federico babina illustrates countries operated by architecture
(above) china’s CCTV tower by OMA is illustrated in the drawing
all images courtesy of federico babina
italian illustrator federico babina‘s latest series ‘archimachine’ describes 17 countries whose gears are made and operated by architecture. each cog in the wheel is a key piece for its functioning, ‘a surrealist spaceship where the country and its symbols floating weightless…a microcosm that transports the imagination.’, babina describes. the project is a metaphor of how architecture and engineering are a fundamental piece in the of identity of urban places and of people that inhabit them, and presents a narrative exploration of a country and its culture. the colors and the symbols participate in the effort of a surrealist description of a nation.
the eiffel tower and pompidou centre are represented for france
italy’s renowned bicycle culture is referenced in the cogs of the machine
the gherkin, tower bridge and tate modern are illustrated in the england scene
delineated in the colors most associated with germany, the bauhaus is revived in the scene
canada’s signature maple leaf motif is a central element of the design
red and white represent the japanese infrastructure and energy systems
frank ghery’s concert house and the seattle space needle are among the well-known architecture pictured
india’s piece is topped with taj mahal
