Aut Aut Architettura Wins Young Italian Architecture Talent 2020

Aut Aut Architettura, a four-person studio, has been awarded the Young Italian Architecture Talent 2020 prize by CNAPPC for a school with housing in Nosy Be, Madagascar. The project, their first completed new build, was done pro bono and praised for formal clarity and lightweight roofing adapted to local climate. The studio, founded by Marco De Donno and Derin Canturk, gained early recognition with Nursery Fields Forever, a kindergarten concept that drew international media attention. They believe architecture should improve human and ecological conditions, and view space as a 'third teacher' alongside parents and teachers, citing Loris Malaguzzi. In Rome, they criticized the 'disneyfication' of public spaces, proposing ephemeral installations to reclaim urban livability. They foresee lasting changes from COVID-19, such as remote meetings and health-conscious behavior, but not structural urban transformations. Their ongoing research focuses on educational architecture, which they see as needing renewal in Italy.