Zardini was Senior Consulting Curator of the Canadian Centre for Architecture from 2003-2005 and was appointed Director and Chief Curator in 2005. He has shaped the institution's collection, research, exhibitions, programs and publications to emphasize the CCA’s role as a venue for critical discourse about contemporary culture and the relationship of architecture to politics and society. His thematic approach often juxtaposes contradictory ideas to highlight the complexity of social and urban issues. The CCA’s collection of international architectural archives has received significant additions during Zardini’s tenure, most notably those of Pritzker-prize-winner Álvaro Siza Vieira, Abalos & Herreros and Foreign Office Architects. A research project on the early application of digital tools in architectural design developed in collaboration with architect Greg Lynn resulted in the exhibition series "Archaeology of the Digital" and also led to the acquisition of digital project archives by the featured architects including Chuck Hoberman, Shoei Yoh, and others. The exhibition program developed under Zardini has been recognized internationally. Design Observer named "Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture" the best exhibition of 2012 and published a review stating "it is worth noting that this show is just the latest in a series of inventive exhibitions that engage in social themes undertaken by the CCA under Zardini, shows that together reassert that institution’s place as a center of architectural culture." About the exhibition "Architecture in Uniform: Designing and Building for the Second World War", curated by Jean-Louis Cohen, The New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff wrote "Simply put, it’s one of the most important architecture exhibitions I’ve seen in years." The Globe and Mail described Zardini's exhibitions as "suggestive, poetic", and "fascinating", noting their role in critically examining architecture's relationship to the environment. Zardini is an advocate for online access and the need to strengthen long-distance research tools and collaborative digital projects for a global audience. In his 2012 text "A Project for Two Buildings", Zardini outlines his vision for an institution with "two buildings: the physical one, anchored to a specific place, and the digital, accessed online from any place at any time." Zardini oversaw the redevelopment of the CCA's website as a publishing platform dedicated to shaping architectural discourse, which allows the institution "to frame contemporary problems in a different way, to have a critical attitude about how architects work, and to show the inherent contradictions." The website was designed by Studio Lin, New York, and developed by Brazen, Montreal. Zardini launched the CCA's digital book publishing initiative with an electronic version of the exhibition catalogue for "Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture" and then created a digital-only epub series featuring individual projects from the "Archaeology of the Digital" exhibitions. The series was designed and developed by the New York-based graphic design studio Linked by Air and features technical innovations such as interactive slideshows and responsive design within the standard formats of reflowable e-books.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions organized and co-organized by Mirko Zardini at the Canadian Centre for Architecture
Zardini was editor of Lotus International magazine from 1988 to 1999, and editor of Casabella magazine and Quaderni di Casabella from 1983 to 1988. He has also guest edited an issue of El Croquis magazine, the February 1999 issue of Archi Margazine, and served on the Editorial Board of Domus Magazine from 2004-2005. Zardini also contributes articles to other publications including Places Journal and Volume magazine.
