Some time ago, a friend of mine mentioned an article in the New York Times Sunday Magazine on the work of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978). Her suggestion came at an auspicious moment as I was completing a second blog on the Venetian architect. Reading the article, the first paragraphs filled me with fond memories of visiting the featured apartment (Venice, 1962-63) that Scarpa had designed for his attorney Luigi Scatturin.
Category Archives: Architecture
Vittorio Gasteiz: a lesson in stairs (Francisco Mangado)
Vittorio Gasteiz: a lesson in stairs (Francisco Mangano). If you have ever wandered off the beaten path in a small French village or an Asian megalopolis, then you have likely stumbled on a tucked away medieval church, a picturesque and vibrant neighborhood market at night, a small literary café, a quaint winding cobbled street, or perhaps buildings that stand out by their unique presence. The moment is rewarding and often lends a sense of privilege to be the “only” person who knows of this newly found secret place.
Peter Zumthor, the lemniscate, Part 2
Peter Zumthor, the lemniscate, Part 2. While one finds many free-standing architectural masterpieces that utilize a single geometrical shape, few buildings have had an impact on me more than Peter Zumthor’s (1943-) Caplutta Sogn Benedetg near Sumvtig, Switzerland (1985-1988). The chapel, its siting and usage of materials, and the all-encompassing interior space are pure poetry.
Continue reading Peter Zumthor, the lemniscate, Part 2Peter Zumthor, the chapel at Sumvtig, Part 1
Peter Zumthor, the chapel at Sumvtig, Part 1. Whether you are a student or an architect, you will remember visiting a famous architectural work for the first time. Confronting one’s ‘academic’ knowledge with an in-situ (often through sketching) experience often results in moments of epiphany followed by long lasting memories. Architecture has a tremendous physical power in orchestrating the five senses, eliciting different emotions, and often leaving us speechless in front of the grandeur of a masterpiece.
Continue reading Peter Zumthor, the chapel at Sumvtig, Part 1Herzog et de Meuron Tavole House
Herzog et de Meuron Tavole House. Within the plethora of contemporary domestic houses, I continually return to study the Tavole House (Stone House) designed by Swiss architects and 2001 Pritzker Prize Laureates Jacques Herzog (1950-) and Pierre de Meuron (1950-)—the first Pritzker Prize given simultaneously to two architects.
Continue reading Herzog et de Meuron Tavole HouseCarlo Scarpa Gavina Showroom, Part 1
Carlo Scarpa Gavina Showroom, Part 1. Recently a former student and I discussed progress on the design of his infill project. He presented a compelling argument as to how his proposal emanated from an urban concept, and how he wanted to create—at the pedestrian level—a public and hybrid gallery space to accommodate various functions such as car shows, science fairs, a night club, a pickleball court, wedding venue, lecture hall, and movies theatre, all in addition to the required retail space.
Continue reading Carlo Scarpa Gavina Showroom, Part 1Carlo Scarpa Gipsoteca in Possagno, Italy
Carlo Scarpa Gipsoteca in Possagno, Italy. North of Venice, Italy, in San Vito d’Altivole, lies the cemetery of the Brion Vega family—the magnum opus of Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978). Nearby, in the village of Possagno, is another of the architect’s projects. Modest in scale, his addition to the existing Gipsoteca Canova, familiarly called the Museo Canoviano, forms an ensemble dedicated to the plaster sculptures of Italian artist Antonio Canova (1757-1822)—the name Gipsoteca meaning collection of plasters in Greek.
Continue reading Carlo Scarpa Gipsoteca in Possagno, ItalyHousing complex in Alcabideche, Portugal, Part 2
Housing complex in Alcabideche, Portugal, Part 2. Housing has always been key to modern architecture in Europe, and interestingly, remains a relevant topic throughout the old continent today. I visited some of the most seminal works by Portuguese architects who have tackled this topic with fervor and commitment.
Continue reading Housing complex in Alcabideche, Portugal, Part 2Cafe do Cais, Portugal
Cafe do Cais, Portugal. During my first visit to Porto, the northernmost city in Portugal, I strolled through the charming historic neighborhoods and streets lined with beautiful facades, of course, stopping far too frequently to sample freshly baked pastel de nata, the country’s famous custard tart.
Continue reading Cafe do Cais, PortugalStreet pavement: Wittenberg, Germany
Over the past decades, many European cities and towns undertook robust and sympathetic revitalization programs within their historic centers. By transforming narrow, picturesque streets into human-friendly environments—often restricting vehicular access to the city centers—the notion of a pedestrian zone was re-invented; at least in contemporary terms, as I am not sure that medieval streets were places of visual or olfactic charm.
Continue reading Street pavement: Wittenberg, Germany