Month: June 2024

It’s no exaggeration to say that Renzo Piano is one of the most unanimously respected architects in the world of architecture. With an oeuvre that blends respect for context, lightness and technology to create environmentally conscious and aesthetically pleasing structures, his approach combines advanced materials with traditional techniques. In projects of various scales, the Genoese architect maintains an essential thread: the implementation of passive architectural strategies, highlighting the importance of these methods for sustainability and energy efficiency. This is often made explicit in his sketches, as an initial concern, and clearly comes through in the finished works. Here are some examples of iconic projects developed by his office in recent decades.

Beyond serving as mere backdrops for fashion shows, architecture often influences fashion collections, contributing spatially to their storytelling, offering material inspiration, and showcasing the connection between structure and shape. As both disciplines revolve around form, structure, and the human experience, architecture, and fashion share a strong connection, one often explored by creators in both fields. From meticulous tailoring and structural designs that mimic architectural lines, contours, and volumes, to architecture taking cues from how fashion works with the human shape, this interplay can create multidimensional experiences for the enthusiasts of both high fashion and architecture.

The house has more levels and windows than a typical house in similar circumstances normally would. From an outside perspective, the house is both much bigger and much smaller than what would be expected. The rigid rhythm of small openings meets an ordered interior, where living spaces unfold left and right from the central staircase. Inside, a system of split levels is disguised between the slab thicknesses that disappear between the windows. Within the outer perimeter, none of the walls remain opaque; instead, a sequence of transversal glass brick walls on every level divides the spaces while still allowing a blurry glimpse from one to the next. On the top floor, the main spaces find themselves nestled under a vaulted ceiling—the only exception within the otherwise strict system.

British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE has designed a pavilion as part of Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s (HKW) festival in Berlin. The festival, titled Ballet of the Masses – On Football and Catharsis, initiated an annual pavilion in 2023, and this year’s pavilion dresses intricate questions of coexistence through its materiality and form. Part of the Shaped to the Measure of the People’s Songs architectural series, Yinka Illori’s pavilion crafts a spatial proposition that explores complex themes of racism in sports and personal accountability.

Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb, store, and release heat. Used to moderate building temperatures by reducing fluctuations, the concept is crucial in improving energy efficiency. Materials with relatively high thermal mass, such as stone, concrete, rammed earth, and brick, can absorb significant heat during the day and release it slowly when temperatures drop at night, reducing the need for heating and cooling systems. Properties like heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and density are all considered when assessing the thermal mass property of a material.

The “People Pavilion” begins by approaching the concept of “Livable Scape,” simulating the opportunities by repurposing the Garden space of Bangkok City Hall during non-operational hours. This is achieved by creating a “public” space in the form of a pavilion that serves as a meeting place where people can meet, gather, encounter, have conversations, discuss, and support different activities for people in various roles.