Architectural islands

The exhibition title Insulae (Islands) refers to Aldo Rossi's series of drawings of the same name. The buildings designed in it are predominantly freestanding, isolated from their surroundings. At the same time, Rossi clarifies the objective of his works: a reinterpretation of ancient models. An insula was a multi-story tenement in ancient Rome that was inhabited by several parties. Rossi thus opposed »future-oriented« architectural styles such as Brutalism in the mid-20th century, which sought a radical break with the past. The Tchoban Foundation − Museum of Architectural Drawing is now organizing the exhibition Aldo Rossi. Insulae. It will be on view in Berlin from February 4 to May 14, 2023.

Aldo Rossi (1931-1997) had a special relationship with Berlin. Beginning in 1981, he implemented his first project outside Italy here, a residential and commercial building in Friedrichstadt that fueled his international fame. The Quartier Schützenstraße, built from 1994 to 1997, is one of his most famous buildings. The much-acclaimed Aldo Rossi was, among other things, the director of the first Architecture Biennale in Venice in 1983.