Lightness Of Being

Two rising stars in the architectural world—husband-and-wife duo José Selgas and Lucía Cano of Selgascano— show how less is often better than more when it comes to the built environment.

- Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle

Selgascano’s motto could very well be “less is more”, just like German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s emblematic aphorism. But rather than a minimalist modernist ethic, José Selgas and Lucía Cano’s vision of architecture is all about lightweight materials, transparency, openness and respect for nature. The relation and experience with the site—its history, climate and architecture—are also key factors. “Our hope for architecture is to build less and to give more space to nature in cities,” says Selgas. “Hopefully, we will see less construction. Scale is super-important for us and we don’t understand why buildings have to be as big as they are.”

As Selgas explains, the firm’s architectural approach prioritises its creative freedom while working with eco-conscious materials. “It’s fundamental to be super-free in every step of architecture,” says Selgas. “The main constraint that you have is the budget—if you know how to manage the budget, you can do whatever you want. We’re not trying to use only new materials like plastics; we have the freedom to use whatever material we want. It’s the same with colour. When we suddenly use yellow, we get noticed because it’s unusual. That freedom to be open to everything is the main philosophy of the studio.”

ORGANISED CHAOS