Florian Idenburg: ‘Good buildings are important for a good society’

Editor’s Note: This feature is part of ‘A Walk With,’ a new series where some of the world’s most visionary urban designers take you on a stroll. See more here.

“Some architects maybe believe in architecture as sort of first aid, but we think of it more as preventative care,” says Florian Idenburg. “Good buildings are important for a good society.” Idenburg co-founded the award-winning practice SO-IL (Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu) with Jing Liu in 2008.

Together with their growing team, the architects have counted the Museum of Modern Art, Knoll, Ideo, Versace and Frieze Art Fair as clients.

Courtesy SO-IL

Earlier this year, alongside Laisné Roussel architects, SO-IL won an international competition to design the new Place Mazas in Paris.

Courtesy SO-IL

In 2014, SO-IL designed the exhibition space for "Bad Thoughts," an showcase of works from collectors Martijn and Jeannette Sanders at Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum.

Courtesy SO-IL

At Milan Design Week 2017, SO-IL teamed up with MINI to present this installation.

Courtesy SO-IL

In 2012, Frieze Art Fair approached the duo to construct the exhibition space for its inaugural New York edition.

Courtesy SO-IL

A gallery space in Seoul, South Korea.

Known for their responsive and participatory approach and innovative use of materials, SO-IL recently won a competition to design a new master plan for Place Mazas, which sits on the banks of the Seine River and the Canal Saint-Martin. Other upcoming commissions include an addition to a cultural center in Meisenthal, France, and a space for a private arts organization in Brooklyn.

When he visited Basel earlier this year to speak at Design Miami, we caught up with the Dutch architect as he walked along the banks of the Rhine River, musing on the role of public space and institutions, and the flow of people, buildings and ideas.

Video by Emile Kelly, CNN