Between Curves and Decisions: A Conversation with Francesca Singer from SANAA

Between Curves and Decisions: A Conversation with Francesca Singer from SANAA by Martina Freytes 

During her visit to Yacademy, I had the chance to interview Francesca Singer, partner at Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA, for a generous and open conversation. We spoke not only about architecture, but also about her experience balancing motherhood, the studio’s internal dynamics, and the intense process behind the design decisions. 

One of the aspects I find most compelling about SANAA’s work is how their buildings propose paths that feel free, open, even intuitive — when in fact they are deeply studied and carefully constructed. These liminal spaces — public and private, closed and open — are a constant in their architecture, and for me, a continuous source of inspiration. 

Singer shared an example from the Bocconi campus in Milan, where SANAA fought hard to preserve openness and public flow through the building. “There’s a public park on one side — we really wanted people to be able to pass through the building, even though the client preferred a single entrance,” she said. The final outcome feels natural and fluid, but as she pointed out, “it’s not just intuition — it’s a negotiation.” 

This kind of negotiation — between the initial design idea and the client’s requirements — is something they deal with in every project. 

When asked how SANAA begins shaping a project, Singer said the process usually starts with analyzing both the program and the site. Roads, trees, and the way people arrive are all part of the equation. “That already helps you gauge the thickness and location of things,” she said. But thinking isn’t enough — making, failing, and starting over is essential.

“You can’t just think. You have to try, make mistakes, and understand why something doesn’t work. Then, when you redo it, you know what was wrong. That’s how you get the good one.”

This iterative process is central not only to her own work but also to how she teaches: “I always tell students — don’t get too attached.” 

Behind SANAA’s calm curves and light-filled spaces is a method that demands clarity, repetition, and endurance. “When I first arrived at SANAA, everything seemed so dreamy and alive,” she said. “But after three months in the office, you realize the level of sacrifice and effort it takes. You don’t make something that simple unless it was really complicated at the beginning.” 

Her words reflect a deeper architectural lesson: true simplicity is earned. And the more seamless a space feels, the more it likely cost — in time, in negotiation, and in the persistence to get every detail right.