Che stupendo.

MASSIMILIANO FUKSAS: WORKS AND PROJECTS 1970-2005

By Luca Molinari. Milan: Skira. 2005. [pounds sterling]39.95

It is nearly ten years since Italian architecture lost Aldo Rossi, its ambassador. With Rossi theory and practice appeared inevitably entwined. We all learnt a lot, Herzog and de Meuron most. And then in the last decade Italy appeared to sleep, Piano being an export. In the past year, a new series of monographs appears from Massimo Zellman, in charge of Skira now not Electa, covering the likes of Alvaro Siza, Emilio Ambasz and Fuksas all with the paraphernalia of vanity publishing (which means paid for by the architect to bolster reputation). These monographs have a formula--a fawning text, glowing images, small drawings and a contact number. With Fuksas there is more reason perhaps. Already in his troisieme age he has been a specular presence in architecture, most recently reaching the greater public with the spectacular new Fiera site in Milan. While some of the works are derivative, splitting a facade on a school could be Pink Floyd as much as Matta-Clark, there seems a kind of hand--one that separates ordinary stuff, housed in glass and steel boxes, from unique--splashed into bendy androids temporarily anaesthetised who countering, contrast, or cover up the otherwise rational organisation. It is unclear from this book whether these works are both-and or neither-nor; the sprawling enthusiasm of the writer, Luca Molinari, leaves little possibility of independent decision. But love it or hate it, Fuksas has guts from the same gene pool as Will Alsop.

Fuksas' buildings want to be icons as pleasing to the boss of Grappa exporters Nardini as to King Giorgio of deconstructive tailoring. What purpose the booze bubbles serve has to be covered by the explanation that a new image was required after 250 years. For Armani, he wanted freshness and innovation all within the Armani shopping codes. So this is architecture as logo, the offering of a simple spatial idea that foregrounds itself through colour, shape, or scale while behind the messy stuff is tidied. In Rossi's last works each project seems to become monumental, drawing attention to itself rather than those aspects of his complex theories that dealt with the everyday texture of his native Milan. Fuksas by contrast is only ever designing object buildings, pieces that stand forth and draw attention to themselves. It remains to be explored whether such an architecture does anything other than merely conceal covert ideology through glitz; or, not being the spatial equivalent of spin, opens up new vistas of creativity and personal invention. Fuksas is without doubt sincere, charming, fun and talented. Sadly this monograph makes it look like the ego has landed.

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