Julio Cano Lasso. Naturalezas.

In celebration of the centenary of the birth of Julio Cano Lasso (1920-1996), the Madrid Institute of Architects (COAM) hosts the exhibition ‘Julio Cano Lasso. Naturalezas.’ On view from 9 September to 1 November, it presents original drawings and sketches of projects of the architect, selected from his archive.

Besides his architectural work, the show includes a part of his collection of drawings of historical Spanish cities, with studies and travel notes. A drawing aficionado and much interested in historical heritage, Cano Lano did numerous studies aimed at the protection of what he called ‘Our Old Cities.’ Monographic books, magazines, models, and audiovisuals complete the exhibition.

For its part, the Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda published the accompanying book, also titled Julio Cano Lasso. Naturalezas. Edited by Inmaculada Maluenda and Enrique Encabo, it presents the architect’s oeuvre in a way that looks at architecture and nature fusing in time. There are essays seeing the light for the first time, written by Juhani Pallasmaa, William Curtis, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, Iñaki Ábalos, Pep Llinás, Atxu Amann & Andrés Cánovas, Ángel Martínez García-Posada, José Manuel Sanz, and Luis Suárez Mansilla.

Cano Lasso’s texts and projects are analyzed in both the book and the exhibition, and the reader or visitor can see how his ideas on the interaction between man, architecture, and nature are exceedingly current, and can be a reference for new generations of professionals.