IAI Most Creativity Award Winner 2020/2021
Laurent Troost
Laurent Troost is a Belgian Architect living in Manaus, Brazil, he’s the founder of Laurent Troost Architectures and co-founder of Labverde, an Art Immersion Programme in the Amazon.His architectural practice has won several international competitions and awards, such as the Dezeen Award, the World Architecture Award,etc. His works have been widely published and exhibited, including at the São Paulo Architecture Biennial, at the Buenos Aires Biennial, at the Maison du Brésil in Paris and at the Seoul Hall of Urbanism and Architecture. Laurent has taught and lectured at numerous institutions including the Escola da Cidade and the FAU-USP in São Paulo, the UdelaR in Montevideo, the Sociedad Central de Arquitectura in Buenos Aires, the Universidad Caritas in Costa Rica, the Tokyo Development Learning Center in Tokyo, the TISCH in New York and at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville,etc.Aside from his practice, Laurent has also been the Urban Planning Director for the Municipality of Manaus from 2013 to 2020 and is currently a consultant for the World Bank Group.
IAI Most Creativity Award
Project：Cassina Innovation House
Design：Laurent Troost
This digital technology and entrepreneurship center is the first landmark in the digital zone of Manaus. It provides digital economy manufacturers with spaces to promote joint offices and meetings: multifunctional areas, lounges, meeting rooms, laboratories, training rooms, and a restaurant on the top floor, where people can enjoy the privilege of overlooking the city center .
The building was originally built in 1896 and has been destroyed since 1960. Its degraded exterior wall covered by vegetation produces a powerful image, which is important in our post-processing. The preservation of the ruin conditions turned the intervention into a manifesto, because it was also the last plaster facade colored with red sandstone dust. The protection of the ruined condition made the intervention a declaration, as this was the last building to have a plaster facade colored with red sandstone powder. In order to make this particularity visible and prevent its degradation, we have carried out extremely meticulous and meticulous restoration work.
There is a lively garden behind the main facade of the Cassina building, which is also related to the image of the ruins. Entering the building through the walkway over the garden, people will think of the inner reason for the existence of Manaus: the Amazon rainforest. This lush tropical garden is related to glass, transparency and reflection. The history of Cassina and the future of the Innovation House are integrated in a space related to technology, virtuality and modernity.
