Reality on a Plate with Anda

WITGW Staff
May 1
4 min read

reality on a plate is a new publishing feature series that, in response to member requests, allows individuals to dive deeper into the experiences of others before attending our events, fostering a sense of familiarity and connection.

where are you right now

I’m always on the go, juggling a bit of everything. Half in a team meeting, half mentally packing for Venice. Just wrapped up two editorial sessions, sketched out a design direction for a new project, and even booked dinner reservations — which, as far as I’m concerned, is basically full-on vacation planning.

can you describe your lock screen

A white Caniche with colorful bows pinned above her ears, running through the hills somewhere in Croatia — a photo taken by my dear friend Andrei Serban. She's also my spirit animal. Interpret that however you like.

what’s your morning routine like

I wake up at 7 a.m., entirely against my will. Two coffees, a fistful of vitamins, some emotional triage, a few emails — then I’m out the door by 8:30, ready to be charming and effective in public.

how long do you typically spend on your phone in a day

Sometimes six hours, which sounds unhinged — until you remember it doubles as my office when I’m in meetings or on site. The real question is: how long does my phone spend on me?

how did you become an architect

There was never a Plan B. It’s the only thing I ever wanted to do, and it’s still the thing that brings me the deepest kind of joy.

tell us a little bit about your background

about AÉ02

what are some of your latest projects

who are the people you often work with

AÉ02 was founded by Elena Viziteu and myself — what began as a collaboration evolved into a studio built on shared obsessions: space, light, and materiality. Our work sits somewhere between architecture and editorial inquiry. We’re especially drawn to exhibition design and curatorial dialogue, which naturally led us to projects like Art Safari, Romanian Design Week, RAD Art Fair, and more. Likewise, our most recent projects — the Ami Amalia Flagship Store and Millo6 restaurant in Bucharest — feel quintessential to our design core. We tend to gravitate toward people who care about the why as much as the how: thoughtful clients, good friends, and an orbit of collaborators across architecture, art, fashion, and publishing. And, of course, Elena — my partner in both crime and concept.

do you listen to anything while you cook — like music or a podcast

Always music. I’m deep into ambient and experimental stuff — Jan Schulte’s Tropical Drums of Deutschland is a current favorite. It’s like jungle percussion meets a sound bath. I save podcasts for other moments; cooking is its own kind of meditation.

what’s your food shopping strategy? how often do you go, and where? do you make a shopping list? what ingredients do you always have on hand

I live near Cismigiu, so Mega Image Cobalcescu is my version of a pantry. For a reality check and good produce, I hit Obor Market on weekends. I mostly eat out, so I shop only when I plan to cook for Radu or friends — never just for myself. My signature dish? Kimchi udon. Undisputed.

do you have any table-setting tips

Stainless steel queen meets stainless steel table and cutlery. You can imagine the vibe.

how do you like to present food to guests

I’ve entered my hostess era — dinners are my favorite way to unwind with friends. One dish per person, no fuss.

bar ton isn’t just a place — it feels like a statement. tell us the story behind it. how did the concept come to life, and what kind of experience were you hoping to create for people the moment they walk through the door

We spent months shaping the mood before touching the layout. Bar Ton is, in a way, Radu’s alter ego — a space built around his love for music, which he's been sharing for over two decades (always out of joy, never for a living). The result is a cozy, high-fidelity playground. It quietly activated a whole community of brilliant people who now orbit the space. That’s the real win.

what’s a design detail — big or small — that you’re currently obsessed with

Shadow gaps: that tiny negative space that makes everything feel more intentional, more surgical. It’s the architectural equivalent of a well-placed pause in a sentence.

do you have a creative ritual, or something that helps you get into the flow

Mood boards, music, and mild chaos. I need a little mess before I can find the thread.

what’s something you’ve changed your mind about recently

That everything has to be perfect before it goes out into the world. Done, honest, and evolving is sometimes better than obsessively polished.

is there a place (a city, building, or room) that’s had a lasting impact on how you think about space

Casa Malaparte — isolated in the nature of Capri. It’s poetic brutality, pure geometry set against absurd nature. That tension is everything.

Completed in 1941 by Curzio Malaparte, an Italian who developed his skills in several areas of knowledge, but who was not trained architect. Throughout his life, Malaparte referred to Casa Malaparte as casa come me (in translation, "house like me").