Names to Know at the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial: SO-IL
Breathe by SO-IL
Milan, Italy
A housing prototype built at the Salone del Mobile 2017, the project is made of a modular structure and air-purifying mesh fabric. The deliberately porous rooms are designed to accommodate three people.
Photo © Laurian Ghinitoiu
Kukje Gallery by SO-IL
Seoul, South Korea
This compact contemporary art gallery built in 2012 allows space for outdoor events. Its hand-fabricated chainmail facade—made from 510,000 metal rings using a mix of computational and traditional fabrication processes—was designed to echo the surrounding rooftops, allowing the building to blend in with its surroundings.
Photo courtesy SO-IL
Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art by SO-IL
Davis, California
The 2016 contemporary arts museum was a first for the University of California at Davis and the city. The architects created a 50,000-square-foot public plaza around the building to promote interaction with the community. Corrugated parts of the canopy create playful shadows, while smooth sections became screens for showing outdoor films.
Photo courtesy SO-IL
SO-IL partners Florian Idenburg, Jing Liu and Ilias Papageorgiou.
Photo courtesy Chicago Architecture Biennial
Florian Idenburg and Jing Liu established their New York–based practice, SO-IL, in 2008; Ilias Papageorgiou joined as a partner in 2013. RECORD asked them five questions about their work in preparation for the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Scroll through the slideshow above to see some of their key projects.
Architectural Record: Tell us about your practice. What differentiates you from other firms?
SO-IL builds culture.
How do you get into the creative headspace?
Typically, by flying.
Who are your design heroes?
Vincent Lundy; Toyo Ito; the Bouroullecs.
What do you hope to contribute to the Chicago Biennial?
Poetry. How will we have music in smog filled cities? Our installation is the answer.
Looking for quick answers on architecture and design topics?
Try Ask RECORD, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask RECORD →
We are working with Ana Prvački on a piece that is both ephemeral and earth shattering—a series of air-purifying cocoons for musicians. Veronica Krauss composed a special piece for four wind instruments.
Most importantly, when it comes to pizza, deep dish or thin crust?
Thin.
The Chicago Architecture Biennial runs from September 19, 2017, to January 7, 2018. Read more of our coverage of the event here.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
