The video presents an interview with a very famous German architect Jürgen Mayer. He studied in Stuttgart University, The Cooper Union and Princeton Universtiy. His work has been published and exhibited worldwide and is part of numerous collections including MoMA New York and SF MoMA. He gained many national and international awards such as the Mies van der Rohe Award Emerging Architect Special Mention 2003, Holcim Award Bronze 2005 and Audi Urban Future Award 2010. His architectural studio focuses on works at the intersection of architecture, communication and new technology. During the interview, he speaks about his well-known work, Metropol Parasol in Seville.
Mayer asked about the beginnings of this project answers that it’s all started because of a competition which was about creating a new, iconic piece for Seville that could also create a new idea for an urban space in the 21st century. His firm proposed a structure that sits on the Roman ruins. The Metropol Parasol refers to the old food market and it also provides visitors with a mode to be elevated up above the horizon line of the buildings. Mayer emphasizes that Metropol Parasol is not only the largest wood/timber construction in the world, but also it might also be the largest one that has a glued, bonding technology. He said that the most innovative part in the structure of the building was to transfer the forces from one element to the other.
As far as the inspiration in this design is concerned, Mayer says that they got some from the city. One was some big trees on a neighboring plaza. Other was the Seville Cathedral. He says, that the structure inside it was an inspiration for the form of the Metropol Parasol. He considers this work as an urban, democratic, open cathedral that is held together by the people and the life in the center of the city.
During the conversation the subject of sustainability was also brought up. For him, sustainability is one of the most important issues in architecture. He points out that a building must work not only on a functional level and on a sustainability level, but also on an aesthetic level. Many parameters must be taken into account. He understands sustainability in architecture as focusing the attention again back to the future. He finishes this interview with words: “Architecture is always about a better future, otherwise nobody would invest in it or care about it, right?”
Similar Posts:
- Spanish Metropol Parasol built with wood and… glue.
- Building the Future: Interview Architecture’s New Rising Star – Jürgen Mayer H.
- The world’s biggest wood building – Metropol Parasol by J. Mayer H. Architects
- Sustainability in Architecture (Interview with Ellen van Loon from OMA)
- Renowned Architect Mario Cucinella Explains How Architecture Could be Improved and what will our Green Future Look Like
