Blushing Building, Viola Ago completed the Thesis project named Blush, while studying at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. The idea of the Thesis is to express the façade of a building through the facial qualities presented in a human portrait.
Looking at the face as a hole, the geometry make up suggests that dividing the portraiture into hierarchical elements can help with its architectural representation. The author’s interpretation of blush looks into the way an architect expresses the façade of a building without conforming to the norm. From this you can conclude that the author looks at the façade as a playground in which architects are free to express them selves.
For the design Viola created a building that blushes through colors embedded within the material. This meant the blushing is architecturally introduced rather than being something done through visual effects.
As blushing is an effect on the human skin, so does the blushing of the building is an effect on the material. Just as the materials is the skin of the building, as skin is to humans.
Anastasia Andreieva is an accomplished Architectural Projects Editor at Arch2O, bringing a unique blend of linguistic expertise and design enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds a Master’s degree in Languages from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her deep passion for architecture and visual storytelling led her to transition from translation and editorial roles into the world of design media. With a keen eye for conceptual clarity and narrative structure, Anastasia curates and presents global architectural projects with precision and flair. She is particularly drawn to parametric and digital design, cultural context, and emerging voices in architecture. When I’m not analyzing the latest architectural trends, you’ll probably find me searching for hidden gems in cityscapes or appreciating the beauty of well-crafted spaces. After all, great design—like great connections—can be found in the most unexpected places. Speaking of connections, because architecture isn’t the only thing that brings people together.