‘In the Climate Context, Architects Need to Push a New Frontier’; A Conversation with Mario Cucinella
When TECLA was unveiled to the world at the beginning of 2021, it captured the attention of both the architectural community and the imagination of the mainstream media. The world's first 3D-printed house made from raw earth, TECLA was one of 17 projects showcased at COP26 in an exhibition highlighting pathways for the built environment to reduce its carbon footprint.
For Mario Cucinella, the architect behind TECLA, the project represents a broader conviction to “imagine a world where beauty is soulful and sustainable.” This same conviction has seen Cucinella and his team at Mario Cucinella Architects establish not only a portfolio of projects driven by dual principles of sustainability and creativity, but an in-house School of Sustainability encompassing environmentally-themed education, research, and practice.
Archinect’s Niall Patrick Walsh sat down with Cucinella recently at the 2022 World Architecture Festival in Lisbon, Portugal for a wide-ranging discussion encompassing the firm, the story behind TECLA, and Cucinella's broader thoughts on sustainability, the architectural profession, and the future. The conversation, edited slightly for clarity, is published below.
