LEAF Review : All Issues

“Cinema is more important than architecture,” Massimiliano Fuksas exclaims during a characteristically outspoken interview. Move the conversation onto his upcoming blockbuster, however, and one gets the impression that the Italian contrarian is still smitten with his chosen profession.

When Ken Shuttleworth declared the death of ‘the tall glass box’, he was also celebrating the death of ‘bling’. But as Herbert Wright discovers, Shuttleworth’s statement caused consternation among peers.

The slashing of funding for new school building by the UK Government has generated much debate about the role of architecture and environment in enhancing educational standards. We discuss the issue with architects, planners and academics.

But not every country is looking to cut public spending and the Brazilian economy is booming. Rod James finds out how architects are being rallied into action as the nation’s overpopulated cities look to evolve sustainably.

In an exclusive interview conducted during a brief stay in New York to launch OMA's Cronocaos exhibition, Rem Koolhaas discusses the inherent tensions between protectionists and modernisers and achieving sensible deployment of preservation against the excesses of architecture.

Elsewhere, Jürgen Mayer discusses his creation of arguably the world's most outlandish parasol, we explore digitally controlled building façades that react to environmental conditions and ask how one goes about hosting a summer football tournament in one of the hottest regions on Earth. We talk to Curtis Fentress and Santiago Calatrava about architecture's shifting relationship with the airport, and question architecture’s role in the creation of beautiful music with a look at the Harpa Concert Hall.

Other highlights include Konstantin Grcic outlining design philosophies, the changing face of the office and a profile of the latest architectural addition to Trinity College Dublin

The UN forecasts that today's urban population of 3.2 billion will top five billion by 2030, placing unprecedented strain on the infrastructure of cities. Mitchell Joachim, co-founder of New York-based urban design group Terreform ONE and leading German architect Jürgen Mayer discuss the relationship between cities and their inhabitants and the need for a radical reimagining of the urban landscape.

Following in the wake of the recent launch of his Riva speedboat, superdesigner Marc Newson shares his thoughts on luxury design with the LEAF Review. "I was aware of Riva even as a child growing up in Australia – it epitomised the jet-set glamour of the 1960s – the Riviera, Portofino, the Agha Khan, Bardot," he says.

Finally, the need for more sustainable, energy-efficient design solutions has seen growing numbers of wood-based projects. We talk to architects working at different ends of the spectrum.

"If you use architecture as a weapon to get through new ideas then that is good," says Professor Wolf D Prix, co-founder of internationally celebrated practice, Coop Himmelb(l)au. Prix discusses his practice's work including the new European Central Bank and how he has kept his design philosophy radical after 42 years.

One of the most progressive architects in the world, Alejandro Aravena's Elemental, a self-proclaimed "do tank", is as an extraordinary partnership between an architect, an oil company and a university that is solving problems of housing the world's poor. Aravena explains the practice's work to the Leaf Review.

A Rem Koolhaas protégé and co-founder of PLOT, at just 25 and now five years into running one of Europe's most exciting practices, Julien de Smedt does not appear to be a man with much experience of crises. However, as he tells us, there may never be a better time to learn.

"We made the rules," Ron Arad says of his most pivotal project to date, Design Museum Holon. Given a brief to create a building that would appear on a postage stamp, he came up with a sinuous design of five ribbons of weathered Corten steel that band around the two main gallery buildings.

Inspired by its neighbourhood, by its institution's unique programme and by classic spacecraft, provocateur architect Thom Mayne's 41 Cooper Square brings fresh thinking about progress, community, and contextuality to New York City.

Finally, in an exclusive interview to discuss his latest museum projects, the recently completed Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco and the Military History Museum in Dresden, Daniel Libeskind explains his approach to designing for memory and why architecture is the greatest communicator of all.

The success of LEAF and the unique community of architects created by the event has resulted in the launch of a new publication specifically targeting this elite group. The LEAF Review intelligently captures the opinions, ideas and philosophies of Europe’s foremost architects in a diverse mix of articles, case studies, interviews and profiles.

The LEAF Review No.5 examines new building exteriors, proving that they can be more than just a pretty face. We reveal how building façades are entering an unprecedented era of innovation and fashion consciousness.

With the upcoming Beijing Olympics putting the focus on China, and Western architects flocking to the East, we speak to Meinhard von Gerkan of GMP Architects about what European designers can gain from the experience.

The urban landscape is changing, and shortages of space present unique challenges for architects. Jacob van Rijs, one third of Rotterdam-based MVRDV tells us about their particular take on crowd control.

Dr Chris Luebkeman, Arup's director for global foresight and innovation, gazes into the future and explains how it is intimately tied to the way our cities are created. We also get a guided tour of the new Oslo Opera House and take an advance look at the forthcoming LEAF Dublin event.

The fourth edition of The LEAF Review includes a special section on all the winning projects of the fourth annual LEAF Awards, including the overall winner – ARB Bank Headquarters designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

The opening of SANAA's New Museum has re-energised lower Manhattan and provoked considerable interest in new Japanese architecture which is enjoying an extraordinary renaissance at present and setting architectural agendas way beyond Japan. We visit the New Museum and talk to Kazuyo Sejima about their highest-profile project to date. To put Japanese design innovation into perspective, we also chair a debate between leading lights including Kengo Kuma and Hitoshi Abe.

Other features include: Erik Schotte of LIAG, Julien de Smedt of JDS and Susanne Hofmann of Berlin-based Baupiloten discussing the challenges of designing for children; an exclusive interview with Swiss architect Mario Botta and a profile of Make Architects.

Out now, The LEAF Review No. 3 has the latest news, projects and exclusive opinions from the European architectural industry. This latest edition includes a preview of the next LEAF event in Rome and looks forward to the LEAF Awards 2007, held in London in November 2007.

Features include: the class of 2007 – era-defining architects from UNStudio’s Ben van Berkel to JDS’s Julian de Smedt discuss their latest projects, German architectural light Jürgen Mayer talks about why designs need to provoke and participate and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners 175 Greenwich Street in New York is examined, incorporating an interview with the project’s designer Richard Paul.

We also speak to Ricky Burdett, the Olympic Delivery Authority's chief adviser on architecture, as he answers London 2012’s critics.

The second issue of The LEAF Review is bursting with captivating content, lending a voice to Europe’s architects, from the big names to the young guns, drawn together by their passion for the finest and most imaginative designs.

The LEAF Awards 2006, held in Dubai last September, were a highlight of our year, and we profile all the winners and their projects.

This issue includes an interview with Santiago Calatrava, who discusses his World Trade Center Transportation Hub, and 2006’s most striking European project - Frank Gehry’s surreal Marqués de Riscal hotel. We talk to the Marqués de Riscal’s project designer Edwin Chan about what the project means to him.

The launch issue of The LEAF Review is bursting with captivating content. We have got our LEAF community members onboard, such Colin Gilmore Merchant, MD at SMC Alsop, talking about what true sustainability really is.

John Campbell, Terry, Farrell & Partner, gives insight into security issues with examples such as the MI6 building and the Home Office headquarters. An exclusive interview with Alain de Botton, the philosopher / author, sheds light on the link between architecture and happiness.

We also spoke to up and coming architect, Gert Wingårdh, about his natural design and main inspirations. And last but not least, we showcase our LEAF Award-winning projects, the best in contemporary architecture.