L'Arca International N° 107

July / August 2012

Let's create employment

 

A few months ago I got the chance to write a few comments about the economic crisis and slowdown in growth that is strangling almost the whole of Europe to the point where it is now calling into question the very existence of the European Union.

 

On that occasion I suggested profiting from and exorcising the downturn by trying to take advantage of this dramatic situation to change certain market rules and behavioural patterns in a revolutionary way, revising how we view culture, creativity and spirituality as regards the worship of easy consumerism and virtual fortune-making of absolutely no social utility.

 

And now that we really have perhaps reached rock bottom, it seems to me that the crisis is beginning to look like a war-time scenario, without the bombs and trenches experienced twice by previous European generations, a situation that forces everybody, and architects in particular, to think positively and start planning for after the war right now.

 

What I mean is that perhaps the time for projects seen as fascinating and exciting macro-sculptures featuring highly aesthetic forms, inevitably gratifying both to architectural designers and the cities accommodating them, is now almost over. Thanks to sophisticated computer programs, the endless possibilities of envisaging and transforming simple geometric structures into unexpected forms set at striking angles and with structural joints at the very limits of construction possibilities, which are certainly pleasant to look at and nice for us to publish, are rather like the sounds of crickets in the summer; they create a very relaxing atmosphere that is particularly welcome on holiday but are not very useful in an emergency.

 

Indeed, the economic war being waged in Europe is largely the responsibility of "cricket-like" nations buried in dept compared to that parsimonious and pragmatic "ant-like" country Germany.

 

I believe the time has now come for all architects and investors to seriously consider new living solutions for which, as Jean Prouvé envisaged back in 1947 (just after the war), metal prefabricated constructions can provide decidedly innovative living spaces and structures provided they are constructed by leading engineering industries. Now, over sixty years later, it should not be hard to imagine beautiful "car-houses" with no wheels and engines covering at least 150m2, which can be combined together, integrated and overlapped and, most significantly, are economic and, at last, geared to the uses and lifestyles of the present and future generations.

 

Current living facilities are still the same as they were a century ago in terms of materials and layout.

 

This architectural design solution will create new jobs in the car and shipbuilding industries, bring about technological innovation and provide a real economic boost to both craft and industry, allowing all countries the chance to fight unemployment and adapt their production to the habits and customs being proposed to the new real estate market.

 

New employment will be created to reconstruct and scrap all the ugly, useless and simply inappropriate constructions on our builtscape.

 

Cesare Maria Casati

Niccolò Baldi

Matteo Citterio

Joseph di Pasquale