Friday 9 oct. Emanuele Trevi: The Real City. Writing about Rome from War to Boom

At Work: Garofalo Miura Architetti

During our visit to GMA, we spoke about the convergence of architectural theory and practice. Francesco explained his desire to “close the gap between statements in the classroom and those in the real world.” He criticized the notion that designers need to slip in their ideas under the nose of strict clients.

Their work seems to communicate on two levels; it responds to the world of academia and the world of reality. Maybe this is a result of their partnership, which combines a theoretical mind with a pragmatic one.

-Tim

One idea I felt was suggested by Francesco's discussion was that, within the world of professional practice, theory could be seen simply as a design tool - one of many at an architect's disposal. It seems that the final product is the primary focus in the majority of real world projects, rather than the specific route the architect took to get there. It isn't important how or why the project looks the way it does, as long as the forms are seductive to a competition jury, and the spaces are enjoyed by its inhabitants. Successful buildings are often (but not necessarily) the result of a solid theoretical development. A well developed conceptual strategy  is most important in that it gives the architect a better chance at producing a desirable final product. Process still maters, however theory is not the only ingredient in the delicious stew that is design. Perhaps our training should include more guidance of aesthetic means of decision making and other generative tools.

-Benn