Get to know: Pauly De Bartolo
What did you enjoy doing/pass the time with growing up?
Playing soccer mainly. Until I was 15 or so, my entire world evolved around soccer. I began playing for local club Prospect United, which my Grandfather was involved with, played for Marconi Stallians, and from the ages of Under 13, 14 & 15’s for which we were Australian Club Champions for all three years, which lead to my first trip abroad as we travelled throughout Thailand, Italy & England playing some of best teenage clubs in the world. It was during this trip that I was exposed to a variety of exciting cultures & historic architecture, and shortly thereafter this trip that I told my Mum that I would travel the rest of my days.
Any person that influenced you the most?
I’ve had a variety of really important people in my life, both personally and professionally - I simply could not mention each of them, albiet equally important, so here’s just a few. My Grandfather, Donald McTaggart was a huge influence, balancing his cheeky English sense of humor with storytelling & character building - the type you don’t even realize until years later. I had one particular soccer coach, Steve Treloar, who I still call Coach to this day, he lit my fire for the possibilities of travelling as well as leadership. There are far too many professional mentors to mention - from each of the DBRDS partners (I try to learn something from each of them still to this day), to my Sydney collaborator Paolo Salotto who put ‘The Alchemist’ in my hands for the first time, and Mateo - who I moved to the US specifically to work with. The common thread since I met him in 7th Grade is the funniest bugger I’ve ever met - my oldest friend Hermann Keller, who still makes me laugh harder than anyone else. Bobby Bruce Watson & the Commander have been rocks through good & bad times, while it goes without saying that my wife Lisa has been the greatest supporter pushing me to continue on this DBRDS journey even when it’s felt like the odds are against us.
Where did you go to college?
We call it university in Australia, and I went to the Univeristy of New South Wales in Sydney. Spectacular campus full of amazing buildings & characters.
Why architecture?
Honestly, since I was young, if I wasnt playing soccer I was drawing or coloring in. When I began this architecural journey about 30-years ago, old-school ‘drafting’ on giant drawing boards was still an integral part of the profession and after interning is a drafting office at 16, I loved the idea of designing and drawing with a bunch of creative people, so my first official step into the profession was an Associate Diploma in Architectural Drafting so that I felt I wasn’t skipping a step in understanding how to communicate design through drawing. Our profession has evolved a lot during that 30-years, but I still love it, especially the fluid sketching design process. Philosphically, architecture is everything, it’s how we live & connect. It’s our homes, work spaces, third spaces, and so on. I love studying it, experiencing it, interpreting it, and being part of it.
Any hobbies you keep up with today?
The obvious answer is sketching - it’s my go-to regular hobby. I don’t force it, but I stay prepared to sketch anywhere, anytime, by carrying my satchel of ever-changing art supplies. Other than that, I’m a life-long Juventus supporter and find myself obsessing about Juve’s story. It’s absolutely legendary and a constant source of inspiration. Fine Alla Fine, iykyk.
What's your favorite simple pleasure?
Two things:
Absolute quiet. Specifically, being up in the mountains, be it the Blue Mountains in Sydney or the Northern Sierra’s, the moment of quiet, where you just connect with the sounds of nature and nothing more.
Cooking a good meal for the lady, with a glass of Pinot Nior in hand, on a slow weekend afternoon.
A skill you're interested in learning?
Ceramics. Always been interested, but following a recent tour of Heath Ceramics production facility & the personal studio of Clay Studio Director Tung Chiang, I can’t wait to get my hands dirty throwing some clay.
Anything else you would like to share?
This isn’t enough? Crikey…well, how about some questionable photos from throughout the years?
