We need to reflect carefully on the contemporary meaning of building, on how we interpret it today, on the role it plays regionally and in the contemporary city, on the way in which it arrives to its construction, on its economic, social, political, and cultural conditions, and finally on the overall production and regulatory conditions. At the same time, it is necessary to understand the role that architectural design plays in returning this new reality to the building, the city, and the region, in a new relationship with construction techniques and, therefore, with technology. A role that today can become outdated, unable to accept the challenges of innovation with respect to sustainable development. Forced to be merely superficial, cosmetic, embellishment, a kind of end-user of technique, products and components. Instead, it is necessary to rediscover a role that definitely belongs to architectural design – that of being the art of technique: to be able to join together the two fundamental principles, those of reality and of the ideal. To take back for itself the role of cultural hegemon, repository of knowledge and know-how, which is the governing essence of what we call the building process.

Carlo Terpolilli is architect and professor at the University of Florence, where he teaches Technology of Architecture. From 2004 to 2006 he was visiting Professor at IUAV summer workshops in Venice. He is founder partner of Ipostudio Architects, in Florence since 1983.
Carlo Terpolilli’s activity expecially enquires into the connections between architectural design and technology, focusing on the field of design process and construction innovation.