Shigeru Ban redoes
Mies’ Farnsworth House

… in paper!

Shigeru Ban often builds in paper. And he has long loved the Farnsworth House. In 1992 Ban designed this,

Ban told me once how how important Mies was to him, and how he used to visit and marvel at Mies’ Chicago highrise 860 – 880 Lake Shore Drive. It’s easy to see Mies’ influence in his work. This is keen, since the work of Mies looks so Japanese, it’s nice to see it return home.

And also with a Finnish influence. Now you can also clearly see the influence on Shigeru Ban of

Alvar Aalto.
Aalto’s Auditorium at the Technical University in Helskini

Aalto’s theater in Essen, Germany

Soon to open in London, the Barbican, as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations will present

Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of
Shigeru Ban

Jonathan Glancey in the Guardian [via] notes that as a student Ban was keen on Mies,
and later Aalto’s work changed his way of thinking.

Ban says Aalto was the first architect he had encountered “whose work was inseparable from its surroundings, aesthetically and functionally”. As Aalto’s work matured, it became more site-specific; it couldn’t readily be copied and plonked down elsewhere in the world, although its lessons could be applied almost anywhere. Ban points out that many architects today are professional nomads, lacking Aalto’s deep-rooted sense of home. … Aalto believed that “great ideas arise from the small details of life”.

Let’s go to London, shall we? Together we can see Alvar Aalto: through the eyes of Shigeru Ban. February 22 to May 13, at the Barbican. Ban will lecture there on February 20. He’ll discuss

“his experience of the conversation between his own and Aalto’s work.
Both architects’ work addresses questions ranging from materials, form and structure to the ethical dimension of architecture.”

As a museum should, the Barbican will record this and make it available as a podcast. As soon as it is, I’ll link to it.

So I guess we can take our trip somewhere else if you like. Somewhere warm? 😉
-Edoardo

Shigeru Ban redoes
Mies’ Farnsworth House

… in paper!

Shigeru Ban often builds in paper. And he has long loved the Farnsworth House. In 1992 Ban designed this,

Ban told me once how how important Mies was to him, and how he used to visit and marvel at Mies’ Chicago highrise 860 – 880 Lake Shore Drive. It’s easy to see Mies’ influence in his work. This is keen, since the work of Mies looks so Japanese, it’s nice to see it return home.

And also with a Finnish influence. Now you can also clearly see the influence on Shigeru Ban of

Alvar Aalto.
Aalto’s Auditorium at the Technical University in Helskini

Aalto’s theater in Essen, Germany

Soon to open in London, the Barbican, as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations will present

Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of
Shigeru Ban

Jonathan Glancey in the Guardian [via] notes that as a student Ban was keen on Mies,
and later Aalto’s work changed his way of thinking.

Ban says Aalto was the first architect he had encountered “whose work was inseparable from its surroundings, aesthetically and functionally”. As Aalto’s work matured, it became more site-specific; it couldn’t readily be copied and plonked down elsewhere in the world, although its lessons could be applied almost anywhere. Ban points out that many architects today are professional nomads, lacking Aalto’s deep-rooted sense of home. … Aalto believed that “great ideas arise from the small details of life”.

Let’s go to London, shall we? Together we can see Alvar Aalto: through the eyes of Shigeru Ban. February 22 to May 13, at the Barbican. Ban will lecture there on February 20. He’ll discuss

“his experience of the conversation between his own and Aalto’s work.
Both architects’ work addresses questions ranging from materials, form and structure to the ethical dimension of architecture.”

As a museum should, the Barbican will record this and make it available as a podcast. As soon as it is, I’ll link to it.

So I guess we can take our trip somewhere else if you like. Somewhere warm? 😉
-Edoardo