Carme Pinós opened her seminar by expressing her conception of the city, the ‘articulated city’, which envisions architecture as the space of relationships and the city itself as the space in which human beings create a sense of community. Presenting various projects of her past work, Pinós referenced her transformation of Plaza de la Gardunya (2006), whose inspirations draw on her familiarity with the city of Barcelona, and, in particular, the rigid geometry of the plaza, especially towards the centre of the space.

To this end, she commented on the importance of understanding the context of a given project and respecting the surrounding neighbourhood, arguing that it is imperative to deeply consider and foresee the consequences that construction might have so as not to disrupt the everyday lives of communities. For Pinós, architecture is not just one aspect of a city, but a perspective that changes the course of people—their interactions, their movement, et cetera— and, because of this, architects have an immense responsibility.

On the other hand, she stated that, while materiality is an important aspect of ecological building, sustainability must start with common sense—that is, open spaces where the air can naturally circulate, something that has become even more necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, Pinós expressed that the function of the city is to express the dynamism of people and articulate their movement. In her own words, ‘We are social beings and architecture helps to foster relationships.’

Contents Report - Norman Foster Foundation - Re-materializing Housing Workshop