Handmade Urbanism

Il 18 Luglio 2013 Detroit ha dichiarato bancarotta. Con 18.5 Miliardi di $ di debito, la città simbolo mondiale dell'industria automobilistica, ha ottenuto il nuovo record di più grande fallimento amministrativo nella storia degli Stai Uniti.
Da anni, le immagini del Michigan Theatre, un teatro neo rinascimentale del 1925 diventato "il più bel garage del mondo", raccontano meglio di ogni descrizione scritta, il significato di bancarotta amministrativa.
Una specie di simbolo della rovina dell'impero.

La storia di ogni fallimento parte da lontano: solo tra il 2000 ed il 2010 la popolazione di Detroit è diminuita del 25%. Dal punto di vista urbanistico, vuol dire un quarto della città abbandonato.

The Heidelberg Project
Nel 1983, Tyree Guyton, un artista di Detroit, ex vigile del fuoco, ex militare, ex operaio nel settore automobilistico, assieme al nonno, Sam Mackey "Grandpa Sam", cominciano a decorare gli edifici abbandonati di MacDougal-Hunt, in una forma di arte di protesta sociale e politica contro il deterioramento del loro quartiere, dando vita a quello che verrà successivamente chiamato "The Heidelberg Project".

"Changing lives through art"

Negli anni, The Heidelberg Project è cresciuto molto, si è strutturato, ha cominciato a coinvolgere i bambini del quartiere, ha creato un Emerging Artist Program ed un sistema di raccolta fondi per la gestione di un programma di sviluppo di quelle aree.

Nel 2008, The Hildelberg Project è stato uno dei 15 progetti invitati a rappresentare gli Stati Uniti alla Biennale di Architettura di Venezia.

"On two occasions, the Heidelberg Project faced complete destruction by the City of Detroit on the basis of the barriers to urban planning it represented. In November 1991, under Mayor Coleman Young, the Heidelberg Project's "The Baby Boy House", "Fun House" and "Truck Stop" were completely demolished. Under Mayor Dennis Archer, a second demolition of the Heidelberg Project was ordered on February 4, 1999 that ended in the destruction of the houses Guyton termed "Your World", "Happy Feet" and "The Canfield House".

On May 3, 2013, the famous "Obstruction of Justice" house was largely destroyed by a fire beginning around 3:30 am. The cause was not immediately known.

Late in the evening of November 11/12, 2013, the "House of Soul" burned to the ground. The suspected cause so far is arson.

Early morning November 21, 2013. The "Penny" house was burned. The cause also appears to be arson.

Early morning November 28, 2013, the "War House" was burned. The cause again appears to be arson.

Late evening December 8, 2013, "Clock House" was burned. The cause again appears to be arson.

2014.

Early morning March 7, 2014, "The Party Animal House" aka "The Doll House" was burned. The cause is under investigation.

The 20th Anniversary of the Heidelberg Project was celebrated on August 26, 2006, with a community festival, an event that ended a year of special attention.

MTV producers filmed a segment for its show Made using the Heidelberg Project as a backdrop.

Kate Moss visited the Heidelberg Project with photographer Bruce Webber to photograph the City of Detroit for a special edition of W magazine in June 2006.

In 2008, the project was one of 15 projects representing the United States at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale."

From Wikipedia: The Heidelberg Project

Drawing Architecture

Homify

Nei giorni scorsi mi ha intervistato la redazione di Homify, un sito tedesco con sede a Berlino, dedicato all'architettura e all'arredo di interni, che ha recentemente aperto anche in Italia. 

Si parla di architettura, di urbanistica, di Roma, di creatività e si arriva fino a Gipi.

L'intervista si può leggere qui: Intervista a Fabio Barilari

Homify - Intervista a Fabio Barilari 

National Geographic

Kolumba is an art museum in Koln: it shows a collection about religious art and presents works of all the centuries and the exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, presenting the works according to their affinities, instead of their ages or geographical locations. Its architecture, by Peter Zumthor, from the single detail, to the materials choosen, till the rooms sequence along the path, has a intense emotional correspondence with the art collection. I got lucky to visit it in a sunny day.

"Kolumba" - Koln 

I took this picture last September and today it has been selected by the National Geographic for its "Daily Dozen", a selection of photos made world wide.
Along the years, the National Geographic has preserved its seriousness and authority as editor and magazine and its choice makes me feel really honored.
If you like it, you can vote it.
Thank you

Architectural Review

The Architectural Review has just selected and published these two works I made in the last years.
A new debate is growing about meanings and targets of drawing in architecture in the digital era.
The Architectural Review presents an interesting selections of works in its Architectural Review's Folio.

From their website:
"The Architectural Review's Folio Project is a growing archive of the best architectural drawings from around the world. Highlighting unknown students, small practices and selecting work from influencial portfolios, AR Folio promotes the finest architectural drawings old and new"

From the point of view of architectural research, this new interest in drawing, brings with it many topics suspended in the last 20 years of digital revolution, several potential developments, great risks.

On one side, the research, projected towards the need for a dialogue between this primary medium of human's expression and the most advanced research in computing, as well as the contemporary social issues. 

On the other, the risk of an erroneous nostalgic view and misunderstood meaning of the drawing media, which can only lead to an involution of the architectural discipline.

The Architectural Review, "the home of architectural criticism since 1896", published in UK, is one of the oldest, most important and well-known publications about architecture in the world. A real institution.
I'm honored of their appreciation of my work, also because I think that this debate is going to grow in the next years, and it will be important to mantain the distinction between evolution and involution, in drawing architecture.

Architectural Review Folio - F Barilari_Harbor Town

Architectural Review Folio - F Barilari_Architettonica

Light of Rome

Favela Painting

"Colour is a power which directly influences the soul"

W. Kandinsky – Concerning the Spiritual in Art

The Dutch art collective HAAS&HAHN, who founded the Favela Painting project, focus on turning public urban spaces in communities facing social difficulties into monumental works of art. They are embarking on their third project in Rio de Janerio’s favelas, the previous two of which were a huge success. In 2007 they completed a large-scale mural titled Boy With Kite, and in 2008 theRio Cruzeiro, which saw a Japanese Koi Carp design grace a stairway. The art of favela painting is not solely about cosmetically enhancing the area, but rejuvenating the space, educating the youth, and creating job opportunities for local residents for an overall positive effect on the community in the short as well long term. For more information on their worthwhile project, visit their Kickstarter page here.
From "Highsnobiety"

8 YEARS of HAAS & HAHN

"The Favela Painting Foundation supports the creation of striking artworks in unexpected places. It collaborates with local people to use art as a tool to inspire, create beauty, combat prejudice and attract attention." It is based in Amsterdam, works independent, and operates in Rio de Janeiro with local representatives. 

OCEAN - John Butler 2012 - Studio Version

Croquis energy

Questo progetto di arredi, è la tesi di uno studente d'arte giapponese, Daigo Fukawa, pubblicato su IdeaFixa, sito web di San Paulo in Brasile. 

Anche se sembrano fotomontaggi, si tratta di oggetti di design reali. L'idea di base è tanto essenziale quanto geniale: fermare l'energia creativa di uno schizzo a penna, senza nessuna rielaborazione successiva, mantenendo quella carica di immediatezza fino alla fine del processo produttivo.

Essa série móveis do estudante de arte japonês Daigo Fukawa foi chamada de "Rough Sketch Products". Um primeiro olhar sobre as fotografias das mesas e cadeiras fazem a gente acreditar que é apenas um render. O projeto genial - não necessariamente confortável - foi submetido em uma exposição - tese sênior na Tokyo University of the Arts.

da  IdeaFixa

Austin - Texas

Bold as Love

Bold in italiano racchiude molti significati: "Ardito, audace, baldanzoso, chiaro, coraggioso, deciso, grosso, impudente, sfacciato, sicuro, spavaldo". Oppure "acceso, vivace" se riferito ad un colore. Anche "pestifero", in un'accezione più irlandese. 
Un microcosmo, rinchiuso in una parola.

Palazzo Spinelli di Laurino - Napoli XXVIII sec.

"Dammi risposte complesse. Please"

Gipi - intro a "Unastoria"

Nessuna città come Napoli chiede, anzi, pretende risposte complesse. 

Forse nessun luogo, esprime in modo più compiuto, ricco e profondo il concetto di organismo urbano ed architettonico.

Nella sua bellezza disarmante e struggente, Napoli è un organismo vivente e la sua potenza non è nella forma compiuta, ma nel suo stato in continuo divenire; per un forestiero come me, comprenderla ha a che fare con la personale capacità di accettare che, come qualunque organismo vivente, il suo sviluppo non può essere fermato in un momento ideale: come una barriera corallina che cresce su se stessa, si modifica, si articola a dismisura; perde delle parti, ne crea delle altre.

Un'alternanza e commistione, senza soluzione di continuità, di capolavori di architettura, cabine tecniche, reperti archeologici, abusi edilizi, antenne, fili elettrici, stucchi barocchi, condizionatori, crepe, ringhiere, statue rinascimentali, insegne luminose, grate, decori kitsch, bassorilievi in bronzo, neon, scritte con lo spray, targhe commemorative in marmo, tapparelle di plastica, cassette del gas, edicole votive, reti di protezione, pubblicità legali, impalcature, pubblicità abusive, ancora impalcature, delizie liberty, panni stesi, scheletri in cemento armato, tettoie in eternit, basolato, alluminio anodizzato, linoleum, intonaci sbiaditi, marmi policromi, altri panni stesi. 27 secoli di storia, il più vasto centro storico d'Europa, pari a circa 1700 ettari - 17 chilometri quadrati dell'intera superficie urbana ed una ricchezza urbana con pochi confronti.

Non si può pensare di pianificare ed indirizzare un luogo simile, senza lasciare aperti dei gradi di anarchia, o almeno di libera azione da parte di chi ci vive, perchè ognuno degli ingredienti qui sopra elencati, contribuisce a questa ricchezza.
L'architettura di questo organismo, per ciò che è e per ciò che deve continuare ad essere, pretende risposte complesse.

"As citizen-driven urban action becomes increasingly potent and well-disseminated, the tension between spontaneous, bottom-up improvements and top-down planning and policy is thrown into higher and higher relief. As often as that tension might manifest through loud, messy confrontations, a great deal of it simply takes the form of confusion. The bottom-ups and the top-downs aren’t quite sure what to do with each other, so the future of cities remains cloudy. How we get from here to a more harmonious future seems anybody’s guess.

Citizen-led urban renewal instruments might take an important role, but only if the local authorities can turn these applications into local development programs.

In other words, policymakers need to figure out better ways to facilitate and channel the energy of engaged citizens, in order for their cities to reach their full potential"

da Handmade Urbanism .

Da UNESCO World Heritage - Centro Storico di Napoli - 1995: 

"Naples is one of the most ancient cities in Europe, whose contemporary urban fabric preserves the elements of its long and eventful history. Its street pattern, its wealth of historic buildings from many periods, and its setting on the Bay of Naples give it an outstanding universal value without parallel, and one that has had a profound influence in many parts of Europe and beyond."

"Much of the significance of Naples is due to its urban fabric, which represents twenty-five centuries of growth. Little survives above ground of the Greek town, but important archaeological discoveries have been made in excavations since the end of the Second World War. Three sections of the original town walls of this period are visible in the north-west. The surviving Roman remains are more substantial, notably the large theatre, cemeteries and catacombs. The street layout in the earliest parts of the city owes much to its classical origins."

"The period that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West saw the beginning of church-building on a substantial scale, and churches such as those of San Gennaro extra moenia, San Giorgio Maggiore, and San Giovanni Maggiore have surviving elements of 4th- and 5th-century architecture. The chapel of Santa Restituta in the 14th-century cathedral is reputed to be the first Christian basilica in Naples. The Castel dell'Ovo is one of the most substantial survivals from the Norman period. Built as a fortress-monastery on the site of the villa of Lucullus, it was subsequently remodelled on several occasions, and given its present form at the end of the 17th century."

“During the Norman-Swabian period the city remained largely within its classical walls, but the arrival of the Angevin kings saw it begin to expand and to absorb the suburbs and neighbouring villages. The influence of western art and architecture began to assert itself at this time. French Gothic pervaded both religious and domestic architecture. From the Angevin period date religious structures - the new cathedral, the churches of San Lorenzo Maggiore, San Domenico Maggiore, Santa Chiara and others, and the secular buildings Castel Nuovo, Castel Capuano and Palace of the Prince of Taranto. The strongest influence came from southern France, and there is much fine Provençal Gothic architecture in Naples.“

“The accession of the Aragonese dynasty saw much building and rebuilding. The town walls were refurbished and rationalized. The Renaissance heritage of Naples is mainly the work of Italian architects, with some from Catalonia. The San Severino Palace, now demolished, was one of the most lavish buildings of its period. A number of major churches date from this period (Santa Caterina a Formiello and the Monteoliveto complex). The early 16th century saw the beginning of two centuries of Spanish rule, and the strengthening once again of the defences, particularly during the twenty years of the viceroyalty of Pedro de Toledo, who initiated a planning policy for the city as part of his efforts to carry out a social reorganization. The Royal Palace was built in 1600 and fills one side of the imposing Piazza del Plebiscito. Church building included such foundations as the Monte dei Poveri Vergognosi charitable institution, the convent of Sant'Agostino degli Scalzi, and the Jesuit College on Capodimonte."

"Suburbs continued to grow outside the and these, too, saw the erection of large religious and secular structures. Quarters both inside and outside the walls became specialized according to nationality, social grade, and trade. The port also grew to meet the City's increasing requirements in the 17th and 18th centuries. The 19th century saw more radical changes in the street plan, notably the creation of the Piazza Mercato during the reign of Ferdinand IV after an area of wooden barrack buildings was destroyed by fire.

Following unification in 1860, a great deal of planning and rehabilitation took place. What had become slum quarters were cleared, as a result of which many earlier buildings were swept away and new roads were built, cutting through earlier street patterns."

From UNESCO World Heritage - Centro Storico di Napoli

BOLD AS LOVE - Jimi Hendrix

"Anger he smiles tow'ring shiny metallic purple armour.
Queen jealousy, envy waits behind him.
Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground.
Blue are the life giving waters taking for granted,
They quietly understand."

"Once happy turquoise armies lay opposite ready,

But wonder why the fight is on.

But they're all, bold as love."

 


"Yeah, they're all bold as love.

Yeah, they're all bold as love.

Just ask the Axis."

"My red is so confident he flashes trophies of war
And ribbons of euphoria.
Orange is young, full of daring but very unsteady for the first go 'round.
My yellow in this case is no so mellow.
In fact I'm trying to say it's frightened like me"

"And all of these emotions of mine keep holding me
From giving my life to a rainbow like you.
But I'm a yeah, I'm bold as love,"

"Well, I'm bold, bold as love.

Hear me talkin', girl.

I'm bold as love.

Just ask the Axis.

He knows everything."

Il testo in italiano di "Bold as Love" non è altrettanto intenso, ma vale la pena leggerlo qui: AngoloTesti.it

Playing for Change / Feliz Navidad

Playing for Change is a multimedia music project, created by the American producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Timeless Media Group, that seeks to bring together musicians from around the world. Playing For Change also created a separate non-profit organization called the Playing For Change Foundation which builds music schools for children around the world.

The project started in 2004 with the organization's self-described goal to "inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music". The creators of the project, Mark Johnson and Enzo Buono, traveled around the world , using mobile recording equipment, recording local musicians performing the same song, interpreted in their own style.

From Wikipedia 

Buon Natale

Berlin

Unter Den Linden - Berlin

“La Memoria non è uno strumento per scrutare nel  passato, bensì è il suo teatro. E’ lo strumento dell’esperienza vissuta, proprio come la terra è il mezzo nel quale le città del passato riposano sepolte. Colui che ricerca il proprio passato sepolto, dovrà essere pronto a scavare.”

Walter Benjamin, Berlin Childhood around 1900

Temples of Knowledge

Le biblioteche sono il tema principale di questo progetto finanziato dal Goethe-Institut.
Presenta il programma in corso in questi anni in Germania, di sviluppo e potenziamento del sistema delle biblioteche pubbliche e private nel paese, oltre alla particolare importanza affidata alla qualità del progetto architettonico.

The libraries are the main focus of this project financed by the Goethe-Institut.
It presents the currently on-going German program of developing and strengthening the system of public and private libraries of the country, as well as the particular importance given to the high quality of architectural design.

Philologishe Bibliothek - Berlin 2009 / Arch. Norman Foster

Akademie des Judischen Museum - Berlin 2013 / Arch. Daniel Libeskind