Morandi-esque

The Spatial Language of Still Life

Bologna Design Week, 2019

This exhibition, held at Casa Morandi during Bologna Design Week, explores the translation of Giorgio Morandi’s still-life paintings into architectural forms through computational techniques. The project reverses Morandi’s painterly process by utilizing 3D modeling, texture mapping, and 3D printing, transforming two-dimensional compositions into spatial constructs. The exhibition examines how architectural form can emerge from visual representation methods, challenging conventional approaches to materiality and scale. This work contributes to a computationally driven rethinking of how representation in art can inform architectural practice.

“Architecture emerges not from space, but from the act of seeing.”

Reversing the Painterly Process

Morandi’s still-life compositions have long been appreciated for their disciplined arrangement of everyday objects. However, this exhibition treats these compositions as architectural exercises, reinterpreting their forms through the lens of digital fabrication. By reversing the painting process—moving from image back to object—this project investigates the spatial possibilities inherent in Morandi’s work, framing his careful arrangements as prototypes for architectural form.

from Profile to Volume

Drawing from Peter Eisenman’s notion of the architectural profile, the project transforms Morandi’s two-dimensional objects into three-dimensional spatial volumes. The translation process begins with the geometric tracing of object silhouettes, preserving their proportions while projecting them into space. This method situates the work within architectural discourse, positioning Morandi’s objects as spatial entities rather than merely visual representations.

Material Translation

Morandi’s still-life paintings were transformed into spatial objects through precise geometric tracing, digital modeling, and 3D printing. The silhouettes of objects were traced using arcs and then extruded into digital models that preserved their original spatial relationships. Texture mapping was employed to simulate material qualities and 3D printing was used to produce physical models. These techniques allowed for a detailed exploration of how two-dimensional compositions could be reinterpreted as architectural forms.

Discrepancies and Improvisations

The process of translating Morandi’s compositions into space introduced formal discrepancies, where objects, once projected into three dimensions, produced unexpected results. These deviations from the original painting are not treated as errors but as opportunities for further investigation into the relationship between representation and construction. By accepting these formal shifts, the exhibition highlights the productive role of translation in architectural practice.

Expanding Architectural Boundaries

This exhibition underscores the potential of architectural techniques to reinterpret visual art. Using computational tools, translating Morandi’s work offers new perspectives on how architectural form can emerge from painterly representation. The application of 3D modeling and printing transforms Morandi’s objects into spatial constructs, suggesting that architecture, combined with visual art, can push beyond conventional boundaries of form and materiality.