Cinquemila chilometri al secondo by Manuele Fior

We mix our Italian and French up for the first ten minutes before deciding to speak in Italian.

A huge window looks out onto the station, and next to it a big work table is spilling over with colour, watercolours and pencils, as well as the books, posters and illustrations around it, and post-its with scribbles on it over the walls. He throw the door open to his apartment, which is full of warm light and dotted with red curtains. Manuele guides us along the Maison’s gardens, a labyrinth of green which culminates in a side entrance. ‘Bonsoir,’ we hear, and it is ‘bonsoir’ that ’s French graphic designer and I respond to Manuele Fior, in customary French ‘good evening’ fashion. From afar, a man is breaking into a run to come and open the grill for us. Soon enough I am standing before the gates of a huge building, which is lying dormant next to the famous station which drives people out towards the east of the country, as its name suggests.

The maison de l’architecture ('house of architecture') is at gare de l’est, only ten minutes walk from HQ. It’s 7pm and raining this evening in Paris. We find him at the Maison de l’Architecture in the French capital, surrounded by books, cups of tea, paper and pencils The Italian comic book artist is based in Paris, where he is getting ready for the release of his fifth and latest graphic novel, 'The Interview'.

Cinquemila chilometri al secondo by Manuele Fior