OBLIQUE – The Origin Story of the Project

…Perhaps We Should Rethink How We Make Decisions and Solve Problems. Perhaps We Should Recognize the Ubiquity and Inevitability of Obliquity.

(John Kay, Economist, 2010)

The goal of the exhibition is to explore the genesis of a project, reflecting on how an idea transforms into reality. This process unfolds through a spontaneous act which, despite its incompleteness, represents the tension field between the architect, the genius loci, and the architectural concept sketched on paper.

Research is never a linear path; instead, it is a continuous exploratory effort that often takes an oblique, transversal approach, consisting of small steps winding towards uncharted territories. The exhibition offers an alternative and profound perspective, one that embraces the complexity of the world. The creative journey provides a fresh view of reality from a different vantage point, revealing multiple layers of observation.

The design exercises presented here invite reflection on the importance of the unknown and the necessity of building exceptions to existing rules—an operation that embraces unexpected trajectories while reevaluating the value of slow observation and exploration.

The complex and non-linear nature of the creative process in architecture becomes the central theme of this exhibition. The genesis of a project is shaped by multiple forces and demands a transversal, synergistic approach. An architectural work is the result of oblique interactions among available resources, the architect's ambitions, the client’s requirements, the technical expertise of the executors, and regulatory constraints—not to mention the multitude of unforeseen factors.

The architect, much like a conductor, orchestrates a network of interactions that transform an idea into reality.