Reality on a Plate with Claudiu Ionescu

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.

Claudiu believes architecture begins long before the first line is drawn. It’s about understanding people, creating places that endure, and imagining a future worth building.

Whether he’s designing airports, restoring a classic car, documenting one of the world’s most fascinating cities through his Venice Under Construction project, or spending time with family and friends, he approaches everything with the same belief: meaningful things take time.

tell us about your background — where you grew up, what food looked like in your home, and the memories that shaped who you are today

I grew up in a family of architects & engineers so everything around me had something to do with building stuff, efficiency, budgets, machines, construction sites, and sometimes art.

I was born in Arad, so growing up in a relatively small city helped me to stay calm and have a sense of close community that I cherished a lot. Food was 99% cooked at home, where taste was much more important than looks. I always considered restaurants to be a place where we only go for important celebrations or events.

was there a moment when architecture stopped feeling like an interest and became the only path you could imagine

I think it started with my grandfather. He was an architect, and I spent a lot of time in his studio watching him sketch ideas before drawing the final version of a building. One day I tried doing the same. I made a few childish doodles, and instead of dismissing them, he turned them into the design of an actual house.

To me, that felt like pure magic.

Growing up in Arad also played a huge role. The city is full of beautiful historic architecture that quietly shapes the way you see the world. Later, the building of my high school Moise Nicoară College became the final push that convinced me to leave computer science behind and study architecture instead.

The moment I arrived at university, everything clicked.

It felt as though everyone there was speaking a language I'd been hearing my entire life.

who cooked most in your family 

My mother, without question. She was the chef of the house — both literally and figuratively. She ran the kitchen with incredible precision and somehow managed to make everything happen effortlessly.

My father had his own department: grocery shopping, and every now and then, taking over the grill.

what does your morning routine look like

My ideal morning starts without an alarm just waking up when I've had enough sleep after another late night of work. Then an espresso, preferably with Kenyan or Colombian beans, a really good omelette and breakfast with my family or friends.

Location Porumbacu 216

you’ve worked on many remarkable projects, from Terminal 4 at Iași International Airport

to the Digital Museum in Pecica,

and this year you built the Republic of Moldova’s first-ever official pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale. The project was created by artist Pavel Brăila and curated by Adelina Luft.

so, what’s keeping you busy at the moment

We’re currently working on the Galați–Brăila–Vrancea Airport, a large mixed-use development where the Siret meets the Danube, and a student dorm. We’ve also recently submitted our proposal for the new terminal at Otopeni Airport

Fingers crossed. [Later edit: we won!]

What motivates me isn't simply designing bigger buildings. It's the possibility that good architecture can slowly reshape the background of everyday life.

I think Romania needs new landmarks, not monuments to the past, but places that make people feel optimistic about the future. Places that remind us this is a country worth staying in and worth building.

who are the people you often work with

Architecture is never a solo effort.

Depending on the project, I try to bring together the best people I can find whether that's architects who specialise in aviation, parametric façades or entirely different fields.

But it's not just architects and engineers.

Some of my favourite collaborations have been with artists, philosophers and even poets. They all bring a different way of looking at the world, and that's often where the most interesting ideas begin.

Good architecture is, by nature, interdisciplinary.

what’s something your work has taught you about human nature

Good architecture takes time because it starts with understanding people; the way they live, move, gather, and experience a place. The spaces we inhabit shape our everyday lives far more than we realise. A well-designed space can make life easier, calmer, even happier. A poorly designed one can quietly work against you every single day.

In the end, architecture isn't really about buildings.

It's about people.

what do your days look like these days

Quite full, if I'm honest.

Adulthood is brutal.

I'd love to have more time for the things I genuinely enjoy, but I've learned something about myself over the years: if something isn't at least 51% fun, I simply don't do it.

That's how I try to keep my balance.

what does beauty mean to you as an architect

For me, beauty exists in two very different worlds.

The first is nature. It has a way of calming you because it creates things we'll probably never be able to replicate.

The second is a thoughtfully built environment. Architecture is an expression of culture, so unless a building has a strong idea behind it, it doesn't move me very much.

The ideal is when those two worlds meet: a beautiful building, designed with intention, surrounded by extraordinary nature.

you seem to fit a lot into your days. what helps you stay present

I usually find my way back to the people I love.

Sometimes it's a conversation.

Sometimes it's simply being together without saying much at all. They're the people who keep me grounded, and I'm incredibly grateful for them.

family seems to be at the heart of your life

My family is everything.

My wife, Erika, has been my companion through every ambitious idea, every challenge and every leap of faith.

We've built everything together.

Our children, Hector and Margot, remind me every day what truly matters.

Having my parents still with me is something I never take for granted. They've been a constant source of balance throughout my life, and I hate the fact that they're getting older.

And then there's Pixel — the funniest dog you'll ever meet, convinced that everyone exists to be his best friend. Although, if you ask me, his favourite person has always been my father.

They seem to have their own language.

what's the first meal you can still remember

My grandmother's french fries.

She'd make them at two o'clock in the morning from freshly sliced potatoes, fried in pork lard and finished with coarse salt.

what’s a drink you’ve been enjoying lately

Rum.

Romania doesn't really have a culture around it yet, so most of those evenings happen at home too. If anyone's curious, try A.H. Riise Non Plus Ultra Black Edition.

You can thank me later.

what’s one thing you always have in your kitchen and one tool you couldn’t live without

Something sweet. Always. I can’t live without it — sorry! And my pancake pan.

That’s probably the only kitchen tool I feel truly qualified to talk about. I’ve made the same pancakes hundreds of times, and I can confidently say I’ve perfected them.

Judging by my silhouette... hips don’t lie!

where do you shop for your ingredients and what’s your strategy

I'll happily leave that answer to my better half. I'm definitely not the qualified person to ask.

what's the last book that genuinely surprised you

A book called Strădania a cinci generații: Monografia Familiei Saraga.

It's the story of the Saraga family, who had an extraordinary cultural impact on Romania between the two World Wars. They founded one of the country's first department stores, established a publishing house where writers like Eminescu, Caragiale and Creangă published their work, introduced the first puppet theatre to Romania and later became the founding family behind Țăndărică Theatre and Teatrul Foarte Mic.

what's the last thing you searched for on Google

It was actually brakes bleeding system for Jaguar.

The brakes keep overheating, and after four mechanical engineers all shrugged their shoulders, I decided to start figuring it out myself.

how would you describe your life in one sentence

I'm a free spirit who spends his days trying to balance family, architecture, classic cars, creativity, activism and a lifelong love for Venice—always moving, always building, always hoping to leave something meaningful behind.

You can follow his journey here

Venice Under Construction

all images provided by Claudiu Ionescu

Editor Alinz