Terminal 3 of the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport serves as a global reference for parametric design, realized through the firm Studio Fuksas between 2008 and 2013. This project underscores a career spanning over five decades, during which the Italian architect expanded his practice from initial collaborations in Rome to managing international offices across Paris, Vienna, Frankfurt, and China.
Professional Origins
Born in Rome in 1944, Fuksas entered the architectural field during the early 1960s, gaining experience under Giorgio de Chirico. He later spent time in London working with Archigram, followed by tenures in Copenhagen with Henning Larsen and Jørn Utzon. In 1967, he established his first practice, GRANMA, in Rome. He earned his degree in architecture from Sapienza University in 1969, marking the formal beginning of a career that eventually integrated urban planning with civic project development.
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In 1985, Fuksas initiated a long-term partnership with Doriana Mandrelli, who later graduated in architecture from Paris in 2007. Their collaborative output expanded rapidly, necessitating the opening of offices in Paris in 1989, Vienna in 1993, Frankfurt in 2002, and Shenzhen in 2008. These international hubs allowed the firm to undertake large-scale commissions, ranging from the FieraMilano exhibition complex in Italy to the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa and the French National Archives in Pierrefitte.
Academic and Institutional Roles
Beyond his design practice, Fuksas served as a visiting professor at the École spéciale d'architecture in Paris and Columbia University in New York. His administrative contributions include serving on urban commissions for Berlin and Salzburg from 1994 to 1997, and acting as an advisor to the Institut Français d'Architecture. In 2000, he directed the 7th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, titled "Less Aesthetics, More Ethics," and began writing an architectural column for the weekly publication L'Espresso.
Fast facts
- Born: 1944, Rome
- Education: Sapienza University of Rome
- Primary Firm: Studio Fuksas
- Citizenship: Italy, Lithuania
- Key Project: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Terminal 3
- Professional Recognition: Grand prix national de l'architecture (1999)
- Academic Roles: École spéciale d'architecture, Columbia University
- Languages: Italian, French, German, English
Questions readers ask
Where are the primary offices of Studio Fuksas located?
The firm maintains offices in Rome, Paris, and Shenzhen.
What specific design approach is associated with the Shenzhen Bao'an Airport project?
The project is noted for its extensive use of parametric design and advanced production technologies.
