Decoding the Context. From a First Reading to an Informed Design

"If we regard built space as an element in the vast network of elements that define the realities within which our lives unfold (from unmediated physical reality to imagined realities), the idea of decoding context becomes all the more exciting and inspiring. So we take up the problem of understanding the elements, the relationships, the role played by each element within the network, aware that any intervention will have an impact on other elements, bringing changes, however small or significant, to the system. Any architectural object, whether actually built or at the design stage, transforms ...or sets out to transform its context. This chapter will present the idea of context in the broader sense, covering not only the presence of architecture in actual physical reality but also, for example, architecture defined rather through meanings, whether individual or collective, that are attributed to it by its author or by users (actual or potential). The directions from which context investigations can begin, the types of approaches and the perspectives can be extremely varied and they can all lead to noteworthy results. My intention is to encourage context explorations that are as in-depth, nuanced and fully assumed as possible by offering a broad view, supported by explanations and examples."