Preserve & Transform

September '24

Although we've gone from phones having 20 buttons to being a slab of glass, the experience of calling remains unchanged. Similarly, the way you drive a car or drink from a cup remains constant, despite variations in design or material. These examples illustrate a key principle: to innovate, we preserve the essence of an object while transforming it to meet new needs.

To improve a chair, you don't try to invent a new chair every time. You preserve the essence of it (a seat, legs) while simultaneously transforming it with your craft and taste, making it yours.

This interplay between preservation and transformation isn't limited to everyday objects. It is central to how art and culture evolve over time. Take religious art in Italy: while its purpose — to help Christians connect with their faith — has remained the same, artists have continually transformed how that purpose is realised. Compare Giotto's version of The Arrest of Christ from 1304 with Caravaggio's from 1602. Notice how the story is preserved, fulfilling the purpose of art, but transformed by each artist's temperament (Caravaggio wasn't one of the best people) and their contexts.

Each transformation doesn't promise improvement. Caravaggio often portrayed holy figures as everyday people, which some argue detracted from the initial purpose.

This principle is not limited to art but also applies to architectural spaces such as religious centres, where purpose and transformation often conflict. As with any of them, the purpose is to spread faith. The grandiosity and history of these centres heavily contribute to fulfilling it. If we transform them every two years, they become increasingly more human and, in turn, fail to fulfil their purpose.

Astino, historically, supported the local community and helped develop culture locally. Its purpose remained unchanged for a long period of time, requiring little transformation, resulting in the building ending up in ruin. Its transformation now is only because of the change of purpose.

If everything needs to evolve continuously, how does an object become timeless? If every idea evolves from the predecessor, are there no “new” ideas?

To create something timeless, we must strike a delicate balance between preservation and transformation. This balance is not static; it shifts as our constraints and needs evolve. Whether in design, art, or architecture, innovation stems from acknowledging and building on the past—not discarding it.

Yet, timelessness doesn't mean remaining unchanged. The very idea of preservation involves transformation, as the context around us shifts. Whether it's transitioning from buttons to touchscreens or from medieval religious art to contemporary visual expression, the essence of an object is carried forward, continually adapted to meet new expectations. In this sense, there are no "new" ideas — only fresh interpretations of the timeless elements that endure.

The challenge, then, is to preserve what is essential while embracing transformation. This balance keeps us connected to both past and future, ensuring our creations are not only relevant but meaningful across generations.