Issue 964 surveys the Italian academia and its continuous "state of crisis", and observes how leading North American universities are paving the way towards a new architecture of education. Simultaneously, the December issue wonders if design is outweighing architecture as a service to society, to then explore a new, internet-based business model in the United States — from designer to consumer.
Issue 964 is accompanied by a guide to the 100 top European schools of architecture and design, selected by Domus.
Table of contents
Cover
Designed by OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, the Dar al Riffa is an urban renewal project in Bahrain. Most buildings are part of the bulk, and should be treated as a set of interiors; others stand out, working as abstract points of reference and housing the "collective machinery".
Editorial: Architecture without content
OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen
Op–Ed: Architects made in Italy
Mario Lupano
Photoessay
Doubles. Bas Princen
Radical acts of everyday life
The architecture of OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen springs from the sprawling, semi-urbanised landscape of Flanders. Design OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen. Text Angelique Campens. Photos Bas Princen. Edited by Laura Bossi
Network: Country House
With the Country House, Elasticospa and Elastico3 redefine the building type of the rural costruction. Text Paola Pellegrini
Domesticated landscapes
Italy is witnessing a crucial evolution in the design of its open spaces. Parks, gardens and environmental works are beginning to be seen no longer as compensation for a lack of commissions to architects. Text Roberto Zancan. Photos Stefano Graziani, Salvatore Gozzo. Edited by Rita Capezzuto
Second life
Three recent Italian projects — cost-conscious and built with a sensitive use of materials — show that the potential for a second life is real. Text Luca Molinari. Edited by Laura Bossi
Gymnasium, dematerialised
Italian-French studio lan makes a bid to create a social condenser capable of stitching together the urban centre. Design LAN. Text Léa-Catherine Szacka. Photos Julien Lanoo. Edited by Rita Capezzuto
Justice is done
In Venice, a slender blade has crept in between the rationalist body of a multistorey car park in Piazzale Roma and the ex-Manifattura Tabacchi complex. Design C+S Architects. Text Fulvio Irace. Photos Alessandra Bello, Pietro Savorelli. Edited by Laura Bossi
Italian academia: a survey
Although the Italian university system turns out one third of Europe's and almost one tenth of the world's entire supply of architects, it has for decades been considered to be in a "state of crisis". Text Rossella Ferorelli. Infographics Simone Trotti. Edited by Rita Capezzuto
Future faculties
Leading American universities are witnessing an accelerated transfer of teaching from the actual physical campus to online platforms. Text Troy Conrad Therrien. Edited by Rita Capezzuto
The web of life
An installation at the Dutch Design Week by Atelier NL offers a three-dimensional visualisation of the career paths — and professional networks — of recent Design Academy Eindhoven graduates. Design Atelier NL. Text Tamar Shafrir. Photos Mike Roelofs. Edited by Rita Capezzuto
Why design?
Is design outweighing architecture as a service to society? Domus discusses the issue with the Dean of Harvard's Graduate School of Design, Mohsen Mostafavi. Interview Justin McGuirk. Photos Joe Liao. Edited by Loredana Mascheroni
Network: Experimental Growth
The new installation by Arik Levy for the Fondazione Bisazza is a black monolith that invades the space in a muscular fashion. Text Vera Sacchetti
Generation D2C
Helped by the Internet, the D2C avoids the traditional forms of production and sales, and aims instead to sell small quantities of rare goods to large numbers of customers. Text Jonathan Olivares. Photos Yoo Jean Han, Michelle Litvin, Richard Nicholson. Edited by Loredana Mascheroni
An Italian interior
Internoitaliano is a furniture range developed around an innovative business model in which objects are fabricated by artisans in their own workshops and distributed via the Internet. Text Giulio Iacchetti. Photos Delfino Sisto Legnani. Edited by Loredana Mascheroni
Audi Urban Futures
Höweler + Yoon's project emerged as the winner at the second edition of the Audi Urban Future Award, which came to an end at the Hasköy Spinning Factory in Istanbul. Text Beatrice Galilee. Edited by Loredana Mascheroni
Review
Bathroom. Edited by Elena Sommariva
Panorama
Edited by Guido Musante
Cold Case
Sport Hotel. Edited by Luigi Spinelli