Sheet Journal vol. XI

Ark Journal Volume 11 considers how history shapes our understanding of art, design and architecture, celebrating the fluidity of interpretations that evolve over time, as well as the importance of context.

They explore how architects navigate the interplay between tradition and innovation, drawing on historical precedents while thinking about the future, how adaptive reuse breathes new life into old structures, and how architectural interventions honor a place's cultural heritage.

They present two iconic houses from the mid-20th century, in Mexico City and Cincinnati, that have undergone transformations, but with a deep respect for the rich history and significance of each house. The Southern Californian architect Ray Kappe's language is translated into a modern home in Berlin, while a house on an island in the Baltic Sea is built to experience untouched nature. South African-born architect and curator Sumayya Vally is a voice of the latest generation, and in this interview she emphasizes the power of identity, belonging and cultural hybridity in shaping architecture outside of conventional norms. They visit Hvitträsk, the early Finnish home of Eliel and Loja Saarinen, where creativity and community are radically entwined.

In their case studies, Pernille Vest explores furniture as art objects, the craftsmanship of rare precious wood, marked by time and skilled hands. In Basel, there is a lesson in how to live and work with art, delivered by two generations of the von Bartha family of gallerists. In Design Metaphors, Ettore Sottsass used photography to explore the origins of architecture.

Dung Ngo talks to Ana Elena Mallet, curator of an exhibition at MoMA on design histories from Latin America, where craft and industry shaped hybrid identities. And in their portfolio, they delve into how new ideas of utopia in architecture, design and art shaped a distinctly Latin American version of modernity.