THE PLAN 131 is out now! Discover the projects and the protagonists of this issue

Manuelle Gautrand and her studio were invited to take part in the 2021 Saint-Étienne International Design Biennial, which this year is themed “Bifurcations.” In our editorial, the architect tells us about the seven projects she’ll be exhibiting in the Church of Saint Pierre in Firminy, discussing for each the issues of urban evolution, environmental challenges, and, in particular, public space and the function of architecture in the management of this precious asset. Rich in architectural content, the entire temporary exhibit is made with recycled materials.

In Viaggio in Italia, Valerio Paolo Mosco showcases the Piuarch studio, examining its origins and projects. The four founding architects all echo the style of Vittorio Gregotti, with whom they trained in the ’90s. However, as often occurs in eclectic Italian architecture, this continuity seems to be fueled more by departures from the style they inherited than by blindly following it: eclecticism in continuity. So, we see Gregotti’s design principles used to give impetus to ideas typical of optical and kinetic art, transmuting the ordinary into something that is anything but ordinary, but which, nevertheless, doesn’t set out to be extraordinary.

In contrast with the high-density urbanization projects typical of China’s cities, the Yang Liping Center for Performing Arts creates a relationship with its setting that goes beyond its dimensions and forms, to include the use of raw natural materials instead of the ones typically used in modern construction methods. The project by Studio Zhu-Pei seeks to make material connections with the surrounding natural environment so as to preserve and promote the spirit and cultural identity of the region.

The 2021 masterplan for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River aims to restore the area by creating healthy, interconnected ecosystems, promoting artistic and cultural initiatives, and getting local communities involved in improving water quality. To achieve all this, the mayor of Los Angeles turned to a group of remarkable professionals: Gehry Partners, Geosyntec Consultants, and OLIN. Leading the project is Frank Gehry, who’s providing his time and skills pro bono to reimagine and rebuild this important feature of his hometown.

Over the last twenty years, Mexico has undergone a process of rapid urbanization, with some twenty million Mexicans moving from rural areas to cities. The SO–IL studio has put its name to a project for the development of vertical dwellings designed to counteract the unbridled expansion of its city. Las Americas Social Housing aims to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of the residents of León by pegging back uncontrolled urban sprawl through its more sustainable approach. The project will make it possible to build dignified homes that will encourage inclusion and belonging in the face of so many new arrivals.

Designed by Thom Mayne, director of Morphosis, Hanking Center Tower is a project that challenges both the laws of physics and the record books. At 1,180 feet (360 m) high, it not only ranks as China’s tallest steel tower but has also become an icon for Shenzhen’s thriving Nanshan district. While high-tech industries have made the whole city a showcase for the most famous international architects, the Hanking Center Tower stands apart with its strong technological and experimental imprint, and for the way it pushes the envelope of traditional tower construction.

Prototipo TELCA, the work of MCA Mario Cucinella Architects, is a groundbreaking project. On the one hand, the building demonstrates just how far 3D printing technology for the construction industry has come. On the other, it’s a testament to the viability of creating circular economies in architecture. TECLA is a new adaptive building type that uses raw earth and a fully parametric design. Construction involves the use of two 3D printers and is entirely robotic. Its versatility means that structures can be transformed according to the climate. This is a major step forward in the evolution of sustainable architecture that combines advanced technologies and the most basic of locally sourced materials.

Views of the Pantheon! Labics’s intention in this project is clear: to bring the outside in by setting a great deal of the furniture into the walls. The Pantheon House uses Japanese-style frames to achieve a blend of linear geometric lightness and a sense of materiality and Romanesque chiaroscuro. This is an elegant project whose personality is a valuable contribution to its historic setting.

Labarca-Martinez designed Casa Trancura so that the owners could enjoy the natural beauty of its setting, from the Trancura River to the Villarrica Nature Reserve, in Pucón, Chile. The result is a refuge among the trees that reflects both its natural and cultural settings through its exterior design and floor plan. This allows Casa Trancura to merge with its surrounding environment, becoming an almost intrinsic part of the landscape

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