Pier Luigi Nervi in Rome, a newsletter, and a glimmer of hope
Introduction to the work of pier Luigi Nervi in Rome, to a cool newsletter, and to an interview about remote work in architecture.
Hello! 👋
After last week's ranting about the architecture profession, I went down a rabbit hole initiated by my good friend Antoine with this article: Death to the Calling: A Job in Architecture is Still a Job, by Marisa Cortright over at Common Edge.
It then led to many other harrowing-but-necessary reads, which I totally recommend and will write about soon.
However, I want to keep things light today. The Coronavirus and Brexit and Kobe were enough bad news in the past few days. So, to cheer things up, some links you'll surely find uplifting.
Pier Luigi Nervi in Rome 🇮🇹
With the work on the Rome Contemporary Architecture Guide underway, I learned a lot this week about the Italian engineer Pier Luigi Nervi. He is the author of two of my favorite buildings in Rome (the Palazzetto and the Palazzo dello Sport).
As I researched, I became quickly fascinated by Nervi, his contribution to architecture and engineering, and by the way, he approached architecture and beauty.
Despite being trained as an engineer, Nervi believed mathematics and theory were not enough when designing complex structures.
He studied the work of past Greek and Roman builders to understand how they could have built such monumental and complex buildings without the scientific methods existing at his time. This showed, to him, the importance of intuition and static sensibility over mere mathematics in engineering and architecture.
I wrote a lengthier article about Nervi and his work on the TFA Blog in case you are interested:
Pier Luigi Verdi and his buildings in Rome
📄 on the TFA Blog (4-6 minute read)
Daily Dose 1334: James Lipnickas
The Daily Dose is one of my favorite newsletters. Curated by Switzerland-based French designer Raphael Kadid, each edition is composed of a series of pictures or drawings curated around a theme.
Last Tuesday's edition brought the work of the American artist James Lipnickas. The artist describes his work as
(...) an exploration of what comes after death and what is left behind for the living. The landscape is minimalist, geometric, and evokes a world that the viewer cannot place. The figure is nondescript and is devoid of gender or race. It is searching for an answer and is seeking the white door, confronted by obstacles, searching for answers, and in a constant state of limbo.
Check more of his work on his Instagram. Also, do subscribe to the Daily Dose for a daily shot of inspiration in your inbox.
Exploring Remote Work and 'Radical Flexibility' in Architecture With Diana Nicklaus
on Archinect
For us, remote work is one of the tools that provide a level playing field for employees to pursue their personal goals alongside their professional goals.
Based on trust, strong communication skills, and coordination of team schedules, our view of office versus remote work time means that people are not penalized if they are in the office less than others.
Our team is committed to helping one another maintain ownership of their work, regardless of location.
It is so refreshing and inspiring to read stories of industry leaders who are daring to do different and succeeding at it.
Remote work is becoming commonplace in many industries. However, most architects still hold the belief that remote teams are impossible in our profession.
I beg to differ. I am a firm believer that active management and the right tools and mindset can make it possible. Fear of change and accommodation is what keeps people from even trying to implement remote work policies in their practices. Also, I've seen offices lose incredible talent for lacking the guts to try doing things differently in the workplace.
As I am preparing to write a piece about the subject, I would love to hear more stories about remote work in architecture.
Does your company allow for remote work? How's that working?
Hit reply and let me know! ✉️
That's it this week.
If you have any questions or comments, just hit reply. I read every email and would love to hear from you. Also, check our Foreign Architects Facebook Group, and let's talk architecture and travel.
Greetings from Chiang Mai 🇹🇭
Best,
Daniel