VIDEO: Inhabitat Interviews Metropol Parasol Architect Juergen Mayer H.

The Metropol Parasol was arguably the most important structure to open last year, and it has without doubt come to be one of the most photographed new architectural works of the decade. Designed by German architect Juergen Mayer, the beautiful and monumental work is the world's largest wooden structure, and has quickly become a new focal point for the city of Seville, Spain. Throwing back to the city's marketplace tradition, and paving the way for a new era of design innovation, the Metropol Parasol is a signal moment in architectural culture. Recently, our very own Editor-in-Chief, Jill Fehrenbacher, sat down with Mayer in New York City to talk about his inspiration for the design. Mayer also talks about the impact of digital technology on the architectural world, and what sustainability means for design. Hit jump to see a VIDEO of the interview, or click through our gallery above for all of Mayer's insight!

Inhabitat: How did you get your start in architecture?

Juergen Mayer: I found a book, which had a picture of Erich Mendelsohn’s Shocken department store, in Stuttgart. It was such a beautiful building that was dealing with light, and a very sculptural expression of modern architecture in the city. It opened my eyes to the beauty of the built environment, and this building in particular took such an artistic approach to its form. At the time I was interested in sculpture, but it felt easier to work on a larger scale in my studies. I then expanded the discipline towards art, design, communication, and then, of course, architecture.

Inhabitat: Let’s talk about the Metropol Parasol. This is the world’s largest wooden structure and it just opened in Seville, Spain. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got involved in that project and what inspired you to design it in wood?

Juergen Mayer: Metropol Parasol was a competition that we won in 2004, which was about creating a new, iconic piece for Seville that could also create a new idea for an urban space in the 21st century. What we proposed was a structure that sits on the Roman ruins, which is an archeology museum now. The Metropol Parasol brings back the food market, which was there before, and it also provides visitors with a mode to be elevated up above the horizon line of the buildings.

Besides being the largest wood / timber construction in the world, it might also be the largest one that has a glued, bonding technology. All of the joints are actually held together by a special glue that was developed about two or three years ago. While there are some nails, the steel connections are actually glued into the wood with like long fork-like steel rods. This is a very new technology, and to transfer the forces from one element to the other was actually the most innovative part in the structure of the building.

Inhabitat: Can you walk on top of it?

Juergen Mayer: Yes, it has a panoramic platform and there’s a restaurant on top. It has a very kind of seducing atmosphere up there, it’s like being on a cloud above the city.

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5 Comments

architexture August 8, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Beautiful structure! It reminds me of a chair I saw at the Salone de mobile in 2002. http://mark-naden.com/?category=15#513

emily @ EcoSalon August 7, 2011 at 12:24 pm

I live in Seville, right down the street from “the mushroom” as it is popularly called, and one question I’ve always had is about the choice of wood. The summer heat is sweltering, as such even in the construction of houses very little wood is used. Rarely will you even see hardwood floors because of morphing and concerns about insulation in the summer heat. Instead, marble or tile is far more typical.

While the structure is amazing, I wonder if it’s better suited to the climate of Germany than Andalucia.