Free spaces and “interspaces,” or the often unused or underutilized space between units, have gained considerable public attention in recent years. Austrian architectural firms Henke Schreieck Architects, LAAC, and Sagmeister & Walsh have responded to the surge in interest with a fundamental reconsideration of free spaces and interspaces as both a spatial and spiritual construct, a complex dynamic system shaped by coexistence.

Thoughts Form Matter brings together installations the three firms created for the 2018 International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. The installations partly merge into one other, materializing concepts like deviation, atmosphere, and beauty. The book explores the projects and underlying ideas through conversations with their creators, as well as through concise descriptions and photographs. Rounded out by an introduction by Verena Konrad and portraits of the three firms, Thoughts Form Matter is a plea for the power of architecture as a vehicle for intellectual investigation once again and for the freedom to create spaces which are uninhibited by functional and economic constraints.