CITYVISION MAG 2

SPSK+, the name came about by chance, as well as the + sign that marks the logo. It is a symbol of openness to all forms of contribution.

Their architecture, by contrast, is based on a highly developed theoretical and technical approach and is very attentive to the needs of the project’s beneficiaries.

Seemingly modest, they tell us that the result of their work is more important than the people who produce it. To them, architecture must provide concrete answers to the needs of contemporary society through measures that deal with the restricted area in a realistic way.

I had the pleasure to interview Matteo Giannini with Carola Clemente in their roman studio in via Messina. He defines their work as social architecture.

V.T. 01: SPSK+, a name to attract attention, like a hidden super hero identity? Or…?

SPSK+: It stands for two things, which may allude to a superhero, but has nothing to do with one... the first is a Czech rifle brand; the other is a microphone auction brand. There are actually two versions of the story, one official and one not. Which one do you want?

V.T. : Both.

SPSK+: One night while we were celebrating the official birth of our office, following an “alcoholic” discussion, we started thinking about what our daily activities would consist of, and we looked to our works for the answer. At that moment we explored the object, the territory and the city’s image. Then, Emiliano Auriemma took Ernesto Rogers’ slogan “from the spoon to the city” and modeled it to fit our size and our vocations. It became “from the SPoon to SKyscrapers”. The official version is a devoted and humble reference to classical Italian rationalism.

That is how the unpronounceable name was born. The + is an open key to any other contribution. Our team has always been an open project.

V.T. 02: What is required today to produce good architecture?

SPSK+: Knowledge of it! (sarcastically) It’s an opinion. We have to admit that there’s a big difference between concept/design and a finished work. We feel that it’s important to reach people, to intervene on the quality of the life of those who use the building or the house that we design.

To better answer this question we should refer to the Italian pavilion at the 2010 Biennale. Here, we can see its effectiveness because it has been exposed to common and diffuse architecture: the small neighborhood primary school, the common architectural object. To us, creating good architecture means intervening in a positive way on the citizens’ quality of life.

V.T. 03: SPSK+ is a group made up of several designers; can design function as a collective activity? As a shared activity between different subjects? Or does it still make sense to celebrate “the solitary genius” that produces the idea and then entrusts the project’s development to the others?

SPSK+: It depends on the project; we enter competitions in a choral way, and often also with the help of external contributions, because discussion and cooperation lead to better ideas. On assigned works everyone has a specific skill, but we often come back to that choral work; usually there’re two people per project, with a variable project group that changes with the requirements.

From design to construction, the group structure may change for operational needs.

V.T. 04: The “Faculty of Economics – Federico Caffè” for the RomaTre University; describe it with three keywords.

SPSK+: This was the project that allowed us to go through Roman architecture’s main entrance.

It was very funny and difficult to design, because for two years we worked on a different faculty assignment, that of communication sciences. We sewed a dress on it made with the cooperation of the university and the student committees and then, six months prior to opening, we had to change the project destination to the faculty of economics.

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