An award-winning architect, Silvestrin was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1954 and studied under A. G. Fronzoni in Milan and at the Architectural Association in London. He established his firm, Claudio Silvestrin Architects, in 1989 with offices in London, and later, in 2006, with offices in Milan. But Silvestrin has not limited his creative energy to architecture alone; his kitchen, baths, tiles, furniture and objects have entranced users with a zen-like peace and beauty, making his work in various scales both prolific and versatile.
Silvestrin’s own philosophy of architecture has been described as ‘anti-room,’ meaning that he prefers to think of space in terms of its functional use — to be lived in relaxing, conversing, sleeping, eating, and so on. According to Silvestrin, a strict focus on rooms causes one to lose sight of the reason architecture exists in the first place. Rooms, he feels, close people off to one another. To this end, he asks, “Why should people buy a box and then box it in some more?” Hence his work remains open and unspoiled, in harmony with the context in which it is built.
With great sensitivity to his surroundings and to the effects of light and color, Silvestrin is considered a master of contemporary minimalism. His artistry produces work that is as visually compelling as it is soul-moving, as awe-inspiring as it is functional. There is little doubt that he is indeed one of the finest creatives of our time.
A longtime friend of Luminaire, in 2008, Silvestrin contributed to Luminaire’s philanthropic PAPERLOVE series with an original sketch inspired by his Aquapura project in Brazil titled “Essence”. Later in 2010 he participated in Luminaire’s Ad Memoriam project in which contemporary artists and designers were asked to create a secret box in relation to a personal memory. A selection of the pieces were then presented in an installation at Luminaire’s Lab showroom.
On Friday, February 28 Luminaire was pleased to welcome back Silvestrin for an evening discussion at its Lab showroom during the inaugural edition of ArchWeek Miami. Silvestrin presented a lecture guiding guests through repeating themes in his work while exploring the concepts of timeless simplicity, architecture as salvation and more.
View event photos here.
February 2020
