Labics Architects on Public Space, Structure, and the Future

In an interview for Futuro Antico, Maria Claudia Clemente and Francesco Isidori, founders of the Rome-based architecture firm Labics (established 2002), discuss their design philosophy and key projects. Currently working on the Colosseum Arena in Rome, they have recently completed museum expansions such as Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara and the Mast Foundation in Bologna. Their work is driven by a search for 'public dimension of form,' a concept inspired by Rosalind Krauss's analysis of American minimalists. They emphasize the importance of structure—geometric, spatial, and open—citing influences from Matila Ghyka to Sol LeWitt. Among their representative projects are Mast in Bologna, Città del Sole in Rome, Piazza Fontana in Rozzano, Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara, and the Campus Bio-Medico in Rome. A personal favorite is 'Structures,' a research project of 50 small models now part of the MAXXI collection. Their recent book 'The Architecture of Public Space' (Park Books) explores architecture's role in creating public urban spaces. They advocate for sustainability, social equity, and a shared sensibility, arguing that the future must have an 'ancient heart'—innovation that rewrites rather than erases the past. They advise young architects to study, travel, and cultivate their own obsessions.