materico architecture matters - S2E3 - KUEHN MALVEZZI

S2E3 - KUEHN MALVEZZI

03/30/23 • 31 min

In this episode of materico Leonardo talks with Simona Malvezzi. Together with Wilfried Kuehn and Johannes Kuehn she is the founder of KUEHN MALVEZZI in Berlin, 2001. KUEHN MALVEZZI has gained international recognition for their innovative and unconventional approach to architecture and design. Their projects span a wide range of scales, from small installations to large urban projects. They are known for their ability to integrate contemporary architecture into historical and cultural contexts. The studio has also been involved in a number of remarkable exhibitions and installations, including several Venice Biennials, the Chicago Biennials and the Lisbon Triennal.

As for the other episodes of the second season of materico, the conversation starting point is a reflection about how a contemporary architect can deal with the renovation of an architectural heritage, focusing on the conception of the landmark and the role of public spaces.

Simona briefly explains the characteristic approach of their studio, which they define curatorial, borrowing the term from the art field, which is a constant reference for them.

Among other notable projects, a part of the conversation aims the attention to "House of One", an interreligious building in Petriplatz, Berlin city center, that houses a synagogue, a church and a mosque under the same roof. KUEHN MALVEZZI project won the international competition for the inter-faith house of prayer back in 2012.
Simona refers to the work of Gianbattista Nolli, the italian engineer who drew city plans as black homogeneous mass in which open public spaces where left in white, "like voids dug out of the constructed mass." Nolli's representation of Rome, where the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are easily recognisable, is included in the following pictures.

You can learn more about KUEHN MALVEZZI architects in their website at www.kuehnmalvezzi.com

The episode, as well as the second season of materico architecture podcast, is inspired by the reuseitaly's Reuse the Tower competition. More info at www.reuseitaly.com/competitions/reuse-the-tower-lecce/

Simona briefly explains the characteristic approach of their studio, which they define curatorial, borrowing the term from the art field, which is a constant reference for them.

You can learn more about KUEHN MALVEZZI architects in their website at www.kuehnmalvezzi.com

Previous Episode

S2E2 - K O S M O S architects

Ludocvica and Leonardo are going to explore the vision and principles of KOSMOS Architects through the words of Artem Kitaev, one of the founding partners of the firm.

The first topic is a dive into the early days of KOSMOS Architects, how and why they came up with this practice name, how they shaped their daily routine with the team that was collaborating virtually across the borders, and how their environment became a 'universal space of discourse' in terms of experiments, geographical location, and projects.

The conversation then jumps into the theme of heritage and reuse in architecture by talking about the relationship between cultural identity and vernacular architecture. In that regard, Torre Rinalda in Lecce is brought to the table as a remarkable example of both a monument to vernacular architecture and a powerful landmark.

Artem later shares with us his vision about the proper use and reuse of materials, and how an architect should develop a clear interpretation of how resources are consumed during the construction process. On this topic, the Basel "reuse" pavilion will be mentioned during the interview. You can see it in one of the following pictures.

You can see more about KOSMOS architects in their website at www.k-s-m-s.com

Next Episode

S2E4 - Zamboni Associati Architettura

Andrea Zamboni, managing director of Zamboni Associati Architettura, brings us in his method of doing architecture by travelling though the famous renovation project of the Chiostri di San Pietro in Reggio Emilia.
In this episode of materico - architecture matters, Andrea Zamboni, associate and managing director at ZAA - Zamboni Associati Architettura, tells us about his experience in the field of architectural design and the relationship between his architecture and heritage. As in the other episodes of the second season of the podcast, this episode is a result of the collaboration between materico and reuseitaly, to collect and share the jurors view around the Reuse the Tower competition.

After a brief opening about his early days as a near-graduate in Mendrisio, and his relationship with mentors like Peter Zumthor and Vittorio Savi, Andrea talks about a remarkable project carried out by Zamboni Associati Architettura: the San Pietro cloister in Reggio Emilia. An analysis of the project reveals a respectful approach to the pre-existence, a masterpiece from the Italian architect Giulio Romano established in the XVI century. Some photos of this project can be seen in this episode media at the bottom of the page.

Through this project, Andrea expands his endeavor to respect the monument and the role of NON-FINITO (unfinished) in his architecture. The theory of non-finito in architecture constitutes a central theme both in the design and the research for Andrea Zamboni, and it is further investigated in his publication Non-finito - I Chiostri di San Pietro a Reggio Emilia.

Following the topics of Reuse the Tower competition, the conversation touches on the theme of the architecture of public spaces and how they can acquire different connotations over time. The case that is brought to the table is again the Chiostri di San Pietro where the public space become the common ground between the new architecture and the old one.s.