Interview: Anaktae

Central Image: Anaktae Interiors, London | Photo: Rooz Ahmadian

The Anaktae design studio was founded in 2009, in Athens, by industrial designer Dianna Karvounis and architect Vivian Philippa. The studio’s main inspiration is greek antiquity, that is, a linear and doric approach and the elegant and sharp lines of the frontal aspect of geometric shapes combined with the intense materials of the archaic and classic eras. These elements become tools in the hands of the designers, who, on one hand, pay tribute to the timelessness of ancient art, and on the other, they “reconstruct” it into something contemporary and functional. Their work is included in private collections, galleries, museums and in various cultural foundations and art spaces in Greece and abroad. The name Anaktae (from Greek “anaktor” and the “ae” female first person plural suffix) symbolises the collaboration between two female creators and their logo the indefatigable artistic creation.

Credenza "Narcisse" from the Enoptron collection | Photo: Yorgos Mesaritakis

Apart from your aesthetics, clearly referencing antiquity, what is your relationship to the materials that you choose and how do they relate to their historical use?

Our references are based on archetypical symbols that pertain to the “antiquity” of many cultures; we believe that there lies primordial, elementary raw material and a primitive creative spark that we can distinguish in our research and are inspired by it.

The materials we use are, mainly, marble and brass. Those are our favourites and we approach them spontaneously because of their connection to our Greek origins and our aesthetic proximity to them.

Dianna Karvounis and Vivian Philippa | Photo: Vangelis Kyris

Beyond collaboration between women, does the choice of the “ae” suffix also express an intent to assert female presence in the world of design? How much does this concern you and to what degree is it expressed through your work?

Anaktae is a word, we’d say it is more of a construct, a conceptual space we built for our collaboration, for us to live and create within it. It describes the collaboration of two women, without fixating on the two genders - which are not only two-, and implies a catch-all creative space. 

Anaktae comes from the ancient greek word “anaktor”, meaning palace. In Minoan and Mycenaean Greece, the anaktor was much more than a royal residence: it was the heart of civic and cultural life, a self-contained universe encompassing devoted artisans and literates. Distinctive and unique, ANAKTAE has an intangible mystery that transcends expectations and categorizations.

Anaktae Interiors, Ekali | Photo: Yorgos Kordakis

Which different teams collaborate on your projects? Do you think an interartistic approach is a basic element for creative exchanges and collaborations?

Mainly the two of us design, Dianna and Vivian, and we also collaborate with our craftsmen, a large group with which we implement our projects. All our production takes place in Greece, we work with people who are passionate about craftwork and we often discover young people who take our strict demands a step further. 

The construction of any project is a collective work with hierarchies and division of labour. With our partners and manufacturers there is mutual appreciation and accord, which coexist with respect for the boundaries between our obligations and our personalities.

Fireplace frame "Appolo" | Photo: Yorgos Kaplanidis

Where do you think lies the timelessness of the classical element?

We’d say that truth and beauty are timeless. What comes at the right time (the Greek word for “beautiful” is linked etymologicaly with the word “time”) and is honest “burns”, it is judged by the sun of truth.

Restoration of a traditional residency in Aigina | Photo: Lefteris Siarapis

How do you choose the painting that will "dress" the walls of your projects? Which artists do you work with?

When we start a project, we envision from the beginning the works that we wish to integrate to our overall proposal. Paintings, sculptures and objects we already adore or discover on the way. Coexisting with other artists and creators is an ideal course, evolutionary and priceless.

Anaktae Interiors, Κefalari | Photo: Ioanna Roufopoulou

To what degree does the location of your assumed project, like the design of a building or interior, influence the design, your references and the final result?

The word and concept of “locality” charms and moves us. Our land, for example, is the ground and field on which we create, we can go with it or distance ourselves from it. We always begin by collecting elements from each “land”, like the archaeologists who dig up artefacts and fragments. By “collecting” we mean thoughts and actions, always in re-search.

anaktae.com