1981
Leopold Banchini (°1981, Geneva, CH) is an architect whose practice explores an eclectic and non-dogmatic approach to architecture, celebrating simplicity, economy and sustainability. He sees architecture as a tool for supporting unexpected and diverse ways of living together, rather than as a representation of power, wealth or cultural superiority.
His work values the poetry of construction over composition, seeking direct responses to specific sites and contexts. He embraces humble aesthetics, honest expression and alternatives to conventional functionalism. Through DIY and reuse practices, he challenges commercial modes of production and explores more emancipatory ways of making architecture.
His approach questions established hierarchies of knowledge and draws inspiration from vernacular architecture and popular ingenuity, tracing architectural elements across borders and historical periods. With political and environmental concerns at the heart of his practice, Banchini approaches architecture as a form of social action.