Stories and Matters
2019
21
20
Milano, 04.10.2018
What exactly is meant by contract? How does it fit into
the notion of the project and in the different contexts
in which it is applied?
The Contrac secor almos always ofers the opportunity
for the designer to experiment: as in a process of artisic
creation, he imagines aeshetic solutions by tesing the
results, geting to grips with the consant operation of cos
control.
From the subject of the brief to the project
itself, contract represents a fitting agreement
between the designer and the companies.
From the perspective of general project man-
agement, streamlining complex architec-
tural systems seems to be one of the main
objectives. However, contract also means
personalizing spaces through innovative and
qualitative choices related to materials and
engineering processes. The following design
challenges therefore make up a guide and
offer an opportunity to highlight some requi-
rements that emerge in the study phase:
how to confer the Italian identity abroad,
bearing in mind the cultural nature of the
location and landscape, or how to create con-
tinuity in endorsing a new, beyond simply
functional, architectural style. And then
there is the opportunity to create a dialogue
with local suppliers, consolidating construc-
tive choices that also meet the economic
needs of the location, trying to connect archi-
tecture and the arts, with the increasingly
topical objective of designing in a sustaina-
ble way. Responding to the client’s needs
means starting off the planning phase by
observing the space. The designer also has
the task to identify practical solutions for
the people-space ratio, designing according
to the specific functions of the space, devis-
ing strategic paths linking the different work
areas, increasingly dynamic thanks to the
support of technology, responsible for the
important evolution of method and work-
flow. What relationship is forged with sup-
pliers? Often an underestimated skill is to
choose to interact with suppliers who have
an artisan approach to the creation of details
and who can apply their creativity to the
requirements imposed by budget con-
straints. In architecture people are at the
center of the project, in an almost Re-
naissance vision in which art and science,
as well as rationality and interpretation,
can create new paths and new significant
styles. The Contract sector almost always
offers the opportunity for the designer
to experiment: as in a process of artistic cre-
ation, he imagines aesthetic solutions by
testing the results, getting to grips with the
constant operation of cost control. A
rapport of opposites, in which Italian com-
panies thanks to their great versatility,
ability and style also find plenty of oppor-
tunities abroad.
GIANLUCA PELUFFO
When it comes to contract a central theme
is represented by the dialogue between ex-
tremely different cultures. We often find
ourselves planning and designing outside
Italy and having a strong identity is in itself
an essential communication tool. We are
currently working on some large projects
in Egypt, in desert and mountainous places
where often the only spatial interaction
between the elements is the one that runs be-
tween the building and the sky or between
the buildings and the sea. The two main pro-
jects, from a size point of view, are both
located near Cairo. The first area is a moun-
tainous desert area on the coast, 150 km
from Cairo and is often considered a holiday
destination. We were assigned to draw up
a large Masterplan providing for 8000 units
which in turn include 30 different types
of housing and 3 hotels. The first lot under
construction is for an impressive 2000
units. The first challenge we faced when we
were confronted with such a large project
was most certainly that of creating an archi-
tectural style as well as focusing on the
area from a functional angle as well as its
organization of public spaces. For this
reason, there was an initial, intense, prepara-
tory research phase which allowed us to
enter into the spirit of the location: a search
for images and historiography aimed at
finding connections between the lexicon
of form and shape in Italy and Egyptian cul-
ture. In the specific case of this location,
the architectural viewpoint affected the first
stages of the project: overlooking a marina,
we thought of buildings as bodies, elements
fostering the view of the landscape. We
were able to make essential choices in select-
ing the materials based on technical infor-
mation such as wind paths. On the outside
we tried to work with materials whose char-
acteristics could communicate with the
local traditions and with the rudimentary
characteristics of the surrounding nature.
At the same time we brought typical Italian
quality to the processing of materials, such
as ceramics. The building choices depend
on the local economy in many cases, but
most importantly on the features of the loca-
tion. The second project based in Egypt
is related to a university site, again in this
case approximately 8,000 units, in close
proximity to Cairo in the region of the Red
Sea. The intention was to maintain a cen-
tral university area with 3 campuses and
4 pre university educational blocks. The
brief identified a downtown infrastructural
system along the main streets of the city
to build student residences and residential
complexes. We wanted the university sys-
tem to generate movement, for this reason
we created an urban network of connec-
tions and public transport to endorse this
non-dispersive propensity.
ALESSANDRO ADAMO
I joined DEGW when I was young, and
I deal mainly with the aspects connected to
workplace design.The company provides
bespoke Consultancy and Design services
in the workplace sector. Right from the
start, the four founding partners were con-
vinced that space had to adapt to the needs
of companies in order to enhance their busi-
ness models, from this idea a company
providing an exclusive service was set-up.
Dealing with only one single design char-
acteristic is a rather exclusive activity and
today we are within a much larger group,
Lombardini 22, a group that firmly believes
in the exclusivity of design in various sec-
tors. We have a luxury division, another one
dedicated to physical branding, as well as
the division I work in, which focuses on the
world of workplaces and offices. Obser-
vation and analysis are two extremely spe-
cific activities that make up our method
of design and planning: we take all the nec-
essary steps to understand exactly how
the office space is used during the working
day. This method was patented by DEGW
approximately 20 years ago, thanks to our
professional experience with telecommuni-
cation companies. A great deal has changed
since then. Once, companies were not very
attentive to the idea of usage, while today
they are beginning to understand the impor-
tance of investing in projects that enhance
productivity. This preliminary analysis has
become highly requested in recent years
particularly in the financial services sector.
It is thought that today an employee spends
on average 60% of his working day in the
office and approximately 40% at his desk.
This data explains why we mainly deal with
space-planning, taking all the necessary
steps to understand the specific needs of dif-
ferent organizations. A significant change
that has redefined, and in some cases
revolutionized, workflows, is due to new
technologies allowing for the non physical
presence in the workplace (workplace
mobility or smart working) and workflows
have therefore become more decentralized
than in the past. The issues of space, mobil-
ity and teamwork are the three points we
reason out. Mobility most certainly didn’t
exist in the 1970’s and working in teams
was a not a common occurance; workplaces
were mostly closed offices looking out
onto long corridors, while the percentage
of support areas was extremely low. Later,
in the 90’s, organizations began to work on
the issue of efficiency, increasing the surface
areas as people no longer worked in offices
but in open spaces. Organizations place
great emphasis on the speed of information
and the quality of team-work and to achieve
this they seek the support of technology.
There is a shift in importance from the ef-
fectiveness of the space to their efficiency
and to the diversification of spaces accord-
ing to their use. Working on the planning
of work spaces today also means engaging
in a new idea of work: hierarchy has be-
come increasingly less important, compa-
nies reason less on an organizational level
and more on the type of activity that is car-
ried out and on workers’ characteristics
– whether they are office based or mobile.
Inhouse restaurants and canteens are also
seen as potential resources that can be used
during the working day for meetings. In the
study phase it is of the upmost importance
to take into account two different complex-
ities: objective analysis and subjective/per-
ceptive analysis. The data obtained from
a first phase of work is the result of constant
monitoring in relation to time and to the
number of people involved; we combine this
data with the results of surveys and ques-
tionnaires of a sample of selected partici-
pants. This allows us to have a broader
range of emotions based on the individual’s
perception and sensitivity in relation to the
place and to the change. In addition to
observing, understanding the ideal model to
implement, define activities and types of
work, it is also necessary to work on tech-
nologies so as to combine the innovation
of the spaces with their operability. In this
regard, a telling example is Microsoft,
who moving to their new location in Milan,
to the building designed by Herzog & De
Meuron, downsized from its previous head-
quarters covering 20,000 smq to its current
7,000 smq size. Today companies ask us for
simplicity in sizing and design. A particular
focus should be given to tall buildings: an
incredible experience, involving Rimadesio,
which has just finished, was the project
of the Allianz towers. And right now we are
working on a project for Price PwC, the
third tower in the City Life district. Today
the subject of skyscrapers presents us with
complex elements but which must however
be efficient and functional at the same time.
Compared to other buildings, a tower has ex-
tremely different efficiency characteris-
tics: for example the possibility to modify
the internal layout is an important factor,
this allows for a proper management of the
different flows: having an open plan layout
puts people and their needs at the centre of
the project. And because we believe that
people are the real value of an organization,
we also believe that, when there are projects
that bring about change, it is extremely
important to prepare the people to live
the new spaces through involvement and
engagement.
MARCO CASAMONTI
We have been dealing for many years with
the relationship between architecture and
the arts, figurative arts, cinema and in par-
ticular literature, which I believe is the
most indicated to “read” architecture. If I had
to teach a young first year student how to
write an essay on architecture in a language
that was not his own, I would tell him
not to think about architecture but to think
about a story using the tools in his poses-
sion. The reason why literature and architec-
ture are so closely connected lies in the fact
that it is very complex know-how, an
equation with many unknowns. I am very
interested in words and their meanings
and architecture is one of those disciplines
where all too often we associate words with-
out knowing how to give them their right
worth like “smart city” or “green architec-
tureˮ… I asked myself then about the word
contract, it is nothing more than a contract
between the designer and the companies,
and I thought that in this case Italian com-
panies are unique representatives, able
to solve a problem through streamlining
a complex know-how. I think it is extremely
important nowadays to work with compa-
nies who carry out research, who have
a specific know-how and expertise, knowl-
edge which the designer can take advantage
of in order to shape his project. To use
a word that was mentioned a short while
ago, the designer should be “smartˮ, able
to find the best way to connect all the pro-
ject’s resources in the best and smartest
way and at the same time, deal with all the
contract issues, in short, choose the best
artisans who are able to streamline problems
without losing any aesthetic qualities. At
the end of the day the architect designs with
the world of the arts in mind Kant said that
“architecture is a lesser art because it has an
objective” (“pulchritudo adherens”), as
opposed to art which is done for pleasure.
But I think it is more difficult to create
something that is functional, that has a pur-
pose, where there are complexities to work
on. An architect today must also be an artist,
he must be able to design his own material,
to keep companies involved. In this regard
Italian companies are ahead in their game:
they are made up of artisans able to produce
original solutions offering a quality equal
to that of industrial production. At the end of
the day architecture is all about material
and tactility,and an architect should know
how to design its bricks.
The value of interdisciplinary mixtures
In collaboration with Area
Guess: Alessandro Adamo, DEGW;
Marco Casamonti, Archea Associati;
Gianluca Pelufo, GianlucaPelufo&Partners
Moderator: Mateo Ruta, Direcor of Arketipo
Talking About 2018, Contract & Project
