2016 Architecture Innovator: Snøhetta

Summary

The speaker discusses the role of architecture in society, emphasizing its potential to create meaningful spaces that foster a sense of community and civility. They highlight the importance of designing with the community in mind rather than solely for the architect's vision. The talk covers various projects, including Times Square, the National September 11th Memorial Museum, and the SF MOMA, showcasing how architecture can address social issues, enhance cultural experiences, and create spaces that resonate with people on a deeper level. The speaker also touches on the challenges of maintaining innovation and avoiding the pitfalls of overbearing leadership as a company matures.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ The built environment plays a significant role in societal issues, and architecture with authentic meaning can foster a more civilized society.
• 🛠️ Architecture should be utilized for human development and serve communities, not just the architect's vision.
• 🏗️ The speaker's firm has a diverse portfolio with 14 projects under construction and 60 on the drawing board, including high-profile projects like the Times Square renovation and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
• 🎨 The firm is working on projects with cultural significance, such as a library in Philadelphia, an opera house in Busan, and a winery with Francis Ford Coppola.
• 🌍 International work includes the first project in Beirut and collaborations in Saudi Arabia and Toronto.
• 👴 Aging can bring both positive and negative aspects to a design-focused company, with experience potentially leading to over-reliance on past successes.
• 🔄 The firm values regenerating new types of thinking and integrating fresh perspectives to avoid stagnation.
• 🤝 Collaboration is key in complex projects like Times Square, requiring coordination among various stakeholders.
• 🚶‍♂️ The Times Square project aimed to improve safety and reduce crime by creating more pedestrian space and reducing air pollution.
• 🏛️ The National September 11th Memorial Museum was designed to embed culture and provide a sense of presence, aiming to evoke positive emotions.
• 🎨 The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's redesign focused on expanding audience engagement and creating communal experiences.
• 🔍 The firm pays close attention to the psychological context and invisible elements like acoustics and light that significantly affect people.
• 📚 The Alexandria Library project exemplifies the firm's socially engaged approach, with the building becoming a symbol of community ownership and protection.

Q & A

What role does the built environment play in today's society with its sensitivity and polarity?

The built environment plays a crucial role in shaping society's behavior and attitudes. By creating spaces with authentic meaning and value, it can foster a more civilized existence within the communities it serves.

How does architecture contribute to human development according to the transcript?

Architecture, when used to its full potential, serves as a tool for human development. It should be designed not just for the architect's glory but in the service of the communities it is meant to benefit.

What is the significance of creating an authentic memory through architecture?

Creating an authentic memory through architecture means designing spaces that hold personal and collective significance, which can potentially make people feel more connected and responsible towards their environment.

How many projects are currently under construction and on the drawing table according to the speaker?

There are 14 projects under construction and 60 projects on the drawing table.

What is the philosophy behind the design approach of the company mentioned in the transcript?

The company's design philosophy revolves around integrating fresh perspectives and new types of thinking, valuing the input of each person and ensuring their relevance is part of the design process.

What was the primary goal in designing the Times Square project?

The primary goal was to create a safer, more people-friendly space by reducing vehicle traffic, improving air quality, and lowering crime rates while maintaining the street's character.

How did the speaker describe the impact of the National September 11th Memorial Museum on visitors?

The speaker aimed to create a sense of presence rather than absence, hoping to make at least one person feel good about themselves in a different way than through solitude.

What is the significance of the stairs in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MoMA)?

The stairs in SF MoMA are designed to be a seamless transition between floors, creating a horizontal museum feel despite its vertical structure, and encouraging social interaction among visitors.

How does the speaker address the challenge of balancing experience and innovation in a design-focused company?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of regenerating new types of thinking with fresh eyes and being open to it, to avoid overdoing one or two types of thinking that might limit the company's growth and innovation.

What does the speaker mean when they say their work has been focused on the subconscious?

The speaker refers to designing spaces and experiences that impact people on a deeper, often unacknowledged level, influencing their feelings and behaviors without necessarily being at the forefront of their conscious thoughts.

How did the Alexandria Library become a symbol of social engagement for the company?

The Alexandria Library became a symbol of social engagement when the public of Alexandria protected the building during the Arab uprising, demonstrating a strong sense of ownership and connection to the space.

Outlines

00:00

🏙️ Architecture's Role in Society and Community Development

The speaker emphasizes the importance of architecture in shaping society, suggesting that buildings with authentic meaning can foster a more civilized society. They discuss the role of architecture in human development and community service, rather than just serving the architect's vision. The speaker outlines numerous ongoing projects, including those in Times Square, Philadelphia, Busan, and Beirut, highlighting the firm's commitment to diverse and significant architectural endeavors. They also touch on the challenges of maintaining creativity and avoiding stagnation as a company matures, advocating for the integration of fresh perspectives to keep the design process innovative.

05:01

🌟 Design Philosophy and the Impact of Spaces on People

This paragraph delves into the speaker's design philosophy, focusing on creating spaces that have a positive psychological impact and respond to the subtler aspects of human experience, such as acoustics and light. They discuss the importance of designing spaces that are not only functional but also resonate with people on a deeper level. Specific projects are mentioned, such as the National September 11th Memorial Museum, where the goal was to create a sense of presence rather than absence, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which was redesigned to be more inclusive and engaging. The speaker also reflects on the evolution of their company, emphasizing the importance of social engagement and the desire for their work to have enduring value beyond the architects themselves.

Keywords

💡Built Environment

The built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity, including buildings, parks, and infrastructure. In the video's context, it is highlighted as a potential tool to influence societal issues like polarity and anguish. The speaker suggests that architecture can contribute positively to the world by creating spaces with authentic meaning that foster a sense of community and civility.

💡Authentic Meaning

Authentic meaning denotes a genuine significance or value that resonates with people on a personal level. The video emphasizes the importance of creating spaces that hold more than just aesthetic appeal but also evoke memories and emotions. This concept is tied to the idea that architecture should serve the community and provide a sense of belonging and identity.

💡Architecture

Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings and other physical structures. The video discusses architecture as a tool for human development and community service, rather than just a pursuit for the architect's personal expression. It is presented as a means to create spaces that have a positive impact on society.

💡Polarity

Polarity refers to the existence of opposing or contrasting viewpoints, often leading to division or conflict. The script mentions the role of the built environment in addressing societal polarity, suggesting that thoughtful design can help bridge divides and promote a more harmonious coexistence.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety, in the context of the video, represents the emotional distress or unease that people may feel in today's society. The speaker implies that the built environment can play a role in alleviating such feelings by providing spaces that offer comfort, solace, and a sense of community.

💡Community Service

Community service is the act of contributing to the welfare of a community, typically through volunteer work or other forms of civic engagement. The video script discusses the importance of designing architecture that serves the community, rather than just the architect's vision, highlighting projects that aim to enhance the lives of the people who use and interact with these spaces.

💡Cultural Integration

Cultural integration is the process of incorporating elements of culture into various aspects of life, including architecture. The video mentions embedding culture into a memorial as a way to create a unique and respectful space. This concept is exemplified by the National September 11th Memorial Museum project, which aimed to provide a space for reflection and remembrance that is deeply rooted in cultural significance.

💡Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian safety pertains to the measures taken to protect people on foot from harm, particularly in urban environments. The script discusses a project in Times Square that addressed safety concerns by removing vehicles and creating more space for pedestrians, thereby reducing air pollutants, crime, and pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

💡Urban Settings

Urban settings refer to the physical and social environments found in cities and towns. The video script touches on how architecture can respond to the psychological and environmental aspects of urban settings, such as acoustics and light, to create spaces that have a positive impact on people's well-being.

💡Social Engagement

Social engagement is the involvement of individuals or organizations with society, often aimed at fostering a sense of community and addressing social issues. The video describes how the design firm's work has been focused on the subconscious and the social impact of their projects, such as the Alexandria Library, which became a symbol of unity during the Arab uprising in Egypt.

💡Branding and Graphic Design

Branding and graphic design are essential components of creating a cohesive and impactful visual identity for a project or company. The video mentions that the firm's goal is to ensure that all aspects of their work, including branding and graphic design, add value to people's lives beyond the individual creators.

Highlights

The built environment plays a crucial role in society's sensitivity and polarity by creating spaces with authentic meaning, potentially fostering a more civilized existence.

Architecture should serve communities rather than merely the architect, emphasizing the importance of community-focused design.

The firm currently has 14 projects under construction and 60 on the drawing board, showcasing their extensive and ongoing work.

Projects like Times Square and Lasco are nearing completion, highlighting the firm's diverse and significant portfolio.

A new kitchen for Thomas Keller's French Laundry is being developed, indicating a blend of culinary and architectural expertise.

A significant library in Philadelphia is under construction, emphasizing the cultural importance of such projects.

The firm is working on the opera house in Busan, South Korea, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, showcasing international reach.

A collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola to recreate a historic winery in Napa reflects the integration of art and architecture.

The firm has won their first project in Beirut, expanding their global footprint.

Working with Penn Station and Penn Plaza represents a commitment to urban revitalization and improvement.

As the firm ages, they focus on maintaining freshness in their thinking to avoid becoming limited by past experiences.

The firm values the input of every team member, ensuring diverse perspectives are integrated into their process.

Times Square project involved complex coordination among multiple stakeholders, demonstrating the firm's ability to navigate complex urban environments.

The redesign of Times Square aimed to improve safety and reduce crime while maintaining the area's character.

The National September 11th Memorial Museum project aimed to embed culture into a memorial, providing a unique space for reflection and respect.

The firm is not preoccupied with style but rather with solving design issues within a psychological context, emphasizing the importance of user experience.

The SF MOMA project focused on creating a sense of community and shared experience through innovative stair design.

The firm's work on the Alexandria Library during significant historical events highlights the building's role in community identity and engagement.

The goal of the firm is to create architecture and design that holds more value to people than its creators, emphasizing user-centric design.

Transcripts

[Music]

we live in a society that's very

sensitive today

[Music]

there's a great deal of polarity

a great deal of anguish

what is the role of the built

environment

in these issues

if you can create something that has

value and authentic meaning to people

it's not just a postcard photograph of a

building but it's actually an authentic

memory something meaningful that

happened to them it will allow them to

be perhaps more civilized in the world

that they exist within

if you don't use architecture to the

best of human development

[Music]

why would you do architecture

so that

then becomes the tool how to develop the

architecture that is in the service

of their communities

and not in the service of necessarily

the architect alone

right now we have 14 projects under

construction

60 projects on the drawing table

lasco is finishing soon

times square is finishing off a new

kitchen for thomas keller's french

laundry we have a library in

philadelphia that is rather significant

under construction we're doing the opera

house in busan south korea the san

francisco museum of modern art we opened

a library in toronto center for world

culture in saudi arabia working together

with francis ford coppola to recreate

this great winery that existed for

several centuries around his home in

napa we've just won our first project in

beirut and now we're working with penn

station and penn plaza

[Music]

[Applause]

it's getting harder to not rely on the

things you have done

out of all buildings

when you're finished you learn at least

that you've become older yes

i don't think i have any more hair left

to lose

and

in effect

that has a positive and a negative side

the positive side is you're more

experienced

the negative side you're more

experienced

is that you're more experienced with the

things that you might not want to be

experienced within

because it might limit you and the

challenge with many design focused

companies is that the elder states

people

as they get older in traditionally

speaking tend to take on more and more

control and you see the work kind of

wane because there there's almost an

overdoing of one or two types of

thinking in our office we're

regenerating new types of thinking with

fresh eyes and we're open to it

[Music]

we recognize the value that each person

brings to the table and we make sure

that

that their relevance is integrated into

the process

[Music]

times square extremely complex

you have to work with multiple city

state public agencies private

individuals business operatives

all of these things they all have to

come together

where we enjoy working with these

projects is getting everybody to sit at

the same table

broadway and 7th avenue have created a

condition because of the increases of

pedestrian traffic

it's very unsafe very dangerous to be

there

you had a great number of pedestrian

fatalities high crime rate murder

by removing the vehicles creating more

space for people we were able to reduce

air pollutants

reduce crime reduce pedestrian injuries

and fatalities

instead of wiping everything out and

making something fresh and new we

decided to keep the streetness

so we chose a darker material so that

you really felt that you were taking

over the street and not just creating a

new disconnected plaza space

[Music]

we began work in new york city with the

national september 11th memorial museum

as an american i felt that if we could

really embed culture

into a memorial

this would be unique and give people

something to respect

so we knew that in itself

would be a challenge

because quite obviously the content of

the culture

could work against the memorial effect

our work was primarily to bring a sense

of presence

as opposed to absence

we see people

smiling which was one of the things we

thought we would we would we could be

our yeah that was our goal our job was

to get you know at least one person to

feel good about themselves in a

different way than through solitude

[Music]

we're not preoccupied by let's say style

but we're definitely preoccupied with

how we solve the issue at hunt

psychological context is very important

too people think in certain ways

in different climates in different urban

settings

we're trying very much to respond to

these invisible things acoustics

light the things that you cannot see but

have such an enormous effect on on who

you are

[Music]

there's no question that we wanted it to

be recognizable as a moment

[Music]

distinct in shape and informed

even though they had great attendance

and their membership numbers were

increasing and it had all the things

that said this is a successful museum

they still took a step back and said is

this the best we can do

what are we missing

i think they recognize very quickly that

to widen the audience base to connect to

more types of people so its job would

not only serve to create great

experience with modern art

but also to create a place where people

could see themselves with others

having a meaningful experience together

in this building at sf moma the stairs

are quite a challenge

the stairs that connect floor by floor

is like sliding from one to the other

without really

knowing that you actually climbed six

floors

how do you do that

by the location of the stairs how you

rest before you move into the stair how

you rest when you come up

it sort of cleansing spaces before you

move into the gallery space

it feels like a horizontal museum

although it is a vertical one obviously

some people are challenged by the stairs

they get tired and they're not happy and

they'd rather take the elevator and

that's fair enough but many people

actually stop on the way up the stairs

look around

i've seen couples get to the top of the

stairs turn around and look at what they

just did together

put the flag yeah

as you get to the top the stairs get

very narrow you're actually forced to

rub shoulders with strangers

you've had to

socialize with people that you you don't

know

that somehow builds in ownership

[Music]

our work has been somehow focused on the

subconscious maybe more than the

conscious world the things that we do

that we take for granted

and i think

that's what we can still do it feels

like a young company

although it's almost 30 years old

when we built the alexandria library

we saw the collapse of the soviet union

the collapse of the berlin wall

eventually of course the building became

important during the arab uprising in

egypt

the public of alexandria were holding

hands around the library and actually

protecting the building

it belonged to them

so the socially engaged company that we

have today

has

its roots from how to deal with that

particular project

our goal is to allow our buildings

our branding and graphic design

our interior architecture our landscape

design

all the things that we produce should

have more value to people

than its authors

[Music]

[Music]

you