“How do I know what to design? I listen to the stones. I sense the faces around me. I try to build bridges to the future by staring clear-eyed into the past. Does this sound overwrought? I hope not, because buildings should never be maudlin or nostalgic; they should speak to our time. I am inspired by light, sound, invisible spirits, a distinct sense of place, a respect for history. We are all shaped by a constellation of realities and invisible forces, and if a building is to have a spiritual resonance, it has to reflect these things. No one knows how body and soul are connected, but connect them is what I try to do. I draw from my own experience - it's what I know - and in doing so, I strive for a universality.”
Daniel Libeskind

Following the i.lab opening ceremony and under the theme “Architectures: building a sustainable heritage”, four world-famous architects gave last week a lecture at the i.lab.  More than 1.200 participants attended the lectures and visited i.lab, the Italcementi Group’s new Research and Innovation Center.  

Odile Decq, the French architect who received the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Biennale of Architecture, opened last Tuesday the week with the lecture “Horizons”. According to her, architecture is a quest for dynamic equilibrium of spaces, materials and structures.

The day after was followed by the lecture “Rethinking basics” given by Zhang Ke, the young Chinese architect founder of Standardarchitecture, a leading new generation design firm engaged in town planning, architecture, landscape and product design.

On Thursday the Italian architect, Mario Cucinella, focused his lecture on the topic of “cultural empathy” and illustrated the project “Building Green Futures”. Building Green Futures is a non-profit organization established with the aim of promoting sustainable projects and renewable energies to improve the living conditions of the developing countries.

The series of lectures was closed by the lecture “Counterpoint” given by Daniel Libeskind. Daniel Libeskind's philosophical approach connects architecture and city planning with their social function and develops them through constant dialogue with the people. Since establishing his practice in Berlin in 1989, Libeskind has designed major cultural, commercial and residential projects around the world. These include the master plan for the World Trade Center, the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Freedom Tower in New York.
This lecture series was a resounding success that enhanced public awareness on contemporary architecture.