YACademy

The end of the 5th Edition of YACademy's courses has officially arrived and we thank the students, the lecturers and the partners who joined forces to turn this experience into a truly memorable architectural journey for all. While remembering the greatest moments of this year, we look forward to the academic adventures that the next edition of YACademy will soon bring, exploring the world of architecture from even more diverse directions.

For the very last lecture of Architecture for Humanity and the 5th Edition of Yacademy, the students of the courses had a possibility to participate in a remote encounter with Mariam Kamara, who joined us directly from New York. Kamara is the founder of atelier masōmī, an architecture and research firm, through which she tackles a wide variety of public, cultural, residential, commercial and urban design projects. Her work is guided by the belief that architects have an important role to play in thinking spaces that have the power to elevate, dignify, and provide a better quality of life. Through her practice, Mariam aims to discover innovative ways of doing so, while maintaining an intimate dialog between architecture, people, and context.

Last week the students of Architecture for Humanity had the opportunity to virtually meet Nicola Scaranaro, who has been working for Foster + Partners for almost 20 years. During his career Nicola has delt with the design of mixed-use super high-rise developments, governmental buildings, leisure and sport centres. The lecture focused on the most recent projects he has worked on, including an iconic 250m hotel and residential tower in Istanbul, a masterplan and 100,000 sqm mixed-use high rise development in central London and the design of a state of the art research and development centre in Korea.

Remembering the last week of courses at YACademy when the students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture met Manuel Ehrenfeld, a Geneva-based designer and developer as well as the founder of non-linear, a design studio specialised in visual communication and web development. During the encounter, the students had an opportunity to follow one of the workshops of Ehrenfeld from his series “take-me-to-the-internet”, where they were introduced to the principles of and fundamentals as well as the techniques of crafting alternative websites, generative identities and interactive installations combining emerging technologies and visual arts.

The series of the final presentations were well supplemented with last week's presentations of the students of Architecture for Humanity and their projects on designing a pediatric clinic in Senegal under the tutorship and guidance of Raul Pantaleo from TAMassociati. This final presentation marked not only the end of the course but also the end of the 5th Edition of YACademy, successfully concluding the courses until the next year.

This week, the students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture have officially joined the alumni's of YACademy by completing their master and by presenting their final presentations to their workshop tutor Felice Limosani. Their projects of realization of a communication project of the current architectural exhibition collections in Arte Sella have successfully proven both the theoretical and the practical application of the students' knowledge gained throughout their 10 week architectural journey with YACademy.

A few days ago, the students of Architecture for Exhibition have virtually met Emmanuelle Moureaux, a French architect and artist living in Tokyo since 1996. With the YACademy's students the guest has discussed about how the layers and colours of Tokyo have inspired her architectural expression and the concept of "shikiri" - "dividing (creating) space with colours" that she created thanks to the complex depth and density on the streets of Japan and her art installation series "100 colours" where she uses colours as her main signature.

Recently, the students of YACademy that follow the course of Architecture for Humanity had participated in a Special Lecture held remotely with Anne Lacaton, the co-owner together with Jean-Philippe Vassal of the international architecture studio Lacaton & Vassal, with which she has obtained numerous awards, most recently the prestigious Pritzker Prize 2021. During the lecture, the guest discussed with the students on various topics, including the concepts of familiarity, utility and beauty in social architecture.

Last Friday marked the finish line of the study experience that the students of Architecture for Exhibition had at YACademy over the past 10 weeks. With their final presentations of the projects of desgining a contemporary art exhibition for Fondazione Prada, the students received valuable architectural feedback and marked the end of their journey at YACademy.

Last week was marked by a Special Lecture held by Sarah Moylan from MVRDV to the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture. As the Global Head of Business Development of the studio of architecture and urban design with multiple offices around the globe, Sarah shared with the students her experience in leading the business development team, also discussing how the seeming nuances and vast differences of each local demand flexibility and openness in order to gain insight into the place and people.

This week, the course of Architecture for Exhibition had a very Special Lecture held by Angelo Micheli from AMDL CIRCLE, an architecture studio in Milan founded by the architect Michele De Lucchi. Over a few hours together at YACademy, architect Micheli shared the projects he dealt with by collaborating with Michele De Lucchi and showed how his works were exhibited in art galleries and museum around the globe, including Center Pompidou in Paris, Venice Biennale, Steel Case Design Partnership in New York, and many others.

Last week, the students of Architecture for Exhibition course went on a site visit to the Ducati Museum in Bologna together with Marco Montemaggi, one of the leading experts in Italy on the subject of Heritage Marketing. Designed to narrate the history of the company from its origins to the present day, the Ducati Museum was a great example of how to incorporate the practice of exhibition, value of heritage and study of architecture together in order to obtain an iconic and everlasting cultural result.

As the YACademy courses are getting closer to their culmination with the final presentations coming already next week, the students of Architecture for Humanity, Architecture for Exhibition and Marketing and Communication for Architecture spend last opportunities to exchange their ideas with their project supervisors Raul Pantaleo from TAMassociati, Giulio Rigoni from BIG and Multidisciplinary Artist Felice Limosani.

A few weeks ago, the course of Architecture for Humanity had a chance to virtually meet Jean Paul Uzabakiriho, a Design Director with MASS Design Group in Kigali, and learn about the diverse humanitarian architecture solutions in Rwanda as well as hear the guest's first-hand experience in designing housing for the local communities.

Last week at YACademy was filled with occasions for the students to encounter various professionals from the world of architecture, this time the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture met Carlotta Zucchini and Nicola Leonardi, the founders of The Plan - Architecture Magazine, one of the most established international magazines about Architecture and Interior design. The guests spoke on their experience in working on architecture from an editorial point of view and shared with the students their visions for the future of communication strategies in architecture.

A few days ago, over the Special Lecture with Patrick Lüth from Snøhetta, the students of Architecture for Exhibition course had a chance to learn about some iconic and specific cases of the studio's work with exhibition spaces, such as their project of the expansion of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, this way not only learning about the possible architectural solutions for exhibitions and museums but also discovering the values that a world-renowned architecture studio chooses to follow in order to create sustainable and innovative work culture.

A few days ago, the classroom of YACademy was once again filled with its students, and this time they welcomed Pippo Ciorra, an Italian architect, critic, professor and the Senior Curator of MAXXI Architettura in Rome, for his Special Lecture for the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture. During a few hours together, Ciorra shared his experience in contributing to reviews, national press, books, publications and exhibitions in Italy and abroad.

Last week, the students of Architecture for Humanity had a chance to meet Giancalo Mazzanti, a Colombian/Italian architect who teaches in prestigious world universities and works around the globe with his architecture studio El Equipo Mazzanti. Together with the students, Mazzanti looked through some of his most significant works in humanitarian field, such as Biblioteca España and Porvenir Kindergarten in Bogota, as well as answered some of the students' most curious questions on architecture during their Q&A session after the Special Lecture.

The previous rainy week in Bologna was brighten up by Architecture for Exhibition course's visit to Archaeological Museum of Bologna with Manuela Panarelli from Arteria Srl. Having directed national and international exhibitions and with significant operational management experience in exhibition, Panarelli guided the students of YACademy through different exhibition techniques and alternatives while navigating through one of the most significant museums of the city.

A few weeks ago, the students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture had a unique lecture with Dutch photographer Iwan Baan, who is known for images that narrate the life and interactions that occur within architecture. The photographer shared with the students his story of how, after the studies in photography at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague, he followed his interest in documentary photography, before narrowing his focus to record the various ways in which individuals, communities and societies create, and interact within their built environment.

This week was started with a Special Lecture held by Giulio Rigoni from BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group for the students of Architecture for Exhibition, during which the guest presented some of the most remarkable projects of the studio and explained the possible ways to narrate the company's story through architecture. After the lecture, Giulio also held a revision session of the students' final projects, during which he shared his insights and useful comments for students' preparation for their final presentation that is coming in just 3 weeks time from now.

The students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture course had a chance to meet Walter Mariotti, the Editorial Director of the famous architecture magazine Domus, which the YACademy’s guest leads from 2017. Over the Special Lecture, the journalist and professor shared his experience in inventing, directing and developing the Domus System, including its magazine, website, archives, events and intelligence, as well as explained the importance of editorial content in marketing and communicating projects and activities in architecture.

Last week the students of Architecture for Humanity had an exquisite chance to meet a multiple award winner architect Anupama Kundoo who held a Special Lecture at YACademy. During a few hours together, they discussed on Kundoo’s works on volontariat home for homeless children and architectural quality of a humanitarian projects. Additionally, the architect explained to the students her unique approach to architecture of seeking abundance through investing in human resources and human resourcefulness, such as ingenuity, time, skills, care and sense of community.

The course of Architecture for Humanity has successfully entered into the workshop revision prosess with the help and guidance of Raul Pantaleo, one of the co-founders of TAMassociati, an architecture studio that is the main collaborator in carrying out the final project of the course. Before presenting their ideas on designing a pediatric clininc in Senegal, the students had an opportunity to hear Pantaleo's approach to humanitarian architecture in his Special Lecture dedicated for the course.

A few days ago, the students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture have officially opened their workshop revision part of the course by welcoming Felice Limosani, an internationally renowed artist, to review their progress in the final project designing. From initial sketches to virtual reality integration, this workshop revision gave a strong start for an exciting journey of final project contruction that awaits YACademy's students in the following weeks.

The students of Marketing and Communication for Architecture have started the week with a Special Lecture held by Martin Gran from Snøhetta, who has led multiple architectural projects with the internationally renowned studio over the past decade. Together with the guest, the students have overviewed some of the greatest case studies of the famous studio and had an opportunity to discuss their personal curiosities over a post-lecture aperitivo in the courtyard of YACademy.

Architecture for Humanity course students had recently had a day at YACademy fully dedicated to the lesson and workshop of Eugenia Di Girolamo, a senior urban designer with the Department of City Planning in New York City. In the span of a day, Eugenia discussed with the students about the seamless integration of city planning and place-making techniques with great design, as well as encouraged their ideas in the later held workshop on urban resilience solutions in the affected areas in the city of New York.

Last week, the students of Architecture for Humanity had a chance to meet Alberto Piccioli and Marwan Al Jundi from IOM - UN Migration for their lesson at YACademy on their activities of humanitarian architecture. During the lesson, the guests encouraged students to brainstorm on possible architectural solutions in places of humanitarian crises, which the students presented and discussed in a dedicated workshop after the lesson.

Last week at YACademy was highlighted by the students' of Marketing and Communication for Architecture visit to Milan, during which they were invited to take a look at ONEOFF headquarters. Thanks to the company's specialization in prototypes and architectural models, the students where able not only to learn about different prototype solutions in architecture but also to roll up their sleeves and create their own architectural models in practice.

As for one of their Special Lectures, yesterday the students of Architecture for Exhibition met architect Andreas Fries, who shared his approach in designing exhibition spaces around the world throughout his 12 years experience of collaborating with Herzog & de Meuron, discussing such architecture projects as Vitra Schaudepot in Weil am Rhein, Germany or SongEun in Seoul.

One of the greatest strengths and advantages of courses at YACademy is the possibility to actively participate in practical activities and workshops held by the professionals of architecture. This time, the students of Architecture for Exhibition followed the workshop guided by artistic collaboration Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, established by Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh. During the activity, the students brainstormed and developed ideas for installation solutions for the courtyard of YACademy, working on-site and side-by-side with the very experts of the field.

Yesterday, the students of and for Architecture had a unique chance to spend the day with Carlo Stanga , an editorial and advertising illustrator of international recognition, who works with major Italian magazines and newspapers as well as with clients in Europe and in the U.S. In yesterday's class, the YACademy's students not only learnt about Stanga's creative highlights and practices, but they were also able to implement their own creativity on paper in a drawing workshop held at the end of the lesson.

Over their first weeks of courses, the students of Architecture for Humanity had a series of lessons with professor Silvio Gualdi who specializes in climate modeling activities and climate change projections. His exceptional knowledge in the field of climate and our planet was the focus of his lessons at YACademy, broadening the students’ perception of the current climate events and the ways architecture can adapt to the ongoing changes.

Closing the series of architecture photography workshop with the final photographs taken by the YACademy students from the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture a few weeks ago. As the new year unfolds, many more students’ works, projects and collaborations are yet to be lived at YACademy, creating new series of student experiences shared together.

Some more works of the students from Marketing and Communication for Architecture course for their workshop of architecture photography. This time, the online students presented their works of architecture photography, capturing diverse buildings in their local areas around the globe.

Take a look at the YACademy’s students’ works from the workshop of architecture photography held at Bologna Fiere district for the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture, where the students practiced their photography skills capturing the remarkable towers built by Kenzo Tange in the late 60’s.

Urban forestation and natural valorisation in architectural projects can often become the bridge of communication between architecture and community, as Maria Lucrezia De Marco from Stefano Boeri Architetti Studio discussed with the students of YACademy. During her Special Lecture for the course of Marketing and Communication for Architecture, the architect talked through the various ways of regeneration of natural dimension in urban context, focusing on territory and contemporary cities transformation in the prospective of urban forestation as well as overlooking some of the main marketing techniques of architecture.

A few days ago marked the second Special Lecture for the course of Architecture for Exhibition, during which YACademy students had a chance to meet Paolo Matteuzzi, one of the directors of the famous Zaha Hadid Architects. During this occasion, Paolo explained in detail and focused his lecture on his experience of working on MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Art in Rome, where he was able to develop the project from Design Development to Artistic Supervision until its final completion.

Right before the weekend, Architecture for Humanity course ended their intesive week of courses with the first class with Agostino Ghirardelli, a founding member of SBGA - Blengini Ghirardelli based in Milan with various projects in Europe and Asia. The architect presented to students the activities of the studio and discussed on architectural projects, public spaces and social housing.

Last week, the students of the course of Architecture for Humanity had a chance to meet Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao, founder of Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, who held a virtual Special Lecture in YACademy, during which the students had a chance not only to get in depth with the works of the architect but also to receive some professional advice to diverse curiosities of theirs, ranging from building materials, techniques as well as architectural bureaucracy and laws.