Fairy Tales

Here is an interview that I did, back in 2015, with the founders and directors of Blank Space:

Founded in 2013 by Matthew Hoffman and Francesca Giuliani, Blank Space conducts a unique annual competition named "Fairy Tales" and publishes books based on the results of the competitions. The way that Blank Space bridges so naturally and poetically between architecture and storytelling sheds a new light on architectural communication and expression. When I was working on NAAM #2: On the Edge of Architecture, I found it a great opportunity to interview Matthew and Francesca about Blank Space and the link that they see between fantasy and architecture.

Matthew Hoffman and Francesca Giulian. ©Blank Space

Three Drafts For Three Essays

My in-situ sketch of Nasser's House in Churet, Iran. 2015

"in my deserted home village

the old cherry tree

now in bloom"     

– Haiku by Issa

First Draft: What I Talk About, When I Talk About Unarchitecture

Coining terms is one thing, and getting them accepted is another. So when I first made up the word “un-Architecture”, I wasn’t pretty sure if it made any sense outside my mind – and the minds of the NAAM team of course. But when the submissions started to roll in [for the 3rd issue of NAAM / published Feb 2016], I felt relieved with the connection that a number of people from different parts of the world had found with this word. Yet, here I feel the urge to clarify some points about “un-architecture”.

Un-architecture is not a term only limited to rural areas. But let me begin from another point of departure: un-architecture is not the opposite of architecture. If it was so, then we would have probably named it “anti-architecture”, but that’s not the case. Just as architecture is derived from architect (originally from Ancient Greek “ἀρχιτέκτων”, arkhitéktōn, “master builder”), un-architecture is similarly derived from un-architect; and for that matter, “un-master builder”.

Creativity is Everywhere

Here is an interview that I did ,back in 2014, with the directing members of 120 HOURS:

120 HOURS is an architecture competition that was initially created by three students at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design in 2010 and is running successfully ever since. It is a competition for students that challenges them to design, present and submit their work in only 120 hours - counting from right after the announcement of the assignment. At first, 120 HOURS was only a competition for Norwegian students, but today, only over the course of five years [the article was written in 2014], it has turned into a prestigious international competition/event, acting as a great platform for some wild creativity.
The exciting nature of the competition and its student base were the main reasons for this interview with the members of the directing team behind 120 HOURS. Before each part/question, the name of the answering member is written.

The 120 HOURS team. From left: Hans Martin Frostad Halleraker - Scott Olav Allan - Fredrik Mortensen - Magnus Asker Pettersen. ©120 HOURS

The Island

Saturday, 09/28/2049

I (if ‘I’ makes any sense) am no one. I have no name… (I have no part in this story) the sole reason for my whole existence, from the very beginning, has been to find this among hundreds of death notices in the countless pages of today’s papers: ‘M. E., the architect of jetties number 6 and 7 of ‘The Island’, died peacefully at the age of 83’.

Now, I have a name…