Magma Matter

The Magma Matter Project opens a conversation about sustainability, resilience, and the radical potential of architectural materials. As part of an ongoing research initiative, this art exhibition poses a provocative question: can the construction industry leverage molten basalt to replicate the fluidity and malleability of concrete while drastically reducing its ecological impact?

The sculptures underscore the transformative power of three fluid materials in art and architecture: concrete, molten glass, and molten rock. By juxtaposing the rigidity of conventional concrete with the translucence of glass and the primal force of lava, the exhibition challenges entrenched perceptions of construction materials, compelling viewers to rethink the aesthetics and functionality of the built environment.

Cristina Parreño Alonso is an architect, designer, and educator at the School of Architecture and Planning at MIT, where she founded the Deep Time Project to explore expanded timescales of architecture in the age of the Anthropocene. She is the director of her eponymous architectural firm based in Cambridge and Madrid, which has been granted the European Award 40 Under 40 and the Emerging Firms Award at the Design Biennial Boston. Her work has been exhibited in venues like Art Omi in NY, the Schusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow, and La Biennale di Venezia 2021. Her writings on architecture and the environment have been published in Log Magazine, The Journal of Architectural Education, Strelka Magazine, e-flux, ACSA Curriculum for Climate Agency, and Routledge.

Biography: MIT Architecture
Website: cristinaparreno.com
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