IE School of Architecture & Design Newsletter - December 2021/January 2022

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time to focus on

CHERISHING THAT WHICH EXISTS

As we come to the end of the year and prepare for a new start, a question that arises is: how should we reuse what already exists? Being aware of the valuable, existing resources that enrich our lives is also particularly fitting when thinking of ways to make our built environment more sustainable. 

There is, of course, a material component to this. In recent years, there has been a growing push for the reuse of existing buildings, while the construction sector has become more conscious of the need to minimize its consumption of natural resources. 

But reuse also has a more social role. Existing environments are full of cultural and social values. We connect with the landscapes in which we live, relax or work. While there is room for reimagining the way we want to live, there is also value in revitalizing the existing. 

The existing is a rich source of inspiration: humans have been constructing environments for millennia, often by using the material and technical resources at hand and looking at what is locally available and less resource-intensive. Through reusing that which already exists, we are embracing this knowledge and heritage.

Alejandra Albuerne

Assistant Professor at IE School of Architecture and Design

Architecture at IE:

Degree officially recognized in India

We are delighted to announce that our Bachelor of Architecture Studies qualification will be officially recognized by the Indian government from 2022, allowing the degree’s graduates to practice architecture in the country, just as they currently can across the EU and in Singapore. David Goodman, Associate Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, says it is an important step in facilitating professional licensure for our architecture graduates around the world. Current architecture student Nivedita Huple, set to graduate next year, will be one of the first to take advantage of this opportunity - and she sees great value in it for subsequent year groups. “As an IE ambassador, I often talk with prospective students and I've had quite a few from India asking how licensing works," she says. “I'm sure many will come to study in Spain now that it's possible to return to India and practice.”

A feast of innovation:

IE Food Culture Lab

From January to June, around 40 IE students will work to find innovative, design-centered solutions for the food sector as part of the Food Culture Lab, set up by our design faculty to provide students with hands-on professional experience on campus. A placement with Telefónica will explore embracing 5G technology to revolutionize food shopping and enable better access to fresh produce, while students working with the Fernando Nuñez Foundation will consider strategies for introducing food into cultural spaces with positive impact. According to Food Culture Lab director Andrea Santamarina there has been a revolution in gastronomic culture over the past decade. “Food-makers have achieved greater creative importance,” says Santamarina, whose Madrid-based studio explores the space between drawing, sculpture and design. “Gastronomy therefore finds legitimacy in art and an ally in design."

Design & Entrepreneurship Workshop: New perspectives for the new year

Students from our Bachelor in Architectural Studies will engage in a week-long Design & Entrepreneurship Workshop in January, including leading practitioners from the field as guest speakers. These immersive studio-based experiences expose students to the realities of architectural practice on a global scale, exploring the architect’s role in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues. The line-up of experts speaking at this year’s workshops include: Girona-based architect Olga Felip, whose practice has worked on developments including the Sant Martí Civic Center in Barcelona and the Stratford Waterfront in London; Farzana Gandhi, whose New York-based design studio develops socially conscious architecture and urban planning solutions; and Giancarlo Mazzanti, whose Colombian design studio specializes in socially driven architectonic design and academic research.

Expert eye:

MUJI pays a visit

For their Design Skills class, taught by Ruxandra Iancu, co-founder of Madrid-based studio 50(Super(Real)), 1st year design undergraduates were asked to design and create a product for MUJI, the renowned lifestyle brand known for simplicity and minimalism. The teams received some of the most valuable feedback imaginable last week, as we welcomed Joaquim de Toca Andreu, President and CEO of MUJI Spain and Portugal, on campus to form part of the jury for the final presentation of the projects. He was met with the remarkably innovative vision of our Bachelor in Design students, whose proposals include flexible furniture for public spaces, packaging made from recycled waste and a new kind of social space inspired by traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. 

Manhattan's lofts:

Flexibility, subdivision and diversity

How do the design and spatial configuration of buildings impact the economic life of their neighborhood? A new investigation by Cem Kayatekin, Assistant Professor at IE School of Architecture and Design, puts the industrial loft buildings of Manhattan, New York City, under the microscope. Published in Buildings & Cities journal, Kayatekin’s paper examines both the occupants and the built forms of such constructions, exploring their ability to respond flexibly to tenants’ changing needs, and the extent to which they support an economically diverse makeup of businesses and residents.

Dynamic Dubai:

Daniel Canogar's installation at Expo 2020

A large-scale, interactive work by contemporary artist Daniel Canogar, a professor at IE School of Architecture and Design, is currently hanging from the atrium of the Spain Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai. The installation, called ‘Dynamo’, consists of LED sculptural screens, with light and sound sequences activated by visitors’ interactions with the piece. “By placing their hands under the railing,” explains Canogar, “visitors will activate a series of chromatic and optical effects that will change and be reflected on the sculpture.” Brought to life by the strength of the human collective, Dynamo encourages people to think about new forms of energy, for a more responsible and united future.

Student story:

Barak Alberro

Having started his career studying architecture, design innovation and construction management, New York-based Barak Alberro has developed a career in the world of architecture and property for the past 10 years. He is curre Projects Director at luxury property consultancy RedBook Agency and has also worked at architecture firms including Foster + Partners. Alberro is now a student in our Global Master in Real Estate Development program, where he is broadening skills and insights that he then hopes to use for improving his clients’ experiences. Working in a cohort of 14 others, all from various different countries and professional backgrounds, Alberro describes the program as a way of “seeing architecture from a completely different angle.”

Business of Design:

How to Win Work

January 20, 6pm CET

IE Tower and Online

Trying to win new business can risk becoming a time-consuming, unprofitable process for architecture and design firms. For the next edition of our Business of Design series, we welcome Jan Knikker of Rotterdam-based architecture firm MVRDV to discuss his new book, ‘How To Win Work: The architect's guide to business development and marketing’. Knikker began his career as a journalist before moving into areas like public relations and branding. At this event, he will reveal his top  insights into how the architecture sector can put effective business development practices into action, enabling architects and designers to become better business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Beyond Scale:

Keller Easterling

January 25, 6pm CET

Online

For the second in our new Beyond Scale masterclass series, we are delighted to welcome designer, author and Yale University professor Keller Easterling. Open and free to attend from across the world, this program of lectures champions architecture and design thinking in different areas, from energy and fashion to diversity and inclusivity, featuring world-leading thinkers from the field. Easterling’s latest book, ‘Medium Design: Knowing How To Work on the World’ (2021), considers design in terms of both spatial and non-spatial problems, providing an expansive definition of how design can approach different challenges. Easterling has also displayed work at several exhibitions, including Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Sharjah Biennial and the Venice Architecture Biennale.

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