ARK JOURNAL XI MAGAZINE

Ark Journal volume 11 reflects on how history shapes our understanding of art, design and architecture, and celebrates the fluidity of interpretations that evolve over time and the importance of context. Explore how architects navigate the interaction between tradition and innovation, based on historical precedents while thinking about the future, how adaptive reuse gives new life to ancient structures and how architectural interventions honour a site’s cultural history.

This issue features two iconic mid-century modernist homes in Mexico City and Cincinnati, which have undergone transformations, but with deep respect for the rich history and meaning of each house. Architect Ray Kappe’s Southern California language translates into a contemporary home in Berlin, while a house on an island in the Baltic Sea is built to experience untamed nature. The architect and curator of South African origin Sumayya Vally is a state-of-the-art voice, emphasising the power of identity, belonging, and cultural authenticity to shape architecture outside conventional standards. Hvitträsk is also visited, the first Finnish home of Eliel and Loja Saarinen, where creativity and community radically intertwine.