750 Models. 25 Years of Handmade Thinking

On October 16, Fran Silvestre Arquitectos will inaugurate at the Espai Alfaro the exhibition 750 Models. 25 Years of Handmade Thinking.

Working with models goes beyond the mere representation of architecture: it is a fundamental tool for conceiving it. It is a process of thinking with the hands, one that brings an additional dimension to design, engaging more senses and enriching the understanding of the project at every stage. Ultimately, the making of models allows us to reach places that drawing alone cannot.

Philip Jodidio highlights the unusual approach of Fran Silvestre Arquitectos to new designs, pointing out their special dedication to models as a primary creative tool. According to Jodidio, this method brings their work closer to that of sculptors, such as the admired Andreu Alfaro, rather than to traditional architects who rely on sketches as their main mode of expression.

From the earliest stages, the studio pursues precise results, employing materials that make it possible to develop complex geometries with simple techniques.

The selection on display represents part of the models created by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos over the past 25 years. These handmade pieces correspond to projects of different typologies, scales, and locations, serving diverse functions: from understanding volumes and their relationship with the environment to resolving and exploring spatial or constructional details.

David Cohn notes that the studio’s architecture is neither essentialist nor searching for some lost and rooted authenticity. He observes that the projects, despite their abstraction, are more about addressing the problem at hand and about how to create an environment for everyday life that elevates us beyond the ordinary, towards a more complete and awakened sensual engagement with our surroundings.

The exhibition will remain open to the public until January and can be visited by appointment via email at info@fransilvestrearquitectos.com.