Interior is the New Exterior

 

   I always find the theoretical discussions around the “envelope” fascinating. There seems to be a sort of mysticism around the exterior skin of contemporary buildings - like a newly discovered freedom that architects can unlock and play with on a technological level. Most lectures and presentations by current architects involve some sort of deep dive on a facade technological innovation that drove the project aesthetically and technically. Contemporary structural engineering has allowed - and even encouraged - the facade to be a separate element layered on the outside of the building structure. Yet, interiors are still usually drywall. I’m a part of this moment in architectural history myself, where the exterior is a place of play and intentional design, but the interior is still on default. However, some architects are already on the path of considering the interior as a part of the building “envelope”, freeing it from constraints and making intentional use of it to shape the experience. Inaki Abalos points out the interior as the “soul” of architecture - will the interior be the playground of the next generation of architects?