Experimental Architecture: The Latest Architecture and News

British architect and planner Colin Fournier, co-founder of conceptual architecture studio Archigram and Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bartlett School of Architecture, has passed away at the age of 79. Fournier was best known for his co-design of the Kunsthaus Graz in Austria, also known as the "Friendly Alien." This project, completed together with Sir Peter Cook, is celebrated as one of the most distinctive cultural landmarks of its time. For his contributions to this work, Fournier was awarded Austria's Goldener Ehrenzeichen medal in 2005, a recognition of his impact on the architectural landscape.

The Pritzker-winning architect Thom Mayne is presenting his display “Constructing the Spontaneous” in the Paul Kyle Gallery in Vancouver, Canada. Known for his contributions to architecture and design, the architect founded Morphosis in 1972, embodying his philosophy of architecture as an ever-evolving, dynamic process. Mayne’s latest display features his artworks, diving into the intricate relationship between cutting-edge technology and timeless human expression.

Providing an overview of the profession and discipline of architecture can be a complex task given the diversity of people's backgrounds, personal interests, and experimentation techniques. Therefore, many processes related to architecture are based on speculation and innovation, taking the initiative to reimagine established limits. Architecture schools, such as École des Beaux-Arts, Vkhutemas, and Paulista School, were progressive schools of their time that developed their style led by experimental and curious minds. Thanks to these experimental processes, each developed its architectural style, characterized by factors such as philosophy, location, and the era in which the school was born.

Since its creation in Santa Monica in 1972, the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) has been a world-renowned center of innovation and one of the few independent schools of architecture in the United States. It excels in challenging its students through various programs to stretch their imaginations by experimenting with non-traditional materials and approaches. Through the renowned Making+Meaning program, SCI-Arc provides an immersive introduction to students and creative professionals from diverse disciplines, who have the opportunity to explore the field of design and emphasize the fundamentals of experimentation and architecture. The return to face-to-face teaching this year infuses new energy into the program for both students and instructors, given the value of collaborating in a physical space for the development of studio-based projects.

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

In the evolving campaign to combat climate change, big and bold solutions are increasingly easy to find, from the conceptual “water smart city” and ecologist Allan Savory’s vision for greening the world’s deserts to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to turn part of Governors Island into a “living laboratory” for climate research. Oyster reef restoration is occurring at nearly every critical junction along the eastern seaboard, from Florida to Maine. These are worthy efforts, and yet, when considered collectively, the onus for solving our climate crisis is being left largely to municipal governments and private actors, making most solutions piecemeal, at best. The success of one approach has little to no correlation with that of another. But what happens when all related solutions can be applied within a single, controlled ecosystem when environmentalism and urbanism are not at odds, but working in concert? Enter the experimental city.

Entitled Becoming Xerophile, Cooking Sections and AKT II have developed a zero-water desert garden, part of the first Sharjah Architecture Triennial in UAE, curated by Adrian Lahoud. The installation explores the introduction of desert landscapes in the urban fabric of the city and everyday life.

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Building / Prototype II is an experimental architectural pavilion designed by architect Marc Leschelier for the Feÿ Arts Festival in Burgundy, France. Created in the middle of the forest, in the park of the Château du Feÿ, the permanent installation is the first of an acquired collection to be always displayed on site.

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The public will soon have the opportunity to experience the vulnerability and awe of briefly inhabiting an animal domain at the “Reverse Zoo,” LABIOMISTA. Translating to “mixture of life,” the 60-acre project is spearheaded by Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen and is set to open in 2019.

Text description provided by the architects. Over the years, furniture company Vitra has made a name for itself as one of the most architecturally-enlightened companies in the world, with their renowned campus featuring buildings by Nicholas Grimshaw, Frank Gehry, Alvaro Siza, Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron and SANAA.

Now, Vitra has announced a collaboration with Renzo Piano that will bridge the gap between their sought-after furniture and their bespoke campus. Diogene, a self contained minimal living space with a floor area of just 2.5 x 3.0 meters, is billed as "Vitra's smallest building - but largest product".

More about the design of Diogene after the break

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SFMoMA will highlight the legacy of Lebbeus Woods in an exhibition that will run from February 16 through June 2, 2013. It will include 75 works from the past 35 years of his career. Lebbeus Woods is often categorized as an architect, but always as an artist and visionary. His career has been filled with imaginative leaps through the concepts of space and form, exploring politics, society, ethics and the human condition. He was a great influence on architects, designers, filmmakers, writers and artists. The exhibition will celebrate his untimely death late last year and the breadth of influence that his work had on the art and design community.