Siamak Hariri: How do you build a sacred space?
Siamak Hariri: Como se constrói um espaço sagrado?
Siamak Hariri holds deep respect for the transformative potential of architecture, specializing in creating works of enduring value. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
that I studied at some 30 years ago
onde estudei há cerca de 30 anos
from the wonderful art gallery
em frente à maravilhosa galeria de arte
architect Louis Kahn.
Louis Kahn.
com bastante frequência.
and I used to visit it quite often.
across the concrete wall.
pela parede de betão.
was moved by the building
estava comovido com o edifício
a reaction of the heart.
the emotional response.
pela resposta emocional.
an open call for designs
para projetos
na América do Sul.
in all of South America.
em toda a América do Sul.
for the Bahá'í community,
para a comunidade Bahá'i
of the continental temples
dos templos continentais
for national and local temples to be built
de templos nacionais e locais
nine entrances, nine paths,
nove entradas, nove percursos,
from all directions,
vindos de todas as direções,
in the Bahá'í faith.
walks of life, backgrounds,
estilos de vida, formações,
churches for Christianity
igrejas da Cristandade
mesquitas do Islão.
o espaço sagrado?
what's sacred today?
o que é hoje sagrado?
from the Bahá'í writings,
das escrituras Bahá'i
which is already very interesting --
— isto é verdadeiramente interessante —
will become ashine.
tornar-se-ão brilhantes.
of the inner and the outer,
do interior e exterior,
and you say, "That person is radiant."
e dizemos que está radiosa.
how could we make something
como é que vamos fazer
it becomes alive.
torna-se vivo.
a single form of emanation
uma única forma de emanação
was looking too much like an egg.
só se parecia demasiado com um ovo.
letting the process take you,
deixando-nos levar pelo processo,
of a plant moving in light,
de uma planta a mover-se na luz,
could have reach,
could mean movement and stillness,
poderia significar movimento e quietude,
algo que vemos em muitos sítios.
as is humanly possible,
quanto é humanamente possível.
well, what is perfection?
"Então, o que é a perfeição?"
of this Japanese basket
com a imagem deste cesto japonês
of perfection need to be challenged,
de perfeição têm de ser desafiadas.
of this basket, this wonkiness,
na sua deformação,
of what you might imagine a shoulder
que poderemos imaginar ser um ombro
folding but torquing --
mas também torcer
and the way it was reaching.
e da forma como alcançava.
an interesting form,
uma forma interessante,
were received from 80 countries,
de 80 países,
of how to build it.
de como o construir.
many experiments with materials,
muitas experiências com materiais,
this kind of shimmer,
de ter esta espécie de brilho,
as you know, is very strong,
como sabem, é muito forte
just so and melt them
desta forma e as derreterem
com este novo material,
about two years to make.
cerca de dois anos a fazer.
something with a soft light,
com uma luz suave,
but on the inside you touch it.
mas por dentro, tocamo-lo.
in a huge quarry in Portugal
numa enorme pedreira em Portugal
for seven generations in his family,
durante sete gerações na sua família,
if you can believe it.
acreditem ou não.
it has that translucent quality.
tem a qualidade de ser translúcido.
estruturalmente,
all individual shapes,
todas formas individuais,
with aerospace technology,
com tecnologia aeroespacial,
para máquinas,
como podem imaginar,
of our $30 million budget
do nosso orçamento de 30 milhões
to that beautiful quote,
àquela bela citação:
of mysterious ways.
de todas as formas misteriosas.
14 years ago when we made the submission,
quando propusemos o projeto,
set against the Andes.
como nosso sítio,
where we ended up,
foi exatamente aonde fomos parar,
nothing but pure nature,
apenas contra a Natureza pura.
nothing but the city below you,
a cidade abaixo de nós,
uma vista em todas as direções,
as cerimónias de abertura
from all over South America,
das suas aldeias.
belongs to people,
pertence às pessoas,
and walks of life,
e percursos de vida,
is what it feels like on the inside;
é o que se sente no interior:
as that security guard,
do segurança,
o templo deles.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Siamak Hariri - ArchitectSiamak Hariri holds deep respect for the transformative potential of architecture, specializing in creating works of enduring value.
Why you should listen
Siamak Hariri is a founding Partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects, a 120 person practice based in Toronto. His portfolio of nationally and internationally recognized buildings has won over 60 awards, including the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture, celebrated as one of Canada’s Artists who mattered most by the Globe and Mail and with his Partner David Pontarini, the 2013 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Architectural Firm Award.
One of Hariri's earliest HPA projects, the Canadian headquarters of McKinsey & Company, is the youngest building to receive City of Toronto heritage landmark designation. He has recently completed public and private projects include the award-winning Richard Ivey Building, Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University, the Jackman Law Building for the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, the Schulich School of Business at York University and the Integrated Health Sciences campus, with the University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy and the McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine in downtown Kitchener.
In the fall of 2016, Hariri completed a project he began in 2003, the Bahá’í Temple of South American, located in Santiago, Chile, the last of the Bahá’í continental temples. Won through an international call and a rigorous design competition (185 entries from 80 countries) the temple is poised to become an architectural landmark at the foothill of the Andes. It has already won some of the top architecture awards including the RAIC Innovation Award, the World Architecture News Best Building of the Year (selected by ninety-seven judges around the world); Architect Magazine’s Progressive Architecture Award (architecture’s top unbuilt projects award); the Canadian Architect’s Award of Excellence; the International Property Awards and was profiled by National Geographic Magazine.
Hariri is currently working on the complex Princess Margaret Space Transformation Project and has recently won two international design competitions, the first, the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, and the second, selected from over 92 international architects, for the new Tom Patterson Theatre, poised to become the heart of the Stratford Festival.
Born in Bonn, Germany, Hariri was educated at the University of Waterloo and Yale University where he completed a Master of Architecture. He has taught at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto, as well as been a lecturer and guest critic for numerous organizations across North America. Hariri was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Architecture from Ryerson University for his contribution to architecture in Canada and abroad. The University of Toronto also honored him with an Arbor Award for his contribution to the University experience as a lecturer and adjunct professor. Hariri lives in Toronto with his artist wife, Sasha Rogers and their three children; Lua, Yasmin and David.
Siamak Hariri | Speaker | TED.com