RMIT Architecture

RMIT Architecture

He moved to Melbourne in 1996. He is a Senior Lecturer in Architectural/Urban Design and History/Theory of Architecture at RMIT University, and a director of Baracco + Wright Architects. His teaching includes design studios, final year design thesis studios and history/theory courses. Since 1997 he has been coordinating and lecturing in the course of History of the 20th Century Architecture together with Peter Corrigan. From 1997 to 2005 he also coordinated the Final Year Design Thesis stream Pre Major + Major Project courses. He is currently the coordinator of the International Exchange Studies Program. In 2010 he has completed a PhD on the architecture of Melbourne architect Robin Boyd it is titled: Coexistence of Rational Definiteness and Irrational Oneness. An Investigation of Robin Boyds architecture and approach through a Heideggerian perspective. The thought and design approach of this Melbourne architect is discussed in relation to the theoretical thought of German philosopher Martin Heidegger and is investigated as characterized by two coexisting positions: a rational comprehension of the world through objective and definite entities, and an irrational oneness as a state of reciprocal co belongingness con fusion of these same physical and spatial entities. This work, which through extensive writing and redrawing of Boyds projects argues the existence of a dimension of continuity and con fusion of space between architectural, landscape, urban and territorial fields, is part of a wider and more general research framework that is consistently investigated by Mauro in different ways through his teaching, practise and publishing activities regarding both architectural design and history/theory of architecture. Program Responsibilities Coordinator of History of the 20th Century Architecture Coordinator of the International Exchange Studies Program Staff Representative member of the SSCC Committee Student Staff Consultative Committee Member of the International Committee Teaching Commitments Architectural Design Studio Major Project Master final thesis Supervision History of the 20th Century Architecture History/Theory subjects Community Involvement Commentator of architectural/urban matters for SBS Radio Collaborator in various capacities and through public presentations and events organization of the Robin Boyd Foundation Collaborator in various capacities and through various design research with environmental organizations such as: Greening Australia MCMC Merri Creek Management Committee CERES Community Environment Park FoMC Friends of Merri Creek Crib Point Foreshore Committee Mornington Peninsula Practice Key Projects Baracco + Wright Architects 1999 2010 Fitzroy Community School, Thornbury, Melbourne, Australia new school for the Thornbury Campus 2008 Urban Design Framework for Crib Point, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia commissioned by the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to Baracco + Wright Architects and NMBW 2008 Rose House, Merricks Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Australia 2008 Fitzroy Community School, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia addition of new volumes for conference hall and library 2006 Simpson Street Apartments, Northcote, Melbourne, Australia 2006 Farm Pavilion, Barrabool Hills, Geelong, Australia 2006 Simpson Street House, Northcote, Melbourne, Australia 2006 Court House, Caulfield, Melbourne, Australia renovation of an existing Glass House, formerly Labassa Conservatory, c.1890, originally part of Labassa Estate, and addition of new residential buildings and landscape 2005 Former Lawrence House, Kew, Melbourne, Australia refurbishment, landscape and furniture design of former Lawrence House designed by Robin Boyd, 1966 1968 2000 2007 George + Murphy House, Kew, Melbourne, Australia alterations, additions, furniture and landscape design in various stages 2000 Car park, auditoria, hostel, research spaces and landscape for a Cultural/Entertainment/Sport Centre, Cuneo, Italy. 1999 Fit out design for the exhibition Pause: 16 Emerging Melbourne Architects, Melbourne International Biennial 1999, Melbourne Central, Melbourne, Australia Baracco Architects sole practitioner, 1991 1997 1997 Commemorative monument to mathematician Carlo Peano, Cuneo, Italy national competition entry Honourable Mention; in collaboration with Luciano Gastaldi unbuilt 1994 Renovation and alteration of Nuvolari Mediterraneo Caf in Cuneo, Italy 1993 Architectural and landscape design for Nuvolari Libera Tribu cultural and entertainment complex, Cuneo, Italy 1992 Public Housing Complex, Savigliano Cuneo, Italy 1990 Companion City: an urban and architectural design for the Porta Vercellina Area, Milan, Italy international competition entry Honourable Mention, unbuilt Baracco Romanelli Architects 1986 1990 1987 Nuvolari Caf Cuneo, Italy renovation and alteration of a historical building Design Architect in Aldo Rossi and Gianni Braghieri Office of Architecture 1986 1990 1987 Architectural and landscape design of an urban park and new church, Miglianico Chieti, Italy national competition entry First Prize; in collaboration with Gianni Braghieri and Paolo Digiuni unbuilt 1987 Urban and landscape design for the area around the Central Railway Station, Milan, Italy, national competition entry Honourable Mention; in collaboration with Gianni Braghieri, Arduino Cantafora, Francesco Gulinello, Raffaella Pirini, unbuilt 1986 Centro Torri Shopping Centre, Parma, Italy Research Area Mauro Baraccos research and supervision are broadly involved with investigations of a design approach that is inclined to encourage a sense of coexistence and no hierarchy between architecture, landscape and infrastructure as equal and simultaneous conditions in contemporary urban and suburban environments. This research not only entails the consistent testing of design approaches that at a theoretical level critically resist the rational and mainly western process of representation/determination/objectification, but also indirectly lead to projects that at a more empirical level are characterized by a strong degree of sustainability. In light of their inclination to weaken boundaries between distinctive elements and therefore to focus on the design of relational spaces rather than the production of single objects, the range of projects continuously investigated and tested by this research approach are inclined to address, in different forms and at different levels, the current and urgent need to occupy and inhabit land in a considered and sustainable way. A consequential aspect of this research is the study and reconsideration of the recurrent everyday and transformations that consistently inform the architectural, urban, physical, historical, social and cultural environments of contemporary cities in general, and Melbourne in particular as a consistently investigated local case study. In parallel, as a correlated aspect of this research framework, Mauro is consistently interested in the analysis and critical revisitation of late modernist examples as different and yet analogous traditions closely involved with a notion of design that is strongly critical of the sense of determination and objectification that typically characterize an extensive range of Modernist positions. These late modernist references include the work of the Smithsons, Italian Neo Liberty, Brutalism, Metabolism, Radical Architecture and Melbourne architect Robin Boyd among others. Publications Books and editorships Mauro Baracco ed., Tree Sprawl Consolidation and Expansion of Open Vegetated Space: Projects in the Urban Territory of Merri Creek, Melbourne, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, 2011 Mauro Baracco ed., Sustainability Post Copenhagen, monographic issue of Architect Victoria, Spring 2010 Mauro Baracco, Lucinda McLean, Rebecca Roke, Louise Wright, Complexity and Ambiguity; from Hastings to Stony Point, exhibition catalogue including urban and architectural RMIT final thesis projects for the area comprised between Hastings and Stony Point, Westernport Bay, with the collaboration of Mornington Council, exhibition in Bittern Hall, Bittern, November 2005 Mauro Baracco ed. with others, Dia Architecture Thesis Projects 2000 2001, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, 2002 Mauro Baracco, Paolo Digiuni eds., Centro Torri, essays and reflections on a work by Aldo Rossi and Gianni Braghieri, photos by Luigi Ghirri, Clup, Milano, 1988 Book Chapters and Refereed Articles Mauro Baracco, Urban Densification and Community Interaction through Tree Sprawl, in Mauro Baracco ed., Tree Sprawl Consolidation and Expansion of Open Vegetated Space: Projects in the Urban Territory of Merri Creek, Melbourne, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, 2011 Mauro Baracco and Louise Wright, Multi Family House 2006 and House That Grows Inside, in Shane Murray, Diego Ramirez Lovering, Simon Whibley eds, reHousing 24 housing projects, RMIT University Press, Melbourne 2008, pp. 112, 113 Mauro Baracco and Louise Wright, Coastal Deck, in Rowena Wiseman ed, Out of the Square, Beach architecture on the Mornington Peninsula, MPRG, Mornington 2008, pp. 74 77 Baracco + Wright Architects, Barrabool Hills, in Neil Durbach, Vince Frost, Wendy Lewin, Kerstin Thompson, Gary Warner eds., Abundant, catalogue of the homonymous exhibition, Australian Pavilion, 11th International Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy, September November 2008, p. 59 Mauro Baracco, senza soluzione di continuit in Stefania Chiavero ed, Rendiconti Cuneo 2005, Nerosubianco Publisher, Cuneo, Italy, 2005 Mauro Baracco, Yet Unconcluded: The Poetic Resistance of Some Melbourne Architecture in Leon van Schaik ed., Poetics in Architecture, monographic issue of Architectural Design, vol. 72, no. 2, March 2002 Mauro Baracco, for Re inhabitation in Mauro Baracco ed. with others, Dia Architecture Thesis Projects 2000 2001, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, 2002 Mauro Baracco, luogo della di architettura e natura Cuneo, place of a belonging together between architecture and nature, in Marco Bosonetto, Oliver Migliore, Cuneo. Strade, facce, monumenti e cieli della citta triangolare Cuneo: roads, faces, monuments and skies of the triangular city, Blu Edizioni, Peveragno, Italy, 2001 Mauro Baracco, fit out for Pause exhibition: a project of my tradition in Catherine Murphy ed., Pause, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, 2001 Mauro Baracco, and Marginality in Sisto Giriodi, A Piedmontese Atlas, Celid, Torino, 2001 Mauro Baracco, Dialogue for a possible utopia, Transition, no. 40, 1993 refereed article Mauro Baracco, Directions in Contemporary Italian Architecture Transition, no. 40, 1993 refereed article Mauro Baracco, Biennale Fifth International Exhibition of Architecture: Multiplicity as the Only Unity Transition, no. 36/37, 1992 refereed article Mauro Baracco, Garnier or the Reconciliation of Doubt and Certainty Transition, no. 33, 1990 refereed article Journal/Magazine articles Mauro Baracco, Architecture of the Common Sense and Sustainability, in Mauro Baracco ed., Sustainability Post Copenhagen, monographic issue of Architect Victoria, Spring 2010 November 2010, pp. 1 5 Mauro Baracco, Postcard to Italy, Architect Victoria, Winter 2008, p. 12 Mauro Baracco, Louise Wright, Response to the 25 year survey of Australian Architecture organized by Architectural Review Australia, AR Architectural Review Australia, no. 100, 2007 Mauro Baracco, Eduardo Souto de Moura, review of the book and Braga Stadium, Monument, no. 64, December 2004/January 2005 Mauro Baracco, Response to the question posed by Pataphysics: In recent years have any aspects of your concerns with space altered?, Pataphysics, 2005 Mauro Baracco, Louise Wright, Somers Shed , a project by NMBW, Architecture Australia, vol. 93, no. 1, January/February 2004 Mauro Baracco, in Mauro Baracco ed. with others, Dia Architecture Thesis Projects 2000 2001, RMIT University Press, Melbourne, 2002 Mauro Baracco, Atlante Piemontese a conversation with Sisto Giriodi, Monument, no. 45, December 2001/January 2002 Mauro Baracco, Australian architects. For a architecture, beyond the relation local/global. 688, April 2001 Mauro Baracco, on the notions of Tradition and Resistance in architecture and their sense of marginality Atopos, philosophy journal, no. 61/62, 2000 Mauro Baracco, Louise Wright, infra ordinary of Paul Cox Count Down, no. 3, January June 1999 Mauro Baracco, presence. 31, August/September 1999 Mauro Baracco, Terragni. Exhibition Review Architectural Review Australia, no. 66, Summer 1998 Mauro Baracco, Louise Wright, in Melbourne itinerary no. 149, Domus, no. 808, October 1998 Mauro Baracco, 8: Edmond Corrigan at RMIT a review of the book in three volumes, Domus, no. 117, July/August 1997 Mauro Baracco, Discrete Discreet house Ottagono, no. 124, September November 1997 Mauro Baracco, percorso esatto The exact journey, a postcard on re interpreting Italo Calvino, Count Down, no. 5, December 1997 Mauro Baracco, Katsalidis St. Andrews Beach House, Victoria, Australia Domus, no. 768, February 1995 Mauro Baracco, Marcante, D. Volpe e G. Domenino: Un appartamento a Torino A. Marcante, D. Volpe and G. Domenino: A flat in Turin, Domus, no. 765, November 1994 Mauro Baracco Corrigan, Athan House in Monbulk Domus, no. 750, June 1993 Mauro Baracco, Hadid: Bar Ristorante MoonSoon, Sapporo Zaha Hadid MoonSoon Bar Restaurant, Sapporo, Domus, no. 729, July/August 1991 Mauro Baracco, Seidler Associates: Appartamento e uffici, Sydney Harry Seidler Associates Penthouse apartment and offices, Sydney, Domus, no. 722, December 1990 Mauro Baracco, in fragments/The fragments of being Pataphysics, no. G/H, 1990 Mauro Baracco, e Torino Mollino in Turin itinerary no. 44, Domus, no. 703, March 1989 Mauro Baracco, Paolo Digiuni, Chapel in Giussano a review of the Molteni Chapel by Aldo Rossi, A+U, no. 213, June 1988 Mauro Baracco, Paolo Digiuni, Rossi, cappella funeraria a Giussano Aldo Rossi, Funeral Chapel in Giussano, Domus, no. 690, January 1988 Mauro Baracco, Riva, Il tavolo Adanna per Fontana Arte Umberto Riva Adanna table for Fontana Arte, Domus, no. 686, September 1987 Mauro Baracco, e Isola, Mobili 1951 1970 1986 Gabetti e Isola, Furniture 1951 1970 1986, Domus, no. Initiative, Melbourne, 21 November 2007 Mauro Baracco, Heideggerian Architecture, unpublished paper presented in the context of Theoretical Framework Lecture Series, School of Architecture + Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, 29 March 2007 Mauro Baracco, in a condition of co belongingness unpublished paper presented in the context of the conference Politics of Space in the Age of Terrorism, School of Architecture + Design, RMIT, 1 2 July 2005 Mauro Baracco, and Centralized Schemes in the History of Urban Planning. A trajectory of utopian examples of to representation from Renaissance to Contemporaneity unpublished paper presented in a guest lecture delivered in the context of the World Cities Research Project Seminar, School of Architecture + Design, RMIT University, 10 September 2002 Mauro Baracco, Ambiguity of the Origin Ambiguity of Space, unpublished paper to present the work of sculptor Roberto Fabiani, The Italian Institute of Culture, Elm Tree House, South Yarra, Melbourne, 4 July 2002 Mauro Baracco, beyond representation. Contemporary projects of architecture/landscape/infrastructure unpublished paper presented in a guest lecture delivered at McGauran Giannini Soon Architects, Melbourne, 19 April 2002 Mauro Baracco, essentiality and immediateness. A and resistance to representation in contemporary cinematography unpublished paper presented in the context of the Almost There lecture series, School of Architecture + Design, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, 15 August 2001 Mauro Baracco, Thought and Hermeneutics in Contemporary Philosophy and Architecture unpublished paper presented in a guest lecture delivered in the context of Theory Architecture Lecture Series, School of Architecture + Design, RMIT University, 9 August 2001 Mauro Baracco, the Relation Local/Global Beyond Representation. Unione Italiani in Australia, Motor Works Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, 10 March 1997 Mauro Baracco, on the edge: Modern and Contemporary Architecture in Melbourne unpublished paper presented in a public lecture at the Faculty of Architecture of Turin Polytechnic, Turin, Italy, 12 December 1996 Mauro Baracco, an architecture qualities unpublished conference paper presented in the context of the Master of Architecture Program workshops, University of Melbourne, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, Melbourne, Australia, 10 13 October 1996 Mauro Baracco, and Followers in the creative process unpublished conference paper presented at the International Conference On Taste, Industrihuset, Stockholm, Sweden, 13 May 1996 Mauro Baracco, e nella citta contemporanea and in the contemporary city, Inter Nos Italian Australian Quarterly Review, Melbourne no. New and emerging architectural practices, Span Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, 10 15 December 2001; curated by John Rollo, organized and produced by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects by invitation to: Architettura Italiana Contemporanea. Esperienze e ricerche delle nuove generazioni Contemporary Italian Architecture. Experiences and Research of the new generation, Opos Gallery, Milan, Italy, December 1993; Museum of Sant Agostino, Genoa, Italy, April May 1994; Palazzo Steri, Palermo, Italy, November 1994; Bari, Italy, May 1995; curated by Giampiero Bosoni Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects by invitation to: La Cooperazione Edilizia tra integrazione e recupero: 10 anni di attivita della Lega delle Cooperative nella Provincia di Cuneo Between integration and reuse: Contemporary Public Housing Projects in Piedmont, Italy, San Francesco Civic Museum, Cuneo, Italy, 24 30 April 1993 Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects to the exhibition: Progetti Italiani per Nara Migrazione ad Oriente Italian Projects for Nara Migration to the Orient, selected entries for the Nara Convention Hall International Competition, Japan, 1991, Japanese Institute of Culture, Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy 9 26 June 1992 Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects to the exhibition: Companion City selected entries for an international competition of urban and architectural visions for different cities in the world, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art ACCA, Melbourne, Australia, 20 March 14 April 1991 Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects to the exhibition: Il Progetto Impossibile The Impossible Project, selected entries for the homonymous architectural competition, Parma, Italy, April 1991; organized by Gramsci Institute of Parma Participation of Mauro Baracco Architects by invitation to the exhibition: The New Breed presenting the work of 40 young international architects, Architecture International Seminar Series, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, 13 15 October 1988 Exhibition curatorship Curatorship and fit out design of the exhibition: Tree Sprawl Consolidation and Expansion of Open Vegetated Space; Projects in the Urban Territory of Merri Creek, Melbourne, CERES Community Environment Park, East Brunswick, Melbourne, 11 June 1 July 2011; a collaboration between RMIT University, School of Architecture and Design; MCMC, Merri Creek Management Committee; and CERES Community Environment Park Curatorship and fit out design with the collaboration of Oliver Hutchison of: CBD North An exhibition of works in progress for a publication, RMIT University, School of Architecture and Design, Building 45, Lygon Street, Carlto