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The central issue was the speculation on possible definitions of environmental architecture, rediscovering the relation between the built environment and vegetation. Or, in the words of Decio Guardigli: "vegetation and the built environment, intended experimentally as two equal halves existing in a mutual empathy as a possible architecture: an architecture between trees, revealed through trees as well as through seasons."
Architecture as a material practice, an architecture that defines spaces by the conscious use of materials. A practice that projects spaces through well thought modifications of the spatial qualities of different, well chosen materials, but also the most extreme condition of this practice: an architecture that exists in absence of the built environment, where trees, spaces and time become the ultimate material of architecture.
Architecture as a practice that is able to think spatially and design its physical inevitability, but that does so from a distance, mediated through its own inherent instruments and procedures. In this sense, special attention was given, during the term, to two of those instruments: drawing and model making, both fundamental design devices for an architect.
During the 15 weeks, each of the thirty students from countries such as Italy, Spain, France, China and Iran had done three exercises and three different projects. Each task had its own context and, according to its scale, its own relative depth of detail. Art, music and film were all considered as valid examples and inspiration.
1.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg "In apertura: EX.04 A refuge in woods, Graziano Camelia (Plant). Above: EX.04 A refuge in woods, Pietro Dardano (Section). Atelier Trees and Houses exhibition, works by Architecture sudents of the Politecnico di Milano. From 8 October 2012, Architecture Department, Politecnico di Milano")
1.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg "EX.06 A Cocktail in a fruit garden, listening to ethnic museic and drinking an Orange Blossom, Giorgia Notaro (Maquette). Atelier Trees and Houses exhibition, works by Architecture sudents of the Politecnico di Milano. From 8 October 2012, Architecture Department, Politecnico di Milano")
Atelier Trees and Houses
Politecnico di Milano
Via Ampère 2, Milano
1.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg "EX.06 A Cocktail in a fruit garden, listening to ethnic museic and drinking an Orange Blossom, Graziano Camelia (Maquette). Atelier Trees and Houses exhibition, works by Architecture sudents of the Politecnico di Milano. From 8 October 2012, Architecture Department, Politecnico di Milano")
1.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg "EX.05 Space invaders, Marco Belloni (Maquette). Atelier Trees and Houses exhibition, works by Architecture sudents of the Politecnico di Milano. From 8 October 2012, Architecture Department, Politecnico di Milano")