Doriana And Massimiliano Fuksas

World-renowned architects talk about breaking the mould

- Vanita Arora

Mind

THE BEGINNING

Early Life

I have always had very good teachers, thanks to whom I had an extraordinary education. In elementary school, one of my teachers was Giorgio Caproni, the most important Italian poet, because of whom I began to approach poetry. Another important encounter when I was in high school was Alberto Asor Rosa, my professor of Italian. Then, for several reasons, I went to the Atelier of Giorgio De Chirico. In those years my first desire was to give myself to painting, but after my high school diploma I chose architecture. During University I travelled throughout Europe, both for life experiences as well as professional training. I worked with Archigram in London and Jørn Utzon Studio in Copenhagen. Back in Italy, in 1969, I graduated in architecture at the Sapienza University with Ludovico Quaroni as my thesis advisor.

I did not start with architecture, I had studied art. I have a degree in art history, which was important because, before architecture, I studied the history of architecture. While I was very curious about that, I also loved contemporary art. I studied architecture with a different set of eyes. It’s not that now I think classically — like ‘La Madonna di Mantegna’ — but proportions, colours and the materials do influence the way I think.

Matter

THE DESIGN OUTPUT

Your first design 

My first opportunity to build came to me quite by chance. I was 26 years-old and I met a young mayor — native of the Marche region — on the street, who told me about a project he was working on for a new Sports Palace in his municipality, Sassocorvaro. 

Work you wish was yours

Santa Sofia in Constantinople.