PICA CIAMARRA ASSOCIATI
After the studies on the “open form” (Officine Angus – IN/Arch-Campania prize 1969 – and the Casa at Posillipo (1967), the multi-purpose unit at Arcavacata, University of Calabria (1972) is the first work of international echo, included by A.Shimmerling and A.Tzonis among the ones that give evidence to the evolution of the theses of Team X (l’Heritage des C.I.A.M. 1958-1988 – CCI Centre G.Pompidou). Le carré bleu, feuille internationale d’architecture is their relation to those ideas and principles through a number of architectural competitions among which (1964) ”Un seme per la metropoli” 2° prize: Bologna, designing the new primary school; (1968) “Kronos” 1°prize: Faculties of Sciences and Pharmacology at the University of Messina.
Their attention to sustainable architecture and environment is the framework for the design of: “C.N.R. technology centre” in Naples (1988, Finalist for the International Award for Innovative Technology in Architecture – Sydney) and “the Square” in front of it (1990, Aragonese award); this fore they are chosen among the 4 European architects for Ecoville Europe (Ministère de l’Equipement / Ministère de l’Environnement – Secrétariat du Plan Urban – Paris); after this, “Teuco-Guzzini offices” at Recanati (Technology-Environment-Architecture award, 1998); the Forteguerriana Library at Pistoia; the “City of Science” on the coast between Coroglio and Bagnoli (Trophées Sommet de la Terre et Batiment 2003 mention spéciale); award Dedalo Minosse Baraussi 2004; Triennale di Milano Gold Medal to Italian Architecture, finalist; European Museum award 2005 (European Museum Forum); among the works currently under construction: the “Faculty of Medicine” at Caserta, the school complex at Camerino, the Museum of Human Body and the Sport Park in Naples / Bagnoli.
They have been invited to participate in International competitions (Lattakya University, Syria; Yarmouk University, Jordan; central spaces of Melun Sénart, France; Regierungsviertel Am Alten Steiger at Erfurt, Germany; Aménagement des bords de Seine at Issy-les-Molineaux, France; Pôle musical et festif at Grenoble, France; Ponte Parodi in Genova, Facultade de Ciencias de Salude at Covilha, Portugal; TH Competition in Beijing – China, King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia; Muelle n°2 in Malaga, Spain; Museum of Industry and Work at Brescia; Porte de Hollerich at Luxembourg etc.) and in a number of exhibitions; namely: Man and Stone (Verona 2000), From multiple to unique (IDIS, ’92), Il mondo di Snoopy, (architecture sector / l’Arca magazine); in ’93 – with the video I frattali e l’integrone – in the international comparison of ideas for The City of the 21st century – La carta dell’Urbanistica, and in France in the Appel à Idées: La qualité dans la Ville.
Their works are in a number of monographs: Pica Ciamarra Associati, Fragments, l’Arca ed. 2003; Città della Scienza and other works – Pica Ciamarra Associati by M.Pisani + 2 DVD by M.Vergiani – Liguori 2002; Cristina Di Stefano: Pica Ciamarra Associati – Dal labirinto del gioco al gioco del labirinto, Diagonale edit. 2000); Pica Ciamarra Associati – Architettura e Progetti (essays by Bruno Zevi, Giovanni Klaus Köenig, Giancarlo De Carlo, André Schimmerling, Manfredi Nicoletti, Massimo Locci, Pino Scaglione) De Luca Mondadori ed.1988; Pino Scaglione, Architettura per i luoghi – Pica Ciamarra Associati, Kappa ed. 1985; Fabio Mangone Pica Ciamarra Associati: materiali per l’immateriale, in Edilizia Popolare – June 1997; Pica Ciamarra Associati – Capziosi / Captanti, edited by Mauro Chiesi, Lybria 1994; Pica Ciamarra Associati – Reggio Emilia / Vicenza / Melun Sénart, edited by Aldo Di Chio and Marina Borrelli, Clean 1988.
Le carré bleu, feuille internationale d’architecture – Paris, devote the issue n°3/4 1992 – Architecture sur la place / Immateriel sur la place to the works of Pica Ciamarra Associati; to their works are also referred Integration / Complexity, an interview for Perspecta, JAS Yale University USA, and Recherche 1991 (Ministère de l’Equipement du Logement des Transports et de l’Espace) an interview by Pierre Augustin Lefévre to a number of European architects on the meaning of urban space; Pica Ciamarra is also interviewed by Jamal Shafing Ilayan, www.archimagazin.it and by Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi – www.channelbeta.it Their works are found in the major national and international architecture magazines and in volumes such as Linguaggi dell’Architettura contemporanea di Bruno Zevi, Etas 1998; European Masters – Urban Architecture – Arco, Barcelona 1996; Architects of Europe – The Images Publishing Group, Mulgrave, Victoria – Australia 1995; 100 Italian Architects – China Architecture & Buildind Presse – Beijing / Diagonale 2001; Piazze e spazi urbani – Over, Milano 1991; Quaternario ’88 – Sydney 1988; Architecture of Tall Buildings – Council on Tall Building and Urban Habitat – USA ’95; in the CD-ROM Architecture and Energy, European Commission – ISES, ENEA, Universidad de Sevilla 1997; in the videos: Tamoé (2°p. Worldwide Biennal of Architecture – UIA); A square, what is it?; Il motore e l’Immobile; Napoli e il mare; I frattali e l’integrone; etc.
The exhibition Pica Ciamarra Associati – Architettura per i luoghi, supported by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs is held in Rome, Paris, Dublin, Bruges, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, San Paolo, Brasilia and – in the framework of the Tercas award – at Lanciano. In 1988 exhibition in Naples: designing the Central Spaces of three European cities. In ’89, ’90 e ’92 at the Salon International de l’Architecture Paris-La Villette. Hence exhibitions in Paris, Vienna and Barcelona ’92 – Olimpiàda Cultural. The re-design of the seafront of Naples with submarine public facilities and parking, (award An Idea for Every City) is in ’95 in the exhibition Mobility and Historic Centres.; the Piazza at Fuorigrotta is among Le architetture dello spazio pubblico at the Triennale of Milano; in ’98 in the exhibition Barocco e Mediterraneo at the Certosa di Padula, organized by the BBAACC Ministry, and in ’99, together with the project for La città della Musica at Coroglio, in the European Biennal on Landscape in Barcelona.
In 2000 in Seville, exhibition Pica Ciamarra Associati – Ecology and Architecture; at SAIE – Bologna exhibition Costruire sostenibile l’Europa. In 2004 Milan and Singapore, in 2005 Guang Zhou (China) Academy of Design and Bombay Faculty of architecture the exhibition Gold Medal to Italian Architecture.
Since 2002, Tokyo, Kobe, Caracas, Kuala Lumpur, Oslo, Reykiavic, Brussels, Istambul and Mexico City (scheduled) exhibition: I Maestri dell’Architettura Italiana: dal Futurismo al futuro possibile.
In 2006, at the Art Museum of Nanchino, their works are in TRADITION AND MODERNITY – the Italian experience in urban and architectural rehabilitation. In 2007 at the World Trade Centre, Hangzhou in ZHOJIANG ITALIAN S&T INNOVATION FORUM. In 2008 in “OLTRE IL CUBO” at the University of Calabria, in Torino: “COMPLESSITÁ DEL PROGETTO CONTEMPORANEO PER UN’ARCHITETTURA RESPONSABILE” international exhibition – XXIII UIA World Congress of Architecture (in 2012 Brasil, Bulgaria, Romania). In 2009 at Bologna- SAIE / Arte in luce, Exhibition Urban solution, Exhibition eco-compatible buildings for a public use.In 2010, exhibition Pica Ciamarra Associati, Aix en Provence; in 2011 Italy Now 2000-2010 for U.I.A. World Congress Tokyo 2011 (Sangiorgio Library at Pistoia). In 2012 international exhibition Momento Italia Brasile 2011/12 in San Paulo, Brasìlia, Rio de Janeiro and Lectio Magistralis, Massimo Pica Ciamarra “Além da sustentabilidade” Universidade de Brasìlia; L’Architecture pour une ville durable, in Paris, Villeneuve D’Asc (Lille), Versailles, Barcelone, Rennes, Grenoble. In 2013 at the Biennale of Public Spaces with Discorsi di metodo: reti di luoghi di aggregazione – a scala ampia / a scala urbana; at MAMT (Mediterranean Museum of music and tradition arts) the permanent exhibition: PICA CIAMARRA ASSOCIATI UTOPIA AND REALITY, videos and multimedia installations. In 2014 PICA CIAMARRA ASSOCIATI a laboratory for the city: exhibition in 3 places along the river Arno.
In 2015 LabQ – Laboratorio per la Qualità Urbana – Pisa exhibition in 3 places along the river and CITY LAYERS – The Cities of the Future in Vienna Palais Palffy. Since 2016 on permanent exhibition at the MUVA – Museo Virtuale di Architettura (www.muva.it) Pica Ciamarra Associati – Viaggio virtuale in 50 anni di teoria e pratica progettuale. In 2018 at the MAMT (Museo Mediterraneo delle Arti della Musica e delle Tradizioni) / Fondazione Mediterraneo the exhibition CIVILIZZARE L’URBANO – Architettura dei Pica Ciamarra Associati.
In 2021 PCA participates in the Exhibition on Bagnoli promoted by the Council of Constructions; in the Digital Exhibition / Italian Pavilion -XVII° International Architecture Exhibition- La Biennale di Venezia and in the Exhibition “RENAISSANCE. collective space / individual space“, IV°Biennale di Pisa. Civilizing the Urban ETS and Pica Ciamarra Associati are also in Panicale (PG) with the exhibition ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION OF TERRITORIES: “Towards Naples Metropolitan City” / “Contemporary Humanistic Plan” in live streaming with Green Table, International Forum of Architecture and Design. In 2022 in Naples in the exhibition MAKE ARCHITECTURE NO WAR; in Sofia (Bulgaria) in the INTERNATIONAL OPEN-AIR EXHIBITIONS for the 35th anniversary of the IAA – International Academy of Architecture. In Naples in 2023, PCA participated in the exhibition “Architects and the Landscape between Nature and Artifice” at the PAN Palazzo delle Arti and at Castel Nuovo in the exhibition-conference “Architecture and the Green“.