Dissolving Boundaries Between Art and Architecture: Exploring the Works of Diogo Aguiar Studio

Written by Helena Tourinho | Translated by Diogo Simões
Published on November 30, 2023

There are numerous intersections between art and architecture, including aesthetic enjoyment, formal element composition, the relationship with the environment, and abstraction. The unique combinations of these aspects distinguish each architecture office or artist in their practice and language. Diogo Aguiar Studio is an architecture office that actively explores these intersections, pushing the boundaries that traditionally separate art from architecture.

Each project is built on the dynamic interaction between architecture and art, serving as its foundation and driving force. This approach yields work that addresses functional requirements and ventures into uncharted territories of spatial research. Notably, materials exploration and sensory aspects in both architectural and immersive artistic spaces stand out as a significant aspects of their endeavors.

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Established in 2016 by Diogo Aguiar, who was previously a co-founder of LIKEarchitects and shared a keen interest in provoking and exploring architecture, the studio operates with a compact team consisting of Daniel Mudrák, Adalgisa de Castro Lopes, João Teixeira, Claudia Ricciuti, Marta Bednarczyk, Aiala Bastero Acha, Mario Basurko Rico, and Mia Martina Pei. Despite its small size, the studio demonstrates the same competence and quality in conceiving projects of substantial scale. Diogo Aguiar Studio frequently collaborates with other offices, enhancing the richness of their practice. This exchange of repertoires and methods expands the collective experience of those involved, echoing the constant interplay between the realms of art and architecture that shapes the studio's work.

"Abstraction" is the word that appears to bridge the two fields due to its multifaceted meanings. This concept is frequently emphasized in project defenses and featured on the office's website. The abstraction of forms and references heightens geometry as a foundational element while allowing for diverse interpretations and associations for the observer. For instance, the Start installation is rooted in the division of an icosahedron, subtly suggested to passersby. Although the structure is constructed using cruciform metal modules, inspired by Mies van der Rohe, its overall appearance evokes thoughts of Mark di Suvero's brushstroke sculptures.

Dissolving Boundaries Between Art and Architecture: Exploring the Works of Diogo Aguiar Studio - Image 6 of 15 — Spring Rain, Mark di Suvero (Mannheim, Germany, 1992) © Immanuel Giel via Wikimedia Commons

The connection with art becomes more pronounced in temporary installations, monuments, and small-scale projects. However, these instances serve as a clear illustration of the office's speculative approach to the spaces where the works are placed. Moreover, they contribute to a lineage of references that permeate elements in every project, irrespective of whether the project is small and straightforward or large and intricate in terms of area and program.

The projects’ smaller size and temporary nature offer a space for thorough exploration and experimentation with materials and forms. The ongoing, yet never repetitive, exhibition design projects play a crucial role as exercises in creating and redefining space and the materials that shape it. This approach fundamentally expands the traditional notion of "fixed" architecture. Moreover, the emphasis on smaller or temporary projects has set the office apart, resulting in its acknowledgment as one of the Best Architecture Practices of 2023.

The seamless transition from conceptualization to practical realization is a notable feature of projects undertaken by Diogo Aguiar Studio. The wide range of formal styles, complemented by a diverse color palette and range of materials, offers an equally varied architectural experience for those close to the works. Utilizing fundamental architectural principles such as light and shadow, closure, and openness, the studio consistently produces distinctive spaces and sensations with each project. This approach aligns with the studio's architectural philosophy, emphasizing spatial investigation.

The projects actively explore and examine material and sensory aspects of space at every juncture, which results in a diverse portfolio of solutions and environments that communicate several meanings. The intention remains the same: the investigation of space, and from it, the aspects through which this investigation takes place unfold. Spatial immersion – which already implies the idea of architecture – can mobilize occupants through archetypes, architectural quotations, or re-signification of known materials or objects, like a ready-made by Marcel Duchamp.

Diogo Aguiar Studio's current and fresh performance has earned it a list of nominations in European awards since its inception, with victories at the Leonardo Award (2019), the VIII Minsk International Biennale of Young Architects, and the Europe 40 Under 40 (2019), from the European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. The ambivalence between fixed and temporary, small and large scale, architecture and art prevents a rigid definition of the studio's production, and perhaps that is why its works are so formally rich and so different from each other.