GREETINGS FROM THE BAROQUE

an editorial by Francesco Lipari

This issue deals with the past and the future, conservation and innovation. Innovation is an art. It is an art to know how to grant a new, unique vision to the world. It is because of this talent that I always regarded Francesco Borromini as one of the key innovators of his time and the one that laid the foundations for what we call parametric architecture today, or rather, the possibility to transform variable geometric entities into a calculated series to obtain something that is geometrically new.

Transforming architecture into spacial innovation while still maintaining a relationship with established traditions was the key to Borromini’s success and the concept that inspired cityvision. Borromini reinterpreted artistic tradition, accepting only forms as key components and elaborating upon them liberally while disregarding any theory of proportions. He was the coolest architect of all and the one that gave us our wings.

He could’ve tuned in, tuned in

But he tuned out

A bad time, nothing could save him

Alone in a corridor, waiting,

locked out

He got up outta there, ran for hundreds of miles

He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree

The wind rose up, set him down on his knee

A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw

Delivered him wings, “Hey, look at me now”

Arms wide open with the sea as his floor

Oh, power, oh

He’s.. flying

Whole

High.. wide, oh

He floated back down ‘cause he wanted to share

His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere

But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed

By faceless men, well, fuckers

He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away

The love he receives is the love that is saved

And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky

A human being that was given to fly

High.. flying

Oh, oh

High.. flying

Oh, oh

He’s flying

Oh, oh (Eddie Vedder/Pearl Jam – Yield).