Tools for After Architecture Exhibition Showcases Italian Innovation

Tools For After (TFA), presented by The Italian Cultural Institute of Melbourne (IIC), will host the TFA Architecture Exhibition as part of its inaugural six-week program.

This major exhibition, held at the Fitzroy Town Hall from September 14 – October 10, will immerse visitors in the world of Italian architecture and its innovative solutions to address the critical challenges stemming from human activities on Earth’s ecosystems and geology.

The TFA Architecture Exhibition aims to rethink materials and building practices during the Anthropocene era.

Winner of the 2023 Pritzker Prize, Sir David Chipperfield says “Environmental issues are so important that they are challenging everything and reshaping the priorities of architectural practice. We can no longer ignore the fact that the construction and development industry in which we work in is a major contributor to climate change.”

The TFA Architecture Exhibition presents materials of alternative, ecological, natural, and biotechnological for an effective and possible building culture, rather than architects themselves. The program will see proposals ranging from ancient construction culture to vegetal architecture and projects for the environment of people on other planets.

Visitors will witness the use of bamboo as a building material by the pioneering Italian-Colombian architect Mauricio Cardenas Laverde who will be visiting Melbourne as part of the festival.

Additionally, the exhibition will introduce the innovative construction method named CanyaViva, which utilises marsh reeds (Arundo Donax) developed by artists Margherita Bertoli and Matteo Mannini from Arundo Art and Canya Lab, respectively.

The Geologika Collettiva group, represented by Barbara Narici and Maddalena Ferraresi, will showcase raw earth constructions, a building material lauded for its eco-sustainable qualities.

Architect Eliana Baglioni will curate a selection of straw projects, which offer earthquake resistance, versatility, and thermal insulation capabilities.

Architect Selenia Marinelli’s work will exemplify the intersection between biological and architectural systems, focusing on the application of bioplastics in architecture.

Audiences can explore sustainable mobility and architectural research through the renowned works of Massimo Iosa Ghini, who has designed the Marconi Express project connecting Bologna airport with the railway station using electric mobility powered by solar panels along the route.

Architect Massimo Mariani will present his distinctive projects known for their formal research, innovative use of materials, and captivating colour schemes.

The Space Architecture projects will be presented by Valentina Sumini, Visiting Professor at Politecnico di Milano and Space Architect and Engineer Research Affiliate at MIT Media Lab within Space Exploration Initiative and Responsive Environments. Her passion in advancing human performance during deep space exploration mission dates back to 2009 when she designed for the first time a hotel on the lunar surface, named Moorea. Sumini generates innovative design, architecture and engineered solutions through a holistic approach in order to sustain human life in extreme environments on Earth and enable human space exploration in Low Earth Orbit, on the Moon and Mars.

Tools For After is an important initiative aimed at generating a wider understanding of our current climate crisis, which depends on our ability to bridge the cultural gaps between countries, generations, and disciplines. The festival will also offer concrete solutions to prevent and face the scenarios that human impact on the climate crisis is preparing us for. The winning project in the Festival of Italian Creativity competition of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tools For After promises to be an exciting and engaging festival, bringing together experts, enthusiasts, and young minds to explore innovative solutions for a more sustainable future.

Festival co-presenters include City of Yarra (architecture design exhibition), RMIT Faculty of Art (cinema) and Co.As.It, the Italian Assistance Association (Literature).

TFA Design and Architecture

• 14 September – 10 October
• Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier Street, Fitzroy
• Opening event – Thursday 14 September

More information: toolsforafter.info