Lyongo Juliana joins the Deyan & Bart Show. Lyongo shares his journey from Curaçao to the Netherlands and America. During this hour-long episode he talks about his philosophy, his experiences in architecture and the impact of culture on his work.

For Deyan and Bart there were a few takeaways: Lyongo Juliana sees architecture as a way to tell stories and to solve social issues within society. His childhood in Curaçao shaped his view on architecture where he learned to navigate different cultures and languages. The decision to become an architect came at age sixteen, after which he studied in the Netherlands and the USA.

Dealing with rejection

One topic they discussed was the making of Kombiná. Lyongo talks about the process of making a documentary, and the power of dreams or goals. “We knew we wanted to make a film, but we needed funding for it. Applying for grants can be daunting, but perseverance always pays off. Even when you face rejection, like we did when we first applied for funding for the film, it’s precisely then that you have to persevere. Our film wasn’t considered to have sufficient relevance to the architectural world and was therefore rejected. And yet you don’t find any films about contemporary Dutch Caribbean architecture… Fortunately, the rejection gave me the ultimate motivation to keep going.”

Now that we’ve heard the reactions, we’re certain it does add something. More than just “something,” if you ask us. It evokes a lot of emotional responses in people, and we’ve heard several times from young designers that it touches and inspires them. But it certainly takes a lot of strength to choose to continue when others tell you you’re not good enough…

Sharing your story

It was one of the reasons for Lyongo to join the show – to share his story with a new generation of designers, urban planners, policy makers and everyone else that’s interested. Young people, in particular, are a great inspiration for Lyongo. At the same time, he hopes to be able to make a difference for them by sharing his story.

“Sharing knowledge is more important than having it. To me happiness doesn’t come from money but from experiences and sharing. Everyone has insecurities, that’s normal. You have to learn to deal with them. Of course, talent and passion are essential for success in your profession. But don’t be afraid to take risks in your career – and to share your story. Honest stories resonate with people and create connection.”