it will be finished soon. 

8. Who are your main clients?

Before there were English, German, Scandinavian.. but right now I would say Russians the most. 

9. What do you like about Marbella as a city?

I love the fact that the beach is connected to the city and the city is also connected to the mountain. Marbella has the perfect situation according to Feng Shui! Also I like the international factor in Marbella, everybody who comes here can feel at home, because there are so many nationalities living here. In Marbella, you can have coffee with the world.

10. What are your favourite places in the world?

Uff…I love Manhattan and especially I like the Art Deco skyscraper in New York City called Chrysler building! At the night time is a Silver icon!  I have to say i love islands: great times at Mikonos, Koh Tao at Thailand..

11. How do you spend your free time?

Love travelling, day and night of course; like sailing for example! I'm going to Sardinia next month to take some time off.  

12. Do you have a favourite building/house in Marbella area?

I always fancy driving along the Golden mile. It s a refreshing perspective: green, nice buildings, history of Marbella…. Stopping at Marbella club for a coffee; enjoying its elegance…