This two volume publication offers a manual for the creation of new connections between art and technology, beyond traditional rules and concepts.
The first volume introduces some of Renzo Piano’s most famous works from all over the world presented through the eyes of the architect himself and his son Carlo. Their thoughts and reflections are taken from their journey together in 2011, during which they visited the buildings designed by Piano over the last 50 years in a hot air balloon. This unusual form of transport provided father and son with a very special view of the architect’s creations. The volume’s descriptions of buildings and landscapes are accompanied by photographs, sketches, blueprints and maps.
The second volume deals with the challenges of contemporary architecture, the limits and boundaries of building and the relationship between architecture and landscape in terms of aesthetics, functionality and sustainability. The nine sections of which the volume is composed are written by renowned Italian scholars, engineers and experts and cover all the different phases of planning and building: foundations, elevated structures, external shell, appearance, interior design, internal facilities and installations, and the building’s relationship with its surrounding landscape. Thanks to the collaboration with some of the world’s most prominent architects, each section includes case studies with blueprints, schemes and photographs, for a total of over 5000 images.