1. ArchDaily
  2. Articles

Articles

Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi

Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - Featured Image
Residential buildings in the ex Mercato Navile area, Bologna, Italy, 2014. Image Courtesy of Courtesy of Cino Zucchi Architetti

Architect Cino Zucchi (b. 1955) grew up and practices in Milan, Italy. He was trained at MIT in Cambridge and the Politecnico di Milano, but claims to be largely self-taught, although influenced by such of his countrymen as Aldo Rossi and Manfredo Tafuri. He is internationally known for diverse projects across Europe. Many are both abstracted and contextual residential complexes in Italy, particularly in Milan, Bologna, Parma, Ravenna, and, most notably, in Venice. Zucchi’s D residential building in Giudecca, attracted international attention and praise when it was completed in 2003. I met Cino Zucchi last year during the Venice Architecture Biennale; that meeting led to an extensive interview that we recently engaged in over Zoom between New York and the architect’s sunlight and books-filled Milan studio.

Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - Image 1 of 4Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - Image 2 of 4Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - Image 3 of 4Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - Image 4 of 4Architects Can Act More Like DJs: In conversation with Cino Zucchi - More Images+ 8

What Is the Fibonacci Sequence and How Does It Relate to Architecture?

One of the most famous series of numbers in history, the Fibonacci sequence was published by Leonardo of Pisa in 1202 in the "Liber Abaci", the "Book of Calculus". The famous sequence of numbers became known as the "secret code of nature" and can be seen in the natural world in several cases. But, after all, how does this sequence relate to architecture?

Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario

Cities are growing, and they are growing upwards. This is far from just being a contemporary phenomenon of course – for more than a century, high-rises have been an integral part of urban settlements worldwide. This growing of cities encompasses a complex web of processes – advancements in transport links, urbanisation, and migration to mention a few. This growth of cities, however, is all too often linked with governmental failure to adequately support all facets of the urban population. Informal settlements are then born – people carving out spaces for themselves to live amidst a lack of state support.

Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario  - Image 1 of 4Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario  - Image 2 of 4Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario  - Image 3 of 4Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario  - Image 4 of 4Improvisational Architectures: The High-Rise Scenario  - More Images+ 10

How Architecture and Fashion Inspire Each Other

Architecture and fashion seem like unlikely bedfellows. However, in more ways than one, they are cut from the same cloth. Ancient nomadic tribes lived in shelters made of cloth and animal furs, the very same materials used for clothes. So, clothes and buildings were made from the same craftspeople. Over time, as our constructions filled the basic needs for protecting the human body, these pursuits were elevated into distinct artforms. Today, designers like Virgil Abloh, formally trained as an architect, stitch the two pursuits back together with shows that reference designs by Mies van der Rohe, or jackets filled with puffy 3D buildings. Fashion retail environments also bring space and clothes together, often in thoughtful and interesting ways. This video looks at the history of architecture and fashion and visits a fashion retail store in Chicago called Notre, designed by Norman Kelley.

Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work

Founded by the architect and professor Angelo Bucci, spbr arquitetos works in different scales of construction of buildings with a distinct and particular language in its works. Its projects are the result of an intense exercise in architectural thinking, combined with the use of drawing as a tool for dialogue between architects and clients.

Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work - Image 1 of 4Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work - Image 2 of 4Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work - Image 3 of 4Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work - Image 4 of 4Between Drawing and Word: Getting to Know spbr arquitetos’ Work - More Images+ 6

A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy

A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy - Image 1 of 4A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy - Image 2 of 4A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy - Image 3 of 4A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy - Image 4 of 4A Photographic Tour of the “Casa de los Milagros” By Mexican Architect Danilo Veras Godoy - More Images+ 19

The "Casa de los Milagros" (House of Miracles), located in the cloudy forest on the outskirts of Xalapa, Veracruz and designed by Mexican architect Danilo Veras Godoy, is a space conceived with organic forms, earth, unexpectedly shaped openings and mosaic glass in different shades. It was designed to meet the needs of Rosalinda Ulloa, a single mother who would live there with her two young children. It was built in stages, starting in 1995, and was completed in 2002, with some changes being made between then and 2006.

Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin

Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - Featured Image
© Marc Goodwin

There is so much more to know about architects and their projects when you begin to learn the stories behind their work. When you know where and how they draw their inspiration from and how an idea becomes a reality that you can touch, feel and experience, you get a better idea of why the project ended up the way it did.

Together with photographer Marc Goodwin, as part of his project Atlas of Architectural Atmospheres this time in the city of Berlin, we had the opportunity to meet with German architect Christoph Hesse, of Christoph Hesse Architects, based in Korbach and Berlin, and we spoke about all these things that make up his idea of architecture and his work. Meeting a creator on their own workspace is also an added value; we went through different projects while looking at the physical models and the narrative of his work became a beautiful story about a place, a countryside town in Germany, its people, and their lives, and a sustainable future in nature.

Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - Image 1 of 4Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - Image 2 of 4Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - Image 3 of 4Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - Image 4 of 4Studio Visit: A Conversation with Christoph Hesse Architects in Their Workspace in Berlin - More Images+ 13

New Construction Is Not Always the Answer

New Construction Is Not Always the Answer - Featured Image
via the Greater Syracuse Land Bank

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

California, as with most American states, has a housing crisis. Unlike the rest of the country, it is actually working to ameliorate the situation, with private and public initiatives that critics can’t help but label inadequate. The Bay Area made accessory dwelling units legal by changing zoning laws, but that has hardly made a dent. Some cities are now pushing for additional upzoning to give developers more room to bring new buildings to market at lower rents. There are all sorts of studies, university sponsored or underwritten by the industry, that recommend more-or-less radical fixes for a seemingly unfixable problem. Environmentalists are naturally cast as villains because they don’t condone greenfield developments. And Californians are tough on their elected officials, as the current governor learned last year. 

Redefining Public Bathrooms Through Equipment: 6 Inspiring Examples

Cool lights, wall-to-wall tiles and trivial fixtures. Little by little, public bathrooms have changed this aesthetic and opted for more careful designs. Gone are the days when designs were focused only on functionality, accessibility and ease of maintenance and cleaning. Along with these essential qualities, a good bathroom project can also bring tranquility and show values that the space or the company wants to convey to its users. whether through finishes, lightning, or less material factors such as inclusivity, making users feel good is ultimately the goal of all environments, including bathrooms.

Before and After: How Decorative Surface Finishes can Transform a Project

 | Sponsored Content

The outer layer of surfaces and buildings is the interface with the world and communicates much of its appearance, characteristics, and conditions. There are times that, whether due to budget constraints, difficulties, or lack of time, we need to look for quick and easy-to-install solutions. 3M™ DI-NOC™ Architectural Finishes are adhesive decorative films that offer a sustainable, cost-efficient option for refurbishing surfaces, providing less landfill waste, minimal downtime, noise, and dust for use on casework, doors, columns and internals walls. There is also a version for exterior solutions, the 3M™ DI-NOC™ Architectural Finishes Exterior EX Series product line. The finishes can be applied directly over existing façade material, providing high design along with other features. Below we will explore two examples that will highlight the possibilities with 3M surface finishes.

Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina

Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina - Image 1 of 4Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina - Image 2 of 4Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina - Image 3 of 4Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina - Image 4 of 4Pointing Out A Presence in the Landscape: A Commemorative Milestone Between Chile and Argentina - More Images+ 14

A project for the Commemorative Landmark Pehuenche Commission carried out by the recently graduated Chilean architect Antonia Ossa, is part of the series of small-scale interventions built in the Andean sector of the Maule Region, Chile, as part of the certification process of the School of Architecture of the University of Talca.

Several Spaces in One: The Possibilities of Reconfigurable Layouts

Although artificial intelligence is showing the potential to carry out successive iterations with good results, designing the layout of spaces takes up large portions of a designer's time. The organization of elements present within a space determines the flow of movement, the points of view and will largely dictate how it will be used. But the idea of stifling the use of the environment may not work for all cases. Due to space restrictions or supplementary uses that a room can have, some architects have developed dynamic layouts that have more than one possible use. Whether through dividing elements or special modules, these projects allow the space to change radically through movement.

How to Create Beautiful Interiors with V-Ray 5 for SketchUp

 | Sponsored Content

With V-Ray 5 for SketchUp, Update 2, Chaos has introduced intelligent new tools that make it easy for architects and arch-viz artists to create incredible renders. You can make use of the free models and materials provided in Chaos Cosmos, customize surfaces with V-Ray Decal, and tune your render with LightMix and post-processing.

In this tutorial, V-Ray Product Specialist Ricardo Ortiz uses an interior scene to demonstrate how these powerful new additions can accelerate your creative processes and add extra details for exceptional photorealism.

The Building That Moved: How Did They Move an 11,000-Ton Telephone Exchange Without Suspending Its Operations?

In November 1930, in Indiana, United States, one of the great feats of modern engineering was executed: a team of architects and engineers moved an 11,000-ton (22-million pound) telephone exchange without ever suspending its operations either basic supplies for the 600 employees who worked inside.

The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture

'Innovation' and 'design thinking' could possibly be two of the most extensively-used phrases both online and offline during the past decade. To respond to the global need of "changing the status quo", established companies, start-ups, and even universities have used this framework to generate novel ways of solving problems and create new products, taking into account their desirability, feasibility, and viability. And with that, a new archetype was conceived: the design thinker, someone who has the creative toolkit to generate something disruptive. So what is the meaning behind design thinking and what is its relationship with architecture?

The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture  - Image 1 of 4The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture  - Image 2 of 4The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture  - Image 3 of 4The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture  - Image 4 of 4The Rise of the Design Thinking Movement and its Relation to Architecture  - More Images+ 1

Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere

Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - Featured Image
"Image of El Molo Hut. Turkana, Kenya via Shutterstock

If Nature had been comfortable, mankind would never have invented architecture. - Oscar Wilde

Architecture is human. Despite their exquisite beauty,  burrows, hives, nests and anthills are creations of instinct.  Design by humans considers options, means and methods of creation, solving problems of desire, beyond functional accommodations.

Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - Image 1 of 4Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - Image 2 of 4Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - Image 3 of 4Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - Image 4 of 4Architecture is Human: But Beauty is Found Everywhere - More Images+ 1

How Can Architects Better Manage Their Emails?

 | Sponsored Content

How many times have you heard the old claim that “Email is dead”? Surely, more than once. To the surprise of many, and despite the rise of new messaging tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams during the pandemic, Email remains by far the most widely used communication tool in many businesses. Every day, more than 300 billion emails are sent and received globally, and employees spend an average of 5 hours checking their online correspondence. This trend is only expected to rise in the upcoming years, especially within project and client-based industries – like architecture, engineering and construction – that heavily rely on this means of communication.

However, its consolidated use doesn’t always equal efficiency, particularly in companies that don’t set up the necessary internal processes to file emails in a central space. With the silent threat of poor mail management, many architecture firms and other businesses must face unnecessary risks, time and productivity costs, and increased stress among workers.

Fabrics in Interiors: Creative Possibilities as Architectural Elements

Textile forms of habitation are far from new; in fact, humans have been using fabric to create shelter for thousands of years, becoming an archetypal form of building. Today, contemporary architecture has rediscovered the principle of the tent and taken its development further, implementing new technologies to generate more advanced and durable fabrics which allow larger areas to be spanned. Becoming a highly specialized sector within the construction industry, multiple textile forms have become common in a wide range of architectural applications – not just for temporary structures, but also for permanent buildings. Apart from their use in facades, these can be utilized in interiors to create highly functional spaces with unique sensory experiences.

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.