http : / / www . archdaily . com / 481879 / inside - the - homes - of - eight - famous - architects / Inside the Homes of Eight Famous Architects Add this Shigeru Ban ’ s Tokyo house . Image © Hiroyuki Hirai Originally published in Metropolis Magazine as “ Inside the Homes and Workspaces of 8 Great Architects “ , this article shows the spaces occupied by some of the best - known architects in the world . Documented for an exhibition that will be featured at the Milan Design Week 2014 , the images give a glimpse inside the private worlds of some of our favorite designers . It ’ s a cliche that architects have messy workspaces . From chaos comes creation , so the phrase goes . But an upcoming exhibition at this year ’ s Salone del Mobile intends to dispel the myth . Where Architects Live will present glimpses into the personal spaces of eight significant architects : Shigeru Ban , Mario Bellini , David Chipperfield , Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas , Zaha Hadid , Marcio Kogan , Daniel Libeskind and Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai . Curator Francesca Molteni interviewed each of the designers in their private homes and came away with one finding : architects are actually quite tidy . The studios are all pristinely ordered ; books are neatly stowed away , figurines and objets astutely displayed , and table tops swept clean . The photographs below are part of the exhibition materials , produced with the help of scenographer Davide Pizzigoni , which faithfully document the physical environments in images , video , and audio . These will be used to recreate the architects ’ “ rooms ” at Salone del Mobile in April . Where Architects Live is not limited to satisfying our curiosity about what these architects ’ homes look like . Richard Rogers ’ affirmation that “ a room is the beginning of a city ” resonates with the project ’ s aim in trying to articulate its subjects ’ personal tastes and obsessions , and how those are reflected in their architectural work . Read on to see more images of the inside of architects ’ homes and studios Shigeru Ban The living room of Shigeru Ban ’ s Tokyo house . Image © Hiroyuki HiraiBan completed his current home , situated in Tokyo ‘ s Hangei Forest district , in 2007 . “ The challenge , ” Molteni writes , “ was to avoid pulling down a single tree in the forest and to build a house around them . ” The house is riddled with ovoid - shaped cutouts which help to accomplish this goal , while also letting in generous amount of daylight and views . Ban ’ s working area consists of a few evocative objects : a round table , a Terragni chair , a Greek bust , all set against a massive column of light . As Molteni concludes , “ a Zen monk ’ s room . ” Zaha Hadid © Davide PizzigoniZaha Hadid ’ s London studio is filled with works that span the entirety of the architect ’ s storied career . on the backwall are Hadid ’ s early - period neo - Suprematist drawings , which take their cues from revolutionary Soviet formalists like El Lissitzky and Malevich ; opposite them are more recent works highlighting ZHA ‘ s curvaceous , parametric turn of the last several years . Mario Bellini © Davide Pizzigoni Like his other peers , the Milan architect Mario Bellini loves books . His home revolves around a 9 - meter - tall library , to which is fastened a scaffold - like system containing a staircase . According to Molteni , “ the books , artworks and objects make it reminiscent of Antonello da Messina ’ s painting of St . Jerome ’ s study . ” The library aside , colorful abstract murals enliven the space and clash wonderfully with the home ’ s period details . © Davide Pizzigoni © Davide PizzigoniDavid Chipperfield © Simon MengesThe British architect David Chipperfield relocated to Berlin after accepting the job to restore and rebuild the Neues Museum . ( The project was completed in 2008 , but Chipperfield stayed on in the German capital ) . He and his studio reside in a three - story concrete house that faces a semi - public courtyard containing a canteen Chipperfield designed for locals . The interiors ’ austere concrete walls are counterbalanced by two colors , Molteni says , represented by “ [ t ] he green of a velvet sofa and the orange of a bookcase that divides the space between the kitchen and the sitting room . ”© Davide PizzigoniMarcio Kogan © Romulo FialdiniBrazilian architect and Studio MK 27 principal Marcio Kogan lives on the 12 th floor of a residential building of his own design . “ [ The ] house shoots up towards the sky , reflecting the bright , free spaces of Brazil , ” Molteni says . Looking inwards , Kogan ’ s apartment is filled with eccentricities . A grand piano in the center of the room functions partly as a coffee table , while shelves and wallspace are covered with artfully posed souvenirs , toys , trinkets , and other ephemera . © Romulo FialdiniMassimiliano and Doriana Fuksas © Aki FurudateThe Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas ’ Parisian home is located in one of the city ’ s most celebrated public spaces , the Place des Vosges . The minimalist space is filled with original Jean Prouvé furniture , plus artworks that range , in Molteni ’ s description , “ from Fontana to Paladino . ”© Aki FurudateBijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai © Francesca MolteniThe architect Bijoy Jain runs Studio Mumbai out of this countryside complex , located some 30 km outside of Mumbai . Jain lives and works here with some 60 craftsmen ( and several dogs ) in what Molteni describes as “ a village , a community . ” Trees shade the property , helping to create a private , enclave - like atmosphere . A large swimming pool to the rear of the house is a welcome respite from the heat , while the modestly decorated reading room is part library , part meditation space . © Francesca MolteniDaniel Libeskind © Nicola TranquilinoHaving worked all over the world , Daniel Libeskind eventually made his stay in New York . Molteni describes the Libeskind residence as a “ refuge ” from the hustle - and - bustle of Manhattan life . Relatively sparse , the brightly - lit apartment has a few Le Corbusier chairs , a coffee table , work desk , and not much else . That is , besides “ books , books , and more books , ” Molteni says .