2008 copyright by .horhizon
.Sara Shafiei
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.”
- Albert Einstein.
Sara Shafiei graduated from the Bartlett school of Architecture (UCL) with distinction in design and thesis. She was the Bartlett recipient of the Sir Banister Fletcher Bronze Medal for the highest marks awarded in final year examination, as well as the 3D REID prize for the best final year diploma project, and the Hamilton Associates prize for excellence in design process.
Sara’s work delves into the relationship of new architectural interventions in order to produce a contemporary style rich in textures, patterns and layers. Her work is experimental but most importantly exuberant and experiential. She has been able to travel to research these interests further in 2008, through receiving the KPF/ Architecture Foundation Public Space Travel Award.
Her work is currently on exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition 2008, where it has been awarded the Royal Academy of Arts Worshipful Company of Charted Architects best drawing prize.
She has recently won the TECU Architecture Award for her innovative use of copper cladding for her project entitled ‘Theatre for Magicians’. Here her interests in excess baroque ornamentation are translated into a project that harnesses the use of modern technology to create an ornamental theatre influenced by magic and illusion.
Her work with bamboo is also noted worldwide with exhibitions in Bogata, Lima, Kassel and london as well as publications including ‘Visionary Bamboo Designs for Ecological Living’ (co-published by INBAR in Beijing) and ‘Innovation in Bamboo’ (Sandu Publication).
Shafiei has also been published in AD-Protoarchitecture (edited by Bob Sheil, 2008), London interiors magazine, Wallpaper magazine, Icon magazine, BD and The Architects Journal. She is also currently one of the authors at Deletedscenes magazine.
Sara formed ‘saraben studio’ with Ben Cowd in 2007. Their self titled exhibition at dreamspace gallery won critical aclaim in late 2007.