Boutique Design - July/August 2016 - 72

A concept-to-opening day skill set gives Paul Basile
the tools to break new ground in hospitality design.
inTeRVieW BY cHRiSTina gReen

contractor, so we can literally handle a project from conception to completion.
My team fast-tracks the design/cost phase by producing an itemized
cost estimate for the project early on with the use of a 3D model. We also
engineer the ideas while we are awaiting permits, giving us time to develop
all the way to the end of the project. Our fabrication and design teams share
the same space, so we work together to be as efficient as possible. By eliminating the traditional design-bid-build process, we are able to get our
clients a more accurate budget at the beginning of the project.

Being a jack of many trades can make you a master of projects. At least

YOU'RE A FOURTH GENERATION BUILDER. HOW DOES THAT IMPACT

Paul Basile thinks so. Often referred to as the "brick and mortar guru" of San
Diego, his fascination with design began at age 10 with the help of a
neighbor, a forward-thinking architect experimenting with solar panels.
The native of Detroit launched his career with a line of handcrafted furniture in the early 1990s. But it wasn't long before he opened his first venture: a
design collective where he and other artisans could showcase and sell their
work. More requests for one-off projects poured in, each larger in scale than
the last, so Basile expanded his focus to include the design and fabrication
of architectural details and building renovations as a general contractor. He
launched his eponymous Southern California studio in 1994 and evolved it
into a full-service design, build and fabrication firm in 2008.

YOUR DESIGN PROCESS?

WHAT SETS BASILE STUDIO APART FROM THE TRADITIONAL DESIGN
FIRM MODEL?

We removed ourselves from the model and started over. Instead, we developed a new method that streamlines the process by integrating all elements
of building into a studio where the design team oversees the fabrication. We
became a fully turn-key studio when we added the ability to serve as the general
72

boutiquedesign.com jULy + AUgUsT 2016

You never wonder if it can be built, you always know the answer is yes. But
it's also frustrating because it always puts you in the driver's seat. Growing
up around construction gives you the inherent understanding of how things
are put together, so when I look at something I see through it to the bones.
Since you know or can figure out how something is built, no matter what you
suggest, you're going to have to explain it to someone or it won't be done the
way you intended-hence the need for a fabrication studio at arm's reach.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THE TAILORED APPROACH THAT BECAME YOUR
HALLMARK EARLY ON WHEN CREATING PROJECTS ON A LARGER SCALE?

This is the most difficult part to scale. You don't want your creativity to
get watered down, so you have to make sure that you don't get tired or
burned-out. Always being ready for a challenge is about creating good
habits and taking the time to evaluate each part of a project as its own
entity. My team painstakingly explores every option until there is one idea
that meets our criteria and mission. We also try to take as many risks as
possible. Without risk we won't step out of our comfort zones as designers.

COUR TE S Y OF BA SILE S TU DIO

PAUL THE BUILDER

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - July/August 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - July/August 2016