Domus 1053 is the first issue edited by Tadao Ando, Guest Editor of 2021. In his first editorial, he tells us how natural light has conquered the zenith of architecture in all eras and places, from the ascetic light of northern Europe to Japanese houses’ intimate shadows. “While artificial lighting technology is making great strides, we are gradually losing our physicality and innate sensitivity to natural light,” Ando explains.
This is followed by an essay by Riichi Miyake, excerpted from In Praise of Shadows (Leete’s Island Books, 1977), in which the historian rereads the history of modern architecture under the magnifying glass of the relationship between space and light, a source of inspiration for many designers. His paper offers a multidisciplinary critical view of the types of light we can find in architecture today.
Domus 1053 on newsstands: “Initiation by light”
On the first issued edited by Tadao Ando, Riichi Miyake retraces the relationship between space and light; Caroline Corbetta compares the works of Fontana and Eliasson; Kenneth Frampton recounts the collaboration between Louis Kahn and Barragán. Browse the gallery and discover the contents of the January issue.
Text Tadao Ando. Photo Marc Haegeman
Text Riichi Miyake. Photo Iberfoto/Archivi Alinari
Text Ensamble Studio. Photo Iwan Baan
Text Neri&Hu Design and Research Office. Photo Pedro Pegenaute
Text Studio Anna Heringer. Photo Kurt Hörbst
Text Frida Escobedo. Photo Rafael Gamo
Text Atelier Alter Architects. Photo Atelier Alter Architects
Text Carlos Castanheira. Photo Hou Pictures
Text Caroline Corbetta. Photo Agostino Osio
Text Tokujin Yoshioka
Text Mandalaki Design Studio. Photo Marco Menghi
Text YOY Studio. Photo Yasuko Furukawa
Texts Aires Mateus, Bosco Sodi, Dominique Perrault, John Pawson, Michelle Chang, Paul Smith, Sou Fujimoto, Steven Holl, Virgil Abloh, Zeina Koreitem. Image Steven Holl
Text Kenneth Frampton. Photo © Darren Bradley
Text Denizen Works. Photo © Gilbert McCarragher
Testo Steven Holl. Photo © Aogvision
Text Tadao Ando
Entrance to the South Aisle, Abbey of le Thoronet. Foto David Heald
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- La redazione di Domus
- 08 January 2021
In the Architecture section, six projects are presented, characterised by three different uses of light. Ca’n Terra by Ensamble Studio, a project for the recovery of a former quarry is illustrated as Primitive light, and Aranya Art Center by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, characterised by a white cone that illuminates the amphitheatre designed for the coastal community from above. The buildings characterised by Filtered light are the Anandaloy Centre by Studio Anna Heringer, a centre for disabled people made of bamboo and mud, and the Mar Tirreno residences by Mexican architect Frida Escobedo, where the uniformity of the chiaroscuro play on the concrete façades conceals the variety of spatial configurations of the residential units. Finally, the Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum by Atelier Alter Architects, characterised by large pyramid-shaped volumes, and MoAE - Huamao Museum of Art Education designed jointly by Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira, where natural light enters zenithally into the museum’s full-height void, were selected for Light without shadows.
In the pages dedicated to Art, Caroline Corbetta outlines the relationships and similarities of Lucio Fontana and Olafur Eliasson’s works, two artists who are distant in time and intentions but who share a belief in the light as a tool for constructing environments to trigger transformations.
For Design, the projects of Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka, the Milan-based Mandalaki Design Studio, and YOY studio are illustrated, objects characterised respectively by Reflected light, Chromatic light and Light and shadow.
The new Creators section has been set up to illustrate various thought-forms that can emerge around an idea. Each month we will offer a range of artists and designers who shape objects, spaces and buildings the chance to express themselves visually on the theme we investigate in the issue. We have asked these creatives to freely visualise each of these abstract ideas in the form of images, collages, drawings, sketches and texts. For this issue, the research focuses on the question, “What is light?”.
For Design snippets, Kenneth Frampton writes about the collaboration, albeit substantial, between Louis I. Kahn and Luis Barragán for the Salk Institute court, few traces remain. The technical drawing of the gusset and the hand drawing, by naval architect Tony Tucker, are different in approach and purpose, but together they tell the story of Denizen Works’ Genesis floating church project. Steven Holl recounts the new Cofco health centre's construction process and cultural centre in Shanghai, which embraces the beauty of exposed concrete during construction, preferring it to white.
In this month’s Diary, pages dedicated to current affairs, a round table between Sergio Buttiglieri, Federica Damiani, Piero Lissoni and Gilberto Negrini discusses the value of luxury at a time of crisis like the one we are currently experiencing. Valentina Petrucci meets Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, while Carlos D’Ercole visits Francesco Clemente’s house, environments in which one is transported back to eras and civilisations far removed in time. Alessandro Scarano recounts his meeting with Renzo Vitale, head of sound for BMW. Andrea Caputo interviews the LANs during a studio visit, in their flexible offices with a strong connection to the city. Editorial director Walter Mariotti concludes the section with an encounter with Tobia Scarpa, an unusual architect and designer: like a poet, he descends into the depths of the self to discover we.
In his first editorial, Tadao Ando tells us how natural light has conquered the zenith of architecture across all ages and places, from the ascetic light of northern Europe to the intimate shadows of Japanese homes.
An initiation through light Riichi Miyake reinterprets the history of modern architecture under the magnifying glass of the relationship between space and light, a source of inspiration for many designers. His essay offers a critical multidisciplinary view of the types of light we can find in architecture today.
This recovery project by Ensamble Studio in a former quarry in Menorca starts with light, with carvings in the stone, and is an opportunity to rethink living as a minimal action.
In the Aranya Art Center, designed by Neri&Hu, a white cone carves out the introverted volume of the centre: this cannon lumière illuminates the amphitheatre designed for the coastal community from above.
Bamboo and mud are the main materials in this centre for people with disabilities and textile workshop designed by Studio Anna Heringer: the former filters light without hindering ventilation, while the latter protects the rooms from heat.
Designed by Mexican architect Frida Escobedo, the uniformity of the chiaroscuro play on the concrete façades of this complex in Mexico City conceals the variety of spatial configurations of the residential units.
The structure of crystals inspires the large pyramidal volume that channels light into the atrium of this museum by Atelier Alter Architects, an addition to the headquarters of a company in the mining sector.
In the new Huamao Museum of Art Education designed by Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira, natural light enters zenithally into the full-height void of the museum on the north shore of Donqian Lake: the white space, dominated by a ramp, is uniformly lit.
Distant in time and intentions, Lucio Fontana and Olafur Eliasson share a belief in light as a tool for building environments to trigger transformation. Caroline Corbetta writes about the relationship between these two realisable utopias.
Using light as a material, Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka is always trying to evoke an emotion. His installation in the Tokyo underground is a map of the world made up of 636 crystals with unique facets.
The research of the Milan-based Mandalaki Design Studio combines precise colours and aims to create a second dimension that goes beyond physical reality.
Optical illusion, error of perception and the play of Chinese shadows combine in this poetic lamp designed by Naoki Ono and Yuki Yamamoto.
This section has been set up to illustrate the variety of thought forms that can emerge around an idea. Each month we will offer a range of artists and designers who shape objects, spaces and buildings the opportunity to express themselves visually on the theme we investigate in the issue. We have asked these creatives to freely visualise each of these abstract ideas in the form of images, collages, drawings, sketches and texts. For this issue, the research focuses on the question "What is light?"
Little trace remains of the substantial collaboration between Louis I. Kahn and Luis Barragán on the court of the Salk Institute. Kahn and Luis Barragán for the court of the Salk Institute, few traces remain. It was in fact the Mexican master who suggested maintaining a mineral materiality of this "facade to the sky". Kenneth Frampton tells us about it.
Naval architect Tony Tucker's technical drawing of the bellows and hand drawing are different in approach and purpose. Together, they tell the story of Denizen Works' Genesis floating church project.
Steven Holl illustrates the new Cofco health and cultural centre in Shanghai, which embraces the beauty of exposed concrete during construction in preference to white.
Nature is the soul of the world in which we live. An abstracted manifestation of it is light. Light from nature is powerful but warm, solemn and ephemeral We scoop it up into the palms of our hands. We honour it and embrace it in our hearts. Light breathes life into place.