Few and Simple Elements: Lauretta Vinciarelli, the Puglia Project, and the Idea of ‘Spatial Fabric’

Lauretta Vinciarelli (1943–2011) is perhaps best known for her evocative watercolor paintings and her decade-long creative partnership with Donald Judd. This essay by Jolanda Devalle instead foregrounds Vinciarelli’s contributions as an architect, theorist, and educator, through a close reading of the ‘Puglia Project’ (1975–77), a proposal developed with fellow IAUS architect Leonardo Foderà. Drawing on Vinciarelli’s own reflections, a recent interview with Foderà by the author, and original drawings courtesy of Judd Foundation, the essay offers a revealing cross-section of her architectural thinking—her engagement with typology, her concept of “spatial fabric,” and her analytical approach to design—all of which invite renewed critical attention today.