The winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2022 talks about how he brought his vision of how architecture will help us build tomorrow to the Milan TriennaleFrancis Kéré is, together with astrophysicist Ersilia Vaudo, main curator of the 23rd International Exhibition of Triennale Milano entitled Unknown Unknowns.An Introduction to Mysteries.Thus, while the thematic exhibition focuses on restoring some of the most fascinating mysteries of deep space, Kéré offers through four different installations, an overview of his interpretation of the mysteries of the Earth and nature, faced by humanity over the millennia thanks to architecture.The participatory experience of construction has in fact always contributed to the formation of knowledge, a fluid process that has as much to do with the technologies of the present as with the practices of the past.To explain this concept are places with a reflective soul, where you can take well-deserved breaks during your visit: Drawn Together, the Burkina Faso pavilion with the symbols of the vernacular architecture of West Africa, a wall that can be co-created in the spaces of the Triennale ;The Future's Present, a twelve-meter high tower located in the square at the entrance to the institution with contemporary interpretations of traditional motifs from some areas of Burkina Faso;Under a Coffee Tree, a meeting space created in collaboration with Lavazza Group, a tree under which to meet as if in a public square;and Yesterday Tomorrow, a large installation at the center of international exhibits in which two walls curve into each other to create a secluded space and invite the visitor to reflect on the great questions underlying the 23rd International Exhibition.How did you bring your architectural vision into the spaces of Triennale Milano and into the concept of this 23rd International Exhibition, which deals with the theme of the unknown?The work of the architect in his studio always has to do with materials, shapes and colors, but it also has to do with the act of being together with the structures that make it possible.Here at the Triennale we had the opportunity to create, as in the installation in which we are conducting the interview - Yesterday Tomorrow -, the possibility for visitors to sit down, be together and reflect on what they saw.To give shape to a simple idea like this, we therefore decided to use an equally simple material, untreated wood and only glued together in some parts.We decided to build this area to grab the attention of visitors in a noisy city that leaves no room for reflection, but here you can continue to hear the background brouhaha as the rest becomes clearer.The name of this installation then derives from our thoughts on the sophisticated world we live in today, in which we talk about building completely 3D printed houses, forgetting to include in new technologies what we have learned from the past.Instead, learning from experiences, and being able to create new things at the same time, is the only way to shape sustainable things.The installation Under a Coffee Tree, which I created with Lavazza, also offers the simple idea of ​​telling that every cup of coffee begins with the story of a tree.In the space of the Triennale bar we have created seats with wooden poles - simple and modular, but still with a certain degree of complexity - in the shade of a tree that welcomes visitors.You can sit, have a coffee, interact with friends and enjoy the time spent here.About the extremely sophisticated world in which we live in the present - and taking into account that each of us lives in a sort of "different" world, not only geographically but also socially, culturally and economically - what is the role of the unknown in architecture Contemporary?As well as other fields of knowledge and action, even that of architecture has not yet been fully explored and must take into account some inscrutable factors.The way we use and transform materials, for example, may prove to be not the best way to do it many years from now.In addition, it is important to bear in mind that the amount of natural resources we currently have available is limited.So this unknown unknowns theme really touches all professions, prompting architects to think of different solutions if we want to continue building and creating spaces for human beings.In using resources we must find solutions that are strong to resist what could compromise them later, and that do not surprise us with negative impacts on our future lives.This is why architecture will play the role of a catalyst in seeking these solutions, in bringing out ideas that we can truly realize without harming humanity.You talked about how the "things" we do must be strong to last over time, but I guess their meaning must also be strong, and the meaning they bring with them in terms of contents and uses.What does a building need today to be meaningful?The first goal is that it should take care of humanity, and the role of the architect is to make sure that that happens.If that happens, then that's good news.But what's the key to making it happen?Today we are facing many urgencies: climate change, lack of resources, population growth - which in turn means that we need more resources and that we need to create more homes and infrastructure for more people - and on top of it all we have conflicts that they are becoming increasingly hard precisely because of limited resources, which are not enough for everyone.So the real challenge is to create all the new structures we will need with materials that do not have negative effects on the environment, applying ideas that are not expensive, that do not exhaust resources and that give the possibility to build without destroying our own. future.If we can create this way, then we will be able to preserve our world for generations to come, but if we can't do it we know what will happen - probably.Instead, to tackle the things we don't know we don't know, you designed the first architectural work that can be admired even before entering the Triennale: The Future's Present tower.It is, we can say, a monument that introduces the world of the unknown and anticipates the choral discourse on the relevance of the unknown in contemporary society.Would you tell us about it?The key message we wanted to build together with the Triennale with this tower is a positive message.The tower invites visitors to enter and look up, where openings develop that gradually grow up to the circular one at the top, from which to admire the sky.What we meant is, “Hey, we know we're going through some very grueling problems which are - again - climate change, resource depletion, increased conflict and population growth, but don't be scared of it.Just think about what's possible between us and the sky. "There is no limit to human imagination on ways to create things or seek solutions that strengthen us, and even when the future is unknown, we are strong enough to counter these problems.This tower is therefore an encouragement not to give up, and even to find the skills to overcome this situation.Between us and the sky there is so much space that the only thing we should do is find the courage to think, not to stand still, to fight and to face the way to invent our future.We need to encourage ourselves to be positive, to find solutions that allow us to take care of humanity.Are we ready to do it, do we have the tools?We have to be.First of all, we have access to information that has made it clear that there are problems: climate change is real and scientists have been warning us for many years to open our eyes.And this is first good news.The second precious thing we have are all the different professionals: it is evident that we are doing very important damage to our environment but we also have the tools to change the way we do things and the way we create space.Using materials and technologies that have less impact already leads to big changes.So we have the tools, but it's up to us to act and use them, otherwise who will do it for us?You have a look at many different cultures, which with your projects you put in dialogue through buildings, volumes, shapes, colors, materials and so on.Do you see these cultures mingling in the future to bring to light a global dialogue?This is a key question, because I have to say that lately I have been seeing it coming.We are now aware that we need to build dialogue, that we need a connected world community that works together to create a better world.When the pandemic arrived, we were all affected by this phenomenon and it was a kind of call to wake up and join forces by working together.The fact that at this Triennale Milano International Exposition there are six nations from Africa - and that they are not present here to talk about poverty, but about solutions and artistic contributions to reflection on the subject of unknown unknowns - is truly extraordinary.It means that little by little the ground is proving to be fertile for a global discourse.Obviously it is not easy, and the dialogue will only really start if we seriously begin to see each other as partners.If our species - I don't mean survive - but wants to continue to lead extraordinary lives, then we must join forces and work together.23rd International Exhibition of Triennale Milano Unknown Unknowns.An Introduction to MysteriesJuly 15 - December 11, 2022 Tickets: € 22 (full) / € 18 (reduced) / € 11 (students) www.triennale.org