Cino Zucchi on Playful Architecture and Indie Pop Ideals

Cino Zucchi, winner of the Cavallerizza Reale di Torino competition, discusses the role of playfulness in architecture. He argues that while architecture must be serious due to its public nature, it can incorporate humor and lightness, citing examples like the House for Essex by FAT and Grayson Perry, and Frank Gehry's binoculars in Venice, California. Zucchi distinguishes between postmodern irony, which he finds dated, and a more subtle wit that endures, as seen in Carlo Mollino's Lutrario ballroom. He shares personal anecdotes, such as adding a cat silhouette to correct a construction error at the Pedrali warehouse. Zucchi identifies the Netherlands and Austria as more open to formal innovation and irony. He draws inspiration from film (Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky) and music (Belle and Sebastian, New Pornographers), aiming for a 'sophisticated indie pop' aesthetic. His studio is filled with toys and collections, which he used in a Biennale installation. He expresses curiosity about unbuilt projects like Boullée's Cenotaph and Paul Nelson's Suspended House, and admires the Rock Garden of Chandigarh as an adult theme park. Despite interest in AI and the metaverse, Zucchi remains committed to physical architecture's sensory experience.