PhD in Architecture. History and Project | Politecnico di Torino
A+ Lectures 2025|04 Thinking with your hands|Giovanni Vaccarini
Thursday 10 April 2025| 1-2.30 PM Lingotto Room 201|Recordings on YouTube
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4 thoughts on “A+ Lectures 2025|04 Thinking with your hands|Giovanni Vaccarini”
Luana Oliveira Carrazza
The lecture by Giovanni Vaccarini explored the connections between the hands and the process of ideas, how those ideas are born and are linked to elements of perception. What stood out for me was this reflection on projects from the point of view of the ideas, thinking about the architecture as a complex process that has a substructure of different elements and the sketch being a match between the idea and the architecture itself. Through this “unboxing” of projects, Giovanni showcased some of his designs and it was very enlightening for me to see the details behind it and the thought process, involving all the aspects of the context, environment and construction. This made me think about how nowadays this connection/contact with the more concrete aspect of architecture is sometimes getting lost by the use of technology in the creative process. But at the same time, we have that technology allowing us to create detailed drawings and complex designs that weren’t possible before.
#04 Critical Unboxing, Thinking with your hands, Giovanni Vaccarini
During Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture, the architect emphasized two main components of his design approach: the hands, and the projects that undergo adaptation through their use. In other words, le mani gather information and imprint ideas onto paper, resulting in a collection of elements that are eventually transformed into real architectural works.
The concept of “thinking with your hands” really resonated with me and was clearly illustrated through the Geneva and Russi projects that Vaccarini “unboxed.” The idea of imprinting stood out particularly in the Powerbarn Bioenergy Production Plant project, located in agricultural land near Ravenna and dedicated to clean energy production. The exterior façade was inspired by Razzle Dazzle—a British military camouflage technique. Its distinctive design, covered with wooden shingles, was thoughtfully created to perplex the viewer while forming a compelling piece of architecture.
Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture pushed me to rethink the role of intuition and physical engagement in architecture. His idea that “the hand thinks” resonated strongly,it made me consider how much of design is not just conceptual, but deeply rooted in physical, sensory knowledge. I found the SPG Geneva project particularly compelling; its use of a responsive facade to bring light in while following a strict grid system showed how architecture can be both systematic and poetic. What stood out in all his projects was the refusal to treat the building as a passive object, whether it was the industrial site in Ravenna or the “razzle dazzle” technique to shift perception; each intervention was about creating a dialogue with the environment. For me, this lecture highlighted the importance of architecture not just adapting to context, but actively shaping and reinterpreting it; something I want to explore more in my own work.
Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture offered a powerful reflection on the role of the hands in architectural thinking—“the hands are the receptors of information that supply it to the mind.” This idea that thinking happens through making is central to Vaccarini’s approach. The concept of “Thinking with your hands” reminds us that despite technological advances, the hand remains the vital link between imagination and built reality. His projects, such as the SPG Office in Geneva, show how this philosophy translates into form: a meticulously crafted façade system born from modular thinking and manual precision, offering both energy performance and spatial flexibility. In the Powerbarn project, the tactile intelligence of the hand is visible in the sculpted landforms and woven wooden cladding that blurs nature and industry. Through manual exploration and material sensitivity, Vaccarini reclaims the hand as a generative tool—transforming abstract ideas into adaptive, performative, and poetic architecture that resonates with both place and people.
The lecture by Giovanni Vaccarini explored the connections between the hands and the process of ideas, how those ideas are born and are linked to elements of perception. What stood out for me was this reflection on projects from the point of view of the ideas, thinking about the architecture as a complex process that has a substructure of different elements and the sketch being a match between the idea and the architecture itself. Through this “unboxing” of projects, Giovanni showcased some of his designs and it was very enlightening for me to see the details behind it and the thought process, involving all the aspects of the context, environment and construction. This made me think about how nowadays this connection/contact with the more concrete aspect of architecture is sometimes getting lost by the use of technology in the creative process. But at the same time, we have that technology allowing us to create detailed drawings and complex designs that weren’t possible before.
#04 Critical Unboxing, Thinking with your hands, Giovanni Vaccarini
During Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture, the architect emphasized two main components of his design approach: the hands, and the projects that undergo adaptation through their use. In other words, le mani gather information and imprint ideas onto paper, resulting in a collection of elements that are eventually transformed into real architectural works.
The concept of “thinking with your hands” really resonated with me and was clearly illustrated through the Geneva and Russi projects that Vaccarini “unboxed.” The idea of imprinting stood out particularly in the Powerbarn Bioenergy Production Plant project, located in agricultural land near Ravenna and dedicated to clean energy production. The exterior façade was inspired by Razzle Dazzle—a British military camouflage technique. Its distinctive design, covered with wooden shingles, was thoughtfully created to perplex the viewer while forming a compelling piece of architecture.
Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture pushed me to rethink the role of intuition and physical engagement in architecture. His idea that “the hand thinks” resonated strongly,it made me consider how much of design is not just conceptual, but deeply rooted in physical, sensory knowledge. I found the SPG Geneva project particularly compelling; its use of a responsive facade to bring light in while following a strict grid system showed how architecture can be both systematic and poetic. What stood out in all his projects was the refusal to treat the building as a passive object, whether it was the industrial site in Ravenna or the “razzle dazzle” technique to shift perception; each intervention was about creating a dialogue with the environment. For me, this lecture highlighted the importance of architecture not just adapting to context, but actively shaping and reinterpreting it; something I want to explore more in my own work.
Giovanni Vaccarini’s lecture offered a powerful reflection on the role of the hands in architectural thinking—“the hands are the receptors of information that supply it to the mind.” This idea that thinking happens through making is central to Vaccarini’s approach. The concept of “Thinking with your hands” reminds us that despite technological advances, the hand remains the vital link between imagination and built reality. His projects, such as the SPG Office in Geneva, show how this philosophy translates into form: a meticulously crafted façade system born from modular thinking and manual precision, offering both energy performance and spatial flexibility. In the Powerbarn project, the tactile intelligence of the hand is visible in the sculpted landforms and woven wooden cladding that blurs nature and industry. Through manual exploration and material sensitivity, Vaccarini reclaims the hand as a generative tool—transforming abstract ideas into adaptive, performative, and poetic architecture that resonates with both place and people.