Biennale di Architettura Venezia 2018 / Corderia 24N
E. & M. Boesch architects / Accademia di architettura Mendrisio Università della Svizzera italiana
REUSE: black yellow red
The installation draws attention to a main topic of architecture: Reuse. Four panels with large scale prints of architectural drawings applicating the specific color code black (what remains), yellow (what has been demolished) and red (what is to be added) give visibility to the topic. Additionally, two books – Yellowred vol. 1 and a monograph of the architects’ work - represent the two interdependent spheres of teaching and practice. Visitors are invited to browse them on two monitors. Reuse, a relevant topic of architecture, urgent and substantially rich enough to become the topic of a future Biennale.
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Apropos rules and FREESPACE.
Working with existing buildings means that the architecture is a given, conceived by someone else: point of departure is therefore the logic established by that ‘someone else’. It follows that our normative guidelines are the existing building and the rules on which it is based. In the vade-mecum for students at the USI Accademia di architettura Mendrisio taking the design-studio reuse, our guidelines list five rules and a synthesizing sixth one:
1. Reinforce the identity of the existing building;
2. The answer to every question should be sought in the catalogue of elements and rules established by the architecture of the existing building;
3. If rule number 2 does not provide an answer, it needs to be developed starting from the internal logic of the architecture of the existing building;
4. For every question the answer should be sought following the same rules of play. Exceptions need arguments. Omit every cliché;
5. Doubt should be your constant companion.
And the synthesis:
WEITERBAUEN : continue with the rules of the existing, interpreting them cautiously.
The five rules apply to the scale of the architecture and also to the scale of the city.
Does the rules diminish the freedom of design? Countless reused architectures, built with or without architects, in the past centuries as well as today, say no.