Architectural competitions are basically feasibility studies developed by a host of providers with little or no commitment from the client. They generally require a substantial sacrifice consented by participants, rarely recognised.
I have come to the conclusion that this state of affairs constitutes an iniquitous form of predatory economic abuse. A distant relative of Roman gladiatorial entertainment for officials and populace alike, but thoroughly masochistic. Thrilling for those who pull it off, but still a short-lived form of glory. The only blood one lets is one’s own !
What gratifies participants on the spur of the moment turns out to be the opportunity that such occasions offer to explore localities off the beaten track, and the kick of collaborating collectively in hypnotic folly.
I was initiated to the professionally-sanctioned ritual by Aldo ROSSI, whom I parodied in the Bastille Opera competition, with whom I associated for NMS Edinburgh, who associated me with SdA for Team Disney in Marne-la-Vallée and with whose disciple Mimmo LERRO, an architect operating in campania felix, I perpetreted the folly several times.
San Paride parish church, Teano, 2014
I was in Freiburg-im-Breisgau when Mimmo LERRO suggested to me collaborating on this competition, which he hoped to win, for having promoted the very idea of a new parish centre to RC church authorities. To assist I irrigated him with photos of modern church buildings spotted in Freiburg, of Sir John SOANE’s architecture, eand in running dialogue of snapped sketches.
Les Amis de Magnum, Paris, 2006
Participation in this private competition, initially amongst few competitors (LACATON & VASSAL, WILMOTTE etc.), is thanks to Emmanuel ABOULKER for who I had undertaken the measured survey of the premises, still his, several years earlier. BPR Architects in London accepted the challenge and we associated for the project and its French presentation. In the meantime the sponsors had decided to open up the consultation.
Sheffield One, 2000 (winning team)
This ideas competition, to regenerate the city centre, deserted in favour of outlying commercial malls, was won by my employers KOETTER KIM & ASSOCIATES, who hd affected me to the team.
I drew sections across the city by hand and rendered coherent the historiographical design report which accompanied the presentation (without which its author would have made us all look dumb).
Obviously Sheffield is a capital of cutlery. Personally I couldn’t resist speculating what a Pop artist might have proposed. Sketch naturally set aside.
Mount of Sant’ Antonio, Teano, 1997
Downhill from the Santuario of Saint Anthony exists an artificial leveled fairground (former rubbish tip). With host project partners Enzo ANTUONO & Mimmo LERRO we decided to treat the entire area like an equipped park, with lanes pavilion, serviced parking areas, and Calvary walk (via crucis) to link the outlying monument to the town. The resulting image is strangely reminiscent of GOETHE’s modeling of the Ilm valley in Weimar.
Teatro Savoia, Campobasso, 1996
The Savoia theatre in Campobasso, which has also been used as a cinema, is a turn-of-the-century structure in reinforced concrete in the middle of an urban block, formerly a hotel of which it had been an integral part.
Due to past property divisions almost all ancillary spaces, essential to the running of a theatre had disappeared. WIth project-associated architects Enzo ANTUONO & Mimmo LERRO, we proposed to exploit the volume below the stalls and above the boxes, to provide new space, and a new fly tower, a beacon announcing the theatre’s renovation.
A project developed in diverse meeting places, I drew the perspective in Paris and made the inlay collage of photocopies on coloured paper in Nice, for my own amusement, beyond the consignment.
Team Disney, Marne-la-Vallée, 1991
The push-me/pull-you tandem of Aldo ROSSI and his New York partner, Morris ADJMI, asked me to associate with them for this invited competition. Also because having an architect based in France could prove an advantage in the future. Between work in Milan and New York, I set up the perspectives in my Bd. Saint Michel office in Paris.
Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1991
An open international competition, disapproved by IUA and by the Ordine degli Architetti which menaced to strike off the register those italian architects whomsoever might participate in it. Aldo ROSSI, that I had solicited to compete at my expense, was obliged by his collaborators to not sign the project with me. Summoned to present before the first phase jury, I withdrew it in protest at the unspeakable behaviou of Hans HOLLEIN (who ater copiusly apologised to ROSSI in New York, at the DISNEY presentation).I nevertheless discovered how much ground in design development I could cover on my own, with motivation under suitable conditions.
The only remunerated competition concours in which I have ever been able to partecipate.
Only because the Senator Mayor Dr. Paul BLANC imposed me as associates of two local architects, Sophie d’ARTHUYS and Sabine de BOISSIEU, with whom I found myself collaborating in the Pyrenees, opposite the Canigou.
Thus a potential threat to local virility was avoided, should their ideas have proven those desirable.
Humanly-speaking, a wonderful experience for me, but certain frustration, with respect to the economic hopes of landing a public commission, for those who had received me with great generosity.
From that I also concluded that far from serving the public good, politicians primarily serve themselves. The Mayers of Prades are particularly sinister, witness the current Prime Minister, whom a relative refers to as Castro.
Infill shopping centre, Mont de Marsan, 1990
Richard PORTCHMOUTH and Michael RUSSUM, friends from architecture school since partnered with Andrew BIRDS for a competition which, as winners, had permitted them to found BPR Architects, contacted me for this. To be admitted as indemnified participant, a selection would be made on the basis of a sketch proposal. My contribution was minimal, essentially site reconnoissance in order to advise the UK design team.
In this sketch I discern many references to the artchitectural culture which already inspired us at Kingston (Edwin LUTYENS, Neave BROWNE, James STIRLING, Aldo ROSSI…) but also the discreet influence of Cesar MANRIQUE, an artist-builder once active in Lanzarote.
Acropolis Museum, Athens, 1990
Scheme developed between Athens, Paris, London and Tayvallich, in Scotlanbd.
With Irish colleagues Louise COTTER and David NAESSENS, we had optedin Athens for the site of Koile, which means hollow.
Mercato di Rialto, Venezia, 1985
A personal invitation being one not to be refused, Aldo ROSSI, appointed Director of the III Mostra Internazionale di Architettura della Biennale di Venezia called for a contrbution from myself to the broad reflexion on the subject of the Venetian hinterland that represented the 10 themes proposed to the competitors, who nevertheless were assured of having their own efforts exhibited at the Biennale. Colleagues from all over jumped at the opportunity. Several years previous, the architect Domenico (Mimmo) LERRO, just recenly registered with the Ordine degli Architetti, Provincia di Caserta, had already asked me to collaborate some time. With the Chase Taliani Venice Scholarship the RCA awarded me the opportunity seemed to have arrived. In the end we only developed one scheme for the Mercato theme.
Opera de la Bastille, Parigi, 1983
Agli studente del Royal College of Art, un nostro docente (ora Sir) Jeremy DIXON, aveva proposto una visita a Parigi, con lo scopo di partecipare al concorso internazionale anonimo organizzato dallo stato francese. Tramite il proprio studio COLQUHOUN & MILLER, il direttore del dipartimento Environmental Design ci ha procurato il bando e ha permesso di consegnare i nostri progetti con il suo codice di identificazione. Sapendo che ROSSI non ci partecipava, gli ho detto che farei un progetto imitativo, per vedere la reazione. Mi sono divertito moltissimo a leggere nella stampa che si sospettava le mani di Aldo ROSSI e Richard MEIER tra i progetti sottomessi.
Klösterli-Areal, Berna, 1981
Di vaga memoria l’invito ad Aldo ROSSI e a Gianni BRAGHIERI di parteciparci sarebbe dovuto a Dolf SCHNEBLI, architetto svizzero che farebbe poi la sede UBS a Magno, oggetto ulteriore di un mio intervento in quanto docente alla SUPSI.
Una citazione oscura di Drieu La Rochelle serviva da motto a questo concorso ristretto ma anonimo, e finalmente ben rimunerato : un prezzo speciale ci è stato concesso. Per ritenermi a Milano nel 1980, i miei datori di lavoro mi avevano proposto un bonus di 10% sui concorsi che vinceremmo. Così il mio stipendio mensile è stato moltiplicato per 3, e mi sono pagato un giro estivale di Spagna in macchina con Franklyn GERARD.
Il progetto stesso prevedeva un’istallazione turistica e di divertimento, una specie di Bierhalle con belvedere sulla città.
IBA 84, Berlino, 1980
Incoraggiato da Aldo ROSSI e Gianni BRAGHIERI a rimandare gli studi per la seconda parte del mio diploma britannico, per potere partecipare all’ opportunità, forse storica, di una Internationale Bau Ausstellung a Berlino, sono rimasto a Milano per un secondo anno. Applicando la tecnica di prospettive che mi ero inventato in scuola di architettura, ho finalmente istaurato, con questo e altri disegni, un modo di rappresentare i progetti che i collaboratori ulteriori di ROSSI hanno continuato ad imitare in vari progetti.
Pagine apparentate :
opus incertum 