Martin Rein-Cano heads to Auckland

The NZILA’s Auckland branch is hosting a presentation by international designer, Martin Rein-Cano on October 8. Born in Buenos Aires in 1967,
Rein-Cano studied History of Art at Frankfurt University and Landscape Architecture at the Technical Universities of Hannover and Karlsruhe.

Martin has been appointed as guest professor in Europe and North America.
He frequently lectures at internationally renowned universities and cultural institutions, and regularly serves on competition juries. Several professional books and articles have been published exclusively on his work, which has
been honoured with many awards and prizes.

In 1996 he founded TOPOTEK1, an award winning, multidisciplinary firm focussing on the re-contextualisation of objects and spaces. TOPOTEK1 has completed a range of public spaces, from sports complexes and gardens to public squares and international installations.

Landscape Architecture Aotearoa asked him to answer a few questions ahead of his visit.

Martin’s trip to NZ is made possible by Streetscape.

TOPOTEK1 founder Martin Rein-Cano is Auckland bound next month.

LAA: What makes a city an innovative, exciting place to live?

MRC: Basically a good mixture. A mixture of constructive and destructive, of new and old elements, a mix of social classes and different cultural influences. In times of growing urban densification, the hybridisation of urban spaces, an interwoven programming of spaces can be a relevant factor to enhance the quality of life of a city.

Martin sent us a selection of some of his favourite landscapes. This is Superkilen in Copenhagen, a TOPOTEK1 project.

LAA: How can good design of public places improve the way we live?

MRC: A good framing and programming of public urban spaces is essential for a vibrant and liveable city. Public spaces should make encounters between people of different social backgrounds, ages and cultures possible and can provide opportunities to deal with appearing conflicts in a cultivated way.

Martin admires this landscape from the film ”Last Year at Marienbad” for its space and surfaces.

LAA: What will be a key message at your lecture?

MRC: The key message of my lecture will be to point out the potential of public urban space to offer a platform for the cultivation of conflicts that appear in the more and more dense and culturally mixed cities of today. How can public space support the resolving and acting out of conflicts in a moderate way and at the same time create positive common experiences for people from different backgrounds sharing the urban space?

Martin also admires our own hobbit houses.

You can hear Martin Rein-Cano speak at the BECA auditorium at 5.30pm on October 8. For more details click here.

Martin’s trip to NZ is made possible by Streetscape.

The Big Dig in Xi’an, China. This is a TOPOTEK1 project.