a+u

This October issue of a+u is our second monograph dedicated to Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati. Back in our a+u 12:12 issue, Olgiati shared with us in an interview with Markus Breitschmid about his theory on “making a building that is not arbitrary and is also not determined by an ideal”. Consistent with his thinking, Olgiati’s buildings are devoid of any origin, and therefore, “non-referential” as described in this issue’s essay ideated by Olgiati and written by Breitschmid. To further build on this representation, a short essay by Go Hasegawa engages our senses to bring us closer to the presence of one of Olgiati’s works – Villa Além (pp. 110–127). In this issue 15 projects are introduced, each accompanied by precise textured drawings and a text written by the architect.

Essay: Non-Referential Architecture
Ideated by Valerio Olgiati, Written by Markus Breitschmid

Pearling Site
Baloise Park C
Torre San Felipe
Lu¨tzowufer Residential Building
University Campus SUPSI
School Building Schauenberg
Céline Flagship Store
Apartment for an Undisclosed Fashion Designer in Paris
House in Laax
Villa Além
La Mas
House for a Priest
Pero Cuco
Experience of Space – Venice Biennale 2018
Cassons Cableway

Essay: Architecture that Stimulates Thought
Go Hasegawa