lunedì 19 settembre 2016

Art is in the Square, 10th Edition - The video


(ENG). A really, entirely sustainable exhibit for the 10th edition of "Art is in the Square", the annual students' work exhibition of the Lorenzo de' Medici Institute.
All the wooden structures are coming from previous exhibitions and are very light and easy to assemble and dismountle.
Due the bad weather conditions, they were moved from an exterior location, into the LdM's Library and in the Fuligno's porch, packing all in one single truck and handle by just three men.
Here is the video by LdM News.

(ITA). Un allestimento davvero ed interamente sostenibile per la 10ma edizione di "Art is in the Square", l'annuale mostra dei lavori degli studenti dell'Istituto Lorenzo de' Medici.
Tutte le strutture in legno provengono da precedenti mostre, sono estremamente leggere e facili da montare e smontare.
A causa delle cattive condizioni atmosferiche, le strutture sono state spostate dall'esterno, dove era prevista inizialmente la mostra, negli spazi interni della scuola e nel chiostro del Fuligno, caricando il tutto su un singolo furgone, con il lavoro di soli tre operatori.
Ecco qui il video del canale LdM News.

giovedì 15 settembre 2016

Monument's Death

(ITA). La Morte del Monumento

Si è concluso recentemente il concorso di idee indetto dal Comune di Carpi (MO) per la progettazione delle nuove porte della città. Stanchi dell'architettura autoreferenziale e celebrativa, abbiamo deciso che il concetto dell'”Arco di Trionfo” era ormai inaccettabile. Abbiamo quindi preferito disegnare un “pezzo di città” che fosse funzionale e utile agli abitanti nella vita di tutti i giorni. La proposta si basa sulla massima sostenibilità progettuale e costruttiva, evitando qualsiasi velleità monumentale ma rimanendo nell'ambito di un intervento riconoscibile con cui sia facile relazionarsi.

(ENG.) Monument's Death

The competition organized by the Municipality of Carpi (Italy), for the design of new city gates, has recently concluded. Tired about self-celebratory architecture, we decided that the concept of "Arc de Triomphe" was no longer acceptable. We then preferred to design a "part of city" that was functional and useful to people in their everyday life. The proposal is based on the maximum design and construction's sustainability, avoiding any monumental ambitions, remaining within a recognizable shape with which it is easy to relate to.




lunedì 23 maggio 2016

Art is in the Square


(ENG.)...and now is 10!
The LdM Institute reached this important goal with the tenth edition of its annual Student Exhibition. This year, due the bad weather conditions, the exhibition was organized indoor, in two amazing LdM locations.
Like the last year, MSa has developed a completely sustainable project, using only the existing material and, when it was necessary, adding just the same tipe of wood and assembly. All the structures are modular, light and very easy to assembly and dismountle and the entire exhibition's elements can be positioned very quickly by few people.

(ITA) ...e sono 10!
L'Istituto LdM ha raggiunto l'importante traguardo della decima edizione dell'annuale mostra degli studenti della scuola.
A causa delle cattive condizioni meteorologiche, quest'anno la mostra si è svolta al chiuso, tuttavia è stata l'occasione per fa conoscere due meravigliosi spazi della scuola.
Come per l'anno scorso, anche quest'anno l'allestimento è stato sviluppato in maniera completamente sostenibile, in quanto è stato utilizzato solo il materiale esistente aggiungendo, quando necessario, elementi dello stesso tipo e con lo stesso sistema di assemblaggio.
Tutte le strutture sono modulari, leggere e molto facili da assemblare e smontare. L'intero allestimento può essere montato molto velocemente con l'utilizzo di poche persone.









martedì 17 maggio 2016

Space Colonialism | Are we destined to live beyond Earth?


ENG. A new project, too long delayed, is born: the analysis of the relationship between space and terrestrial architecture. What are the projects currently studied and the technologies developed for the next "giant leap for mankind"?
About that is this text talking, passing through materials, techniques and styles of the new Space Colonialism.

"What does the future hold? The human race is destined to colonize new planets and adapt them to its needs? This is what the great writers of the past have imagined.
Isaac Asimov, scientist and author of the famous "Cycle of Foundation", imagined a human civilization that has spread over the millennia, across the Galaxy, settling on thousands of planets ruled by a Galactic Empire with its capital on the planet Trantor.
Trantor has the role of administering and controlling the entire Empire, hosting billion of people, bureaucrats, officials in a totally constructed scene where the entire planet's surface is covered by building's metal.
These human beings of the future have forgotten their origins and the memory of the planet Earth survives only in some ancient legends and fairy tales for children.
If our destiny is really to leave our beloved blue planet and venture into the Cosmos, we have to remember to look back and take a last look at our home, just before it disappears into the depths of Space and Time, forever."

ITA. Finalmente si concretizza un progetto troppo a lungo rimandato: l'analisi del rapporto tra l'architettura spaziale e quella terrestre. Quali sono i progetti attualmente allo studio e le tecnologie sviluppate per il prossimo grande passo per l'Umanità?
E' quello di cui parla il testo, passando in rassegna materiali, tecniche e stili del nuovo Colonialismo Spaziale.

"Cosa ci riserva il futuro? La razza umana è destinata a colonizzare nuovi pianeti e adattarli alle proprie esigenze? E' quello che i grandi scrittori del passato hanno immaginato.
Isaac Asimov, scienziato ed autore nel famoso "Ciclo della Fondazione", immagina una civiltà umana che si è espansa, nei millenni, in tutta la Galassia, insediandosi su migliaia di pianeti governati da un Impero Galattico con capitale sul pianeta Trantor.
Trantor ha lo scopo di amministrare e controllare tutto l'Impero, ospitando miliardi di persone, burocrati, funzionari in uno scenario totalmente costruito dove l'intera superficie del pianeta è ricoperta dal metallo degli edifici. Questi esseri umani del futuro hanno dimenticato le loro origini e il ricordo del pianeta Terra sopravvive solo in alcune antiche leggende e favole per bambini.

Se il nostro destino è davvero quello di abbandonare il nostro amato pianeta blu ed avventurarci nel cosmo, ricordiamoci di guardare indietro e dare un ultimo sguardo a casa un attimo prima che scompaia nelle profondità dello Spazio e del tempo, per sempre."

martedì 10 maggio 2016

Biomimicry, an inspiration for architects, designers and artists.


On 4th of May, we took an interesting lecture on Biomimicry and the possible inspiration for architects, designers and artists, in LdM Institute, Florence. Our welcome guest was Carlo Santulli, professor of "Materials, Science and Technology" at University of Camerino. He spokes about the importance to become more aware about natural processes and structures and how the use of this knowledge may be possible in art and design.

Here is a brief presentation of the lecture:

"If we read the first book of Janine Benyus, the founder of the Biomimicry science, we can easily understand how amazing the capacity of Nature is and how little we know about it. But with the new awareness of the last 20 years, we are becoming more sensitive and respectful towards our environment, because we are getting to know it better.

Watching carefully, we discovered that Nature runs its processes at room temperature, with normal pressure, using water like solvent and all this is done without producing any waste. We are very far to do something similar, still tied to the dear-old “heat, beat ant treat” method. When we want to produce something we introduce a lot of heat and pressure in the system and usually, produce toxic substances like by-product.

When we have a problem, it doesn't matter if it is a structural or biological one, for sure Nature has already solved it, because it has a very long experience: 3,8 billion of years of attemps and refinement in design and adaptation. Now we are starting to study and, in some cases, understand some natural processes and the lens of Biomimicry is helping us in this venture.

One of the most famous biomimetic invention was the airplane. The Wright brothers, inspired from the quiet flight of vultures, finally succeeded in their first historic flight in 1903. In 1914 we were dropping bombs from the sky. Nature has solutions, but we have a lot to learn."

And here is the lecture's video by LdM News Channel.


Carlo Santulli is professor of "Materials, science and technology" in the School of Architecture and Design of the University of Camerino and a material scientist.
He has a strong interest in sustainable materials and biomimetics and among several publications and papers, he is the author of the book “Biomimetic, the lesson of the nature”, which is one of the few publication about this theme in Italy where, we have to say, Biomimicry is not really know.

sabato 5 marzo 2016

A software house's office


(ENG) The Idea
The belief that the working spaces of a software company, which designs programs for the fashion world, has to distinguish itself from other types of offices (lawyers, engineers, etc.), was the leading idea of the whole project. So, how turn an anonymous space in a challenging and dynamic office, where he is “pleasant to stay”?

The Communication
For the budget allowed almost exclusively the purchase of furnishing, it was decided to make only the absolutely necessary masonry works and to focus on the functionality of the furniture, their distribution and the communication of the company's image. The result is a contemporary and international looking, where the "public areas" communicate a quiet informality, avoiding disorder.
The Mood
The reception, the inner distribution space and kitchen are characterized by the use of wallpaper with a colored stripes design, which gives an immediate sense of dynamism and comfort. As the colors are based on a standard system, is easy to create the same pattern through painting. In fact some office walls, the main inner space, and the relax room, were treated with the same logic, using one of the basic colors.

The Furnishings
The simplicity of the kitchen and the sitting area is expressed through the use of chairs with different colors and shapes but in agreement with each other, while a more rigorous approach was reserved for the offices with neutral colors like black, white and gray. Where possible, small areas with seating and low tables where play small meetings between colleagues or informal meetings, have been included . The furnishings have been carefully chosen to allow a high flexible composition and the ability to adapt to future changes.
The Services
The most important structural adjustment was the one regarding the bathroom. Positioned in the suggested place, it was designed according to current hygiene regulations, ensuring the easier use for disabled and customers, not forced to access in the spaces reserved to employees. It was also included an area to store food, tools and detergents for the kitchen, often overlooked but definitely essential.

With Giuseppe Saponara Architetto www.architettosaponara.blogspot.it

(ITA) L'idea
La convinzione che gli spazi lavorativi di una software house, che progetta programmi per il mondo della moda, debba distinguersi da altre tipologie di uffici (avvocati, ingegneri, ecc.) è stata l'idea trainante di tutta la progettazione. Quindi, come trasformare uno spazio anonimo in un ufficio stimolante e dinamico, dove sia “bello stare?”

La comunicazione
Dato che il budget consentiva quasi esclusivamente l'acquisto dei mobili, si è scelto di operare solo gli interventi murari assolutamente necessari e concentrare l'attenzione sulla funzionalità degli arredi e della loro distribuzione e sulla comunicazione dell'immagine dell'azienda. Il risultato è un ambiente dall'aspetto contemporaneo e internazionale, dove le “aree pubbliche” comunicano una tranquilla informalità senza però risultare disordinate.

Il “mood”
La reception, lo spazio distributivo interno e la cucina sono caratterizzati dall’uso di una carta da parati con un particolare motivo decorativo a strisce colorate, in grado di dare un immediato senso di dinamicità e benessere. Dato che i colori si basano su un sistema standard, è possibile creare lo stesso decoro attraverso la tinteggiatura. Infatti alcune pareti degli uffici, dello spazio centrale e della sala relax, sono state trattate con la stessa logica, usando in maniera estesa una delle tinte base.

Gli arredi
La semplicità della cucina e della zona relax si esprime attraverso l'uso di arredi con forme e colori diversi ma in accordo tra loro, mentre un maggior rigore è stato riservato agli uffici dove predominano toni neutri quali il bianco, il nero e il grigio. Dove è stato possibile, sono state inserite delle piccole zone con sedute e tavoli bassi dove svolgere piccoli meeting tra colleghi o riunioni informali. Gli arredi sono stati scelti con cura per permettere una alta flessibilità compositiva e capacità di adeguarsi a futuri cambiamenti.

I servizi
L'intervento strutturale più importante è stato l'adeguamento del bagno. Posizionato nello spazio suggerito, è stato progettato secondo le attuali normative igieniche, garantendone l'uso ai disabili e un più facile utilizzo da parte dei clienti, non costretti ad accedere a spazi riservati agli impiegati. Inoltre è stata inserita una zona per conservare alimenti, attrezzi e detersivi per la cucina, spesso sottovalutata ma sicuramente indispensabile.

Con Giuseppe Saponara Architetto www.architettosaponara.blogspot.it

giovedì 3 marzo 2016

A sustainable renovation in France



The challenge of the project was the renovation of an old-farm-building located in Preaux, France, without upsetting its shape and characteristics. The goal was to create a comfortable and beautiful home to live and the right balance between public and private areas, through a careful study of the relation with the external spaces.

The two main project proposals are the greenhouse (Jardin d'Hiver) and the well of light (Tour Lumière). These two real “wellness” spaces which allow the light to dearly enter, are climatic systems that use a controlled “greenhouse effect” to heat the interior.

The greenhouse is placed in the same place of the old porch. This structure, once in poor conditions, becomes a place to enjoy the surroundings while drinking a tea, eating, reading, and even grown plants. A greenhouse is very suitable to recover plants as lemons, that particularly suffer from cold in winter. Near the greenhouse entrance is the Tour Lumière. Located in a side protrusion and cleaned from the old floors, becomes the true protagonist of the project.

On the south-west side of the house is the outdoor relaxation area. This is connected to the dining room through a large door which has the task to illuminate the interior, also. All the outside is dominated by a private swimming pool, installed without making any excavations. A retaining wall at the end of the property act as a barrier, holding the backfill in which is the swimming pool.
The pool ideally complete all the southern spaces which are dedicated to relaxation and light. The entire area then becomes a large place for leisure and flexible enough to allow different uses over the time.

A key part of the entire project is the structural aspect, with a few but significant actions such as the realization of new roofing, using steel, wood and glass, and the big opening of the Tour Lumière.
A significant effort has been to maintain almost all of the original openings to keep the sides without changing too much of the original appearance, but ensuring the necessary amount of light.
A decisive choice was taken in the creation of the new floor levels (made in steel and wood with a concrete finish) avoiding, as required by the Client, uncomfortable changes of plan.
Special attention was directed to the location of bathrooms, all located in the south-east, in order to concentrate the sewer hook-ups in one unique area.

Particular attention was given to the interior comfort through the insulation of the walls from the inside to leave the exposed stone outside. For this, insulation wood fibre panels finished with clay plaster were selected. They have characteristics soft and iridescent colours toward the exterior.

The external insulation was chosen on the side which hosts the large structure of the chimney, in order to leave the inner stone exposed. This outer wall is covered with lime plaster with natural paste-colored. An underfloor ventilation ensure the proper insulation from moisture coming from the soil. The greenhouse and the tower, are important regulators of the inner temperature, helping to gain sun's heat during the winter and providing the right ventilation in the summer.


Architetto Giuseppe Saponara website: www.architettosaponara.blogspot.it