"Build from a strong foundation" - Tuomas Silvennionen, Pesark Architects

Filmed by Bespoke Careers at MIPIM 2017 in Cannes, Tuomas Silvennionen from Pesark Architects talks to us about the office culture at Pesark, what they look for in applications, questions you should ask at interview and advice for those starting their careers in architecture.

What is the best thing about working at Pesark Architects?

We are working with quite difficult, interesting and demanding projects and everyone who is working in the office feels like the tasks are very challenging. We are not just working on apartments and offices like some other practices, but we are working with terminal buildings and demanding renovations, very diverse projects.

How would you describe your office culture?

We are quite an old company (we were established in 1968) but at the same time we are a young company because lots of people who are working with us are young, coming from 15 different nationalities.

What are you looking for in an application?

Digital is fine. And one piece of advice is that it has to be easy to open, it has to be easy to go through, and somehow it has to have something that is really interesting.

What questions should you ask in an interview?

I think in an interview you can ask whatever you like. But somehow the best interviews are when you can talk normally. 

What advice would you give to someone starting out in architecture?

My advice is very simple – that you have to work hard. You can’t accept that something amazing comes very easily. You have to be able to do many kinds of things, even if they might be a bit boring, but that’s the only way you can really establish your career so you have a good foundation to do more demanding things.