At the Pavoncella
Not too long ago I heard an architect say: “The public spaces are the
most important ones”. He was talking, in particular,
about a Tourist Hotel Residence under construction in Sardinia,
I don’t think so.
I think that most
important, that is the essential, fundamental starting point is the housing,
the home. In every time, man who has to confront himself with the
surrounding environ-
ment first of all seeks for shelter from the weather and from the
external agents in a cave,
or erecting some pillars which can provide a refuge. Once he has gained
a reference point
where to spend the night, he can get ready to set out and face the
outside world, nature,
and ultimately organize himself with his fellow men. In doing so, he can
get to think of pu-
blic, common spaces, for the most different purposes. These places (open
spaces or buil-
dings) are very important, and they should be made much more efficient,
harmonious and
beautiful than they usually are; but they still are a SERVICE to the
housing. Supposing,
absurdly, that works were left off half way through (which is more than
common practice,
instead), we may think of one or a few homes without public spaces; but
it wouldn’t make
any sense to consider public spaces without any homes to be a service
to.