Meet Gabriel Yuri | Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriel Yuri Bollag and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriel, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve always been attracted to the liminal zones nearer the edges. Its reflected in the way I travel, the way I make human connections and also in my design process. It can be anxiety-inducing, for example, to push a builder to do something they’ve never done before, or use materials in a way that they’re not conventionally intended for, but this is where I find the most success in my work and where the reward is often the greatest.

I spent three years at Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, a multi-disciplinary architecture & design firm best known for their design of the high line in New York City. It was incredible opportunity to work on a broad range of projects, from large building projects to smaller interdisciplinary projects such as the art direction and set design for performance art productions. It had a major impact on the way I design, and certainly the way that I think, but after a certain point the idea of working independently and collaboratively with other young designers began to come into focus. It was not easy to suddenly be left without a steady income and access to the resources and connections from a long established practice, but this risky transformative period was invaluable to the development of my career and establishing myself as a designer and a creative in my own right.

There is discomfort in risk but there is also thrill, and the opportunity for discovering the unexpected, or what previously seemed unimaginable. It is my practice to say yes when something seems big and uncertain, whether it be a voyage to a lesser-discovered part of the world, or a challenging new design project. New Operations Workshop has evolved and grown, but we are still faced with risk constantly, and more often than not, we choose to take the leap.

What should our readers know about your business?

New Operations Workshop is a design agency working across platforms and programs, which I started in 2017. Drawing from experiences in professions of interior design, architecture, graphic design and set design, we intersect and harmonize to broaden the scope and capabilities of the conventional design firm.

We’re extremely excited for our newest project, a minimalist mountain house at 10,600 feet who’s interior will be wrapped top to bottom in wide-plank white oak and its exterior in shou sugi ban. The altitude and extreme remoteness of the project were exhilarating constraints.

While we are most well known for our domestic designs, we have also consulted on the store design of luxury retailers for the past three years and are eager to further our retail practice.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I go back and forth between NYC and LA and I’m always excited when I step off the plane in LAX. I always say that Los Angeles is many cities collapsed upon themselves. You can truly make of it what you want and in this way it becomes a reflection of our desires. It’s a hedonistic place and it’s also warm (in multiple senses of the word) and one of the best examples, I know, of the urban harmonizing with the natural.

One of my favorite things to do is to hike. My place is in Silver Lake so I love to do the loop around the Reservoir, or hike up the trails in Elysium Park for views of downtown. Red Rock Canyon Park Trail in Topanga is another favorite as are the trails in Griffith Park where I treat myself to the lovely Trails cafe afterwards. They have delicious sandwiches and baked goods. Another great post-hike spot is a smoothie from Glowing Juices in Echo Park. They also have a good vegan grocery selection.

For dinner, I love bringing guests to Yamashiro or Kensho. They’re both inside of the Yamashiro Historic District on the top of a hill in Hollywood. It was developed by two jewish brothers at the beginning of the 20th century to house their collection of Japanese art and antiques. The views and gardens are breathtaking and the sushi is top notch. Another dinner favorite for modern “tapas” is Cobras and Matadores on Beverly Blvd.

For an art fix, I like the Arts District galleries. Ghebaly, Vielmetter, and Hauser & Wirth are among my most frequented. Ghebaly shares its space with the LA Dance Project which hosts great performances. For something more establishment I enjoy the Hammer Museum or The Getty.

I also love a beach day. Malibu Lagoon State Beach is one of my favorites and Malibu Farms Pier Cafe at the end of the Pier is lovely. When I have less time I go to Will Rogers in Santa Monica.

My favorite bar is Akbar, a historically queer place, in Silver Lake. On the weekends they open the dance floor and the music, crafted by local DJs, is always eclectically spot-on.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Cristina Diaz-Moreno and Efren Garcia-Grinda were two of my professors at the Architectural Association in London who were absolutely formative to my understanding of design and the impact it can have. They opened my eyes to so many possibilities for what architecture can be but also how to have fun with it in a way that’s often hard for students to understand. They taught me to emphasize the way that people and communities coalesce with their spatial environments, and how architecture develops through its intertwining with human bodies in all of their bizarre forms and manifestations. They also taught me the value of collaboration and the importance of embracing the strange and unusual.

Website: www.newoperationsworkshop.com

Instagram: @not.to.scale.gabriel