When the spectacle architecture surrenders
Something is happening in the field of architecture show and many great architects do not want to recognize it or simply do not believe it. Those large architecture firms with thirty-something architects capable of designing and redesigning an idea are being displaced by “simple” architecture projects that hides a coherent, visually powerful, sustainable, collective work that at the same time covers the real needs of the population.
Last week the great Frank Gehry arrived in Oviedo to collect the award "Prince of Asturias" of the Arts this year, fatigued from the trip, as he would later apologize, displayed unusual expressiveness among the laureates.
The amiable humor with which he entered the room where the press conference would take place turned into an annoyed countenance, accompanied by the middle finger of his right hand raised in a universal sign, with deep classical roots. It was the silent and resounding way of answering those who consider that their work, marked by the continuous restlessness of the author and not very accommodating, is part of what is called the "Show architecture".
Rightly or wrongly, we must recognize that he is a teacher of teachers. But the reality is that show architecture It is no longer in fashion, it is no longer interesting, and it does not solve the social problems of a deficient and misunderstood society in many aspects.
Large firms are no longer Winners, they have become mere companies where the economic factor prevails over any social benefit or leaving aside projects that respect the environment and people.
A recent key event has broken the "typical" scheme of the winning architect or firm. We just have to look at the prestigious World Architecture Festival, an annual festival that began in 2008, where the best architecture projects worldwide compete in several sections with a single winner of the title of "Building of the Year" with reference to the preceding twelve months.
Large offices like Aedas, Zaha Hadid Architects or Foster & Partners They present their projects in competition with many other more humble, not to say, totally unknown.
This year, the award for the building of the year has gone to a sustainable project, a sustainable architecture, simple and possibly a milestone in the history of modern architecture. Project named The Chapel a space for the community that lives in Vietnam and that was designed by a small local office called A21Studio.
The really impressive thing about this wonderful sustainable project is that its main structure was built from leftover materials from a previous project. This allowed for a characteristic space on a very limited budget. Even the furniture inside is recycled, to keep a check on costs that allow for a series of more extravagant features both inside and out.
Fine colored curtains are stretched using metal rods left over from a work to allow light to travel through them and can create shades of colors in the space. Color has also been used in a creative way, covering all light passages to create a beautiful rainbow effect when the sun is shining during the day, and an equally natural glow effect when illuminated at night.
Sustainable and economic projects are definitely on the rise, and this is a clear example that you don't have to have millions to be recognized worldwide. As data, we can access theWorld Architecture Festival to see the different winning projects in their categories. The rise of sustainable development can be identified in the article "Sustainable development"
