Phylogenesis of Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architectural Works

In June 2003, Vienna's MAK Museum exposed the noblest works of Foreign Office Architects (FOA) by presenting 13 models, 30 tableaux, and a short film. Relying on the document presented in the MAK museum and also a printed interview with Mrs. Farshid Moussavi, the author attempts to inspect the theoretical ground of the works of these two architects and their intellectual development, which is projected in their works. The author mainly refers to a tree-like structure designed by the architects themselves spreading throughout the exhibition space and wrapping around their works, intended to classify their works and explain their theoretical grounds. In this tree, each division is a "member" and each branch shows a kind of species and all the species together present the theoretical and practical project of the two architects.

The architecture office of FOA (Foreign Office Architects) was founded by Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo in 1992. This firm managed in the past decade, through its theories and works — such as the Yokohama International Port Terminal (see Memar 17) — to attract the attention of professionals worldwide. Their works, both in terms of their distinctive visual quality and their conceptual approach, represented significant contributions to architectural discourse. The exhibition in Vienna, and the accompanying book "Phylogenesis," offered a comprehensive view of their design philosophy.

The strategy of FOA's architectural work is revealed at various levels. In their approach to design, two levels can always be identified: one is the conceptual framework that shapes their ideas, and the other is the physical manifestation of those ideas in built form. The two architects describe their projects through this tree of evolution. The result is a system of classification that relates the theoretical concerns to the practical outcomes, with each branch of the tree representing a different aspect of architectural inquiry.

The Phylogenesis Tree

The final concept is essentially this: the surface, taken in all its complexity, becomes the primary subject of architectural exploration. In their current classification, the architects distinguish between seven members, each containing its own species: function, surfaces, orientation, unevenness, continuity, limitation, and geometry. Each of these members describes a different dimension of the architectural surface and its relationship to program, context, and form.

The first member, "function," forms the initial division of the tree. Here, projects are divided into two categories: those with a "single surface" approach and those with "multiple surfaces." The Bluemoon Hotel in Groningen is an example of the single-surface type, where a continuous folded surface creates the entire building envelope. In contrast, projects like the Yokohama Port Terminal work with multiple interlocking surfaces that create complex spatial sequences.

The second division of the tree concerns "surfaces and continuity." From one perspective, projects in this branch are classified according to the degree and manner of surface continuity. Some achieve continuity through material sameness, while others create it through geometric transformation. The Yokohama Terminal exemplifies the latter: its surfaces flow continuously from ground plane to roof, creating a seamless landscape-like structure that blurs the boundary between building and urban space.

These two architects, in explaining their projects, consistently deploy a system of classification that draws from evolutionary biology. The phylogenetic tree, borrowed from natural science, becomes a tool for understanding architectural evolution. Each project occupies a specific position in this taxonomy, defined by its relationship to the seven fundamental members. This approach allows FOA to trace the lineage of ideas across their body of work, showing how concepts developed in one project inform and transform in subsequent designs.

The Azadi Cinema Complex in Tehran is a collection of looped surfaces forming an interconnected recreational complex. Viewed from a certain angle, the complex appears as a series of intertwining rings. From the perspective of the Phylogenesis tree, this project demonstrates how environmental factors — climate, topography, culture — influence the development of architectural "species." The loops create shaded outdoor spaces suited to Tehran's climate while providing the spatial variety needed for a cinema complex.

The Bundle Tower (World Trade Center) represents yet another branch of evolution. Several layers of this project employ continuous surfaces with non-flat connections, extending to technologies of fabrication and assembly. Here, the relationship between surface, structure, and construction method becomes a single integrated system. The cylindrical bundled form creates both the structural logic and the architectural expression simultaneously.

The issue of constraints — environmental, regulatory, cultural — plays a central role in FOA's methodology. Rather than viewing constraints as limitations, the architects treat them as generative forces that drive the evolution of form. In their theoretical framework, constraints function like the selective pressures of natural evolution: they determine which architectural "species" will emerge from the design process. This approach allows FOA to maintain theoretical consistency while producing remarkably diverse built outcomes.

By examining this exhibition and its comprehensive documentary evidence, it becomes apparent that FOA's contribution extends beyond individual buildings to a systematic method of architectural thinking. Their phylogenetic classification offers a way to understand not just what they build, but why and how their designs evolve. For the architectural community — particularly in the context of introducing the work and intellectual character of these architects and their contributions to fields such as hotel design, theater, cultural centers, and urban planning — this exhibition and its accompanying publication serve as essential references. When the quality of ideas and works of architects like FOA, combined with their Iranian cultural heritage, is recognized, it should bolster the confidence and aspirations of young Iranian architects.