FF – Distance Edition: Rael San Fratello

Link to Youtube Here https://youtu.be/iyxOjBsNhLE?si=NAJR8dpuz3yIKFMX

The Architectural League’s monthly First Friday events are informal social gatherings that allow members to visit the offices of leading design practices and see work in progress. On 2020 November 5, the League paid a visit to rural Colorado to learn about Rael San Fratello’s Casa Covida, a 3D-printed house made of mud taken from the site. 

Partners Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello gave a tour of the project and discussed its relation to their wider body of work, including their long exploration of earthen architecture.

They also guided viewers through their workshop, explaining how experiments with small-scale 3D-printed pottery contributed to the house’s development. 

The presentation is followed by a Q+A moderated by Christina De León, associate curator of Latino Design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.