Terra! Installation at Milan Design Week
2020
Milan, Italy
with Boito Sarno Architects
This project aims to raise funds for a kindergarten in Ghana in collaboration with the Madanfo Project, an NGO based in Madrid, and the Radef Foundation in Ghana. The project follows an international architectural competition, which we won. In partnership with ACAN (Architects Climate Action Network), we have been actively researching and highlighting the environmental impact of construction materials. This installation advocates for the use of low-carbon biomaterials in Europe, beginning with compressed earth—a traditional, sustainable building technique historically used in Italy.
The installation is located in a period apartment on the 4th floor of Via Solferino 11, in the heart of the Brera Design District. Crafted from raw earth, the installation draws inspiration from Burri's Teatro Continuo and Donald Judd’s installations in his Spring Street home in Manhattan. Accompanying graphics showcase the winning kindergarten project alongside information on biomaterials in architecture, highlighting the high embodied carbon of conventional building materials in contrast to sustainable options like timber and earth. This project provides a unique opportunity for Fuorisalone participants to sponsor an ethical initiative, connecting their brand to the construction of a winning design for a kindergarten in a developing country. Compressed earth, the material used, is a low-environmental-impact choice that aligns with sustainable values.