This thesis was written during the autumn 2007. I wanted to
understand the situation of the contemporary architecture in a
perspective broader than merely the Swedish. I asked myself
what remained of architecture if one would eliminate purely
functional, aesthetical and ecological aspects. With help from
literature I interviewed theorists in architecture, practitioners
and a philosopher to hear their thoughts regarding what architecture
can or should be about. The result of the interviews
and the literature studies constitute the two initial parts of the
thesis. In the third and last part I try to apply the previous parts
in a project which is a garden for an exhibition in Trädgårdsföreningen
in Gothenburg. The exhibition will be on display during
the summer of 2008. Initially I will conclude and precise the
three parts of the thesis.
Architecture as a part of society is closely connected to its'
time and values. As the society evolves these values develop
too. New technologies offer new ways of living, ways which
also tend to become more diverse and complex. Notions and
perceptions of the current conditions are therefore never static.
In architecture this could correspond to our perceptions of
human lifestyles, perceptions of nature and culture or what a
notion such as function actually means. An interesting question
to ask oneself might be how actively architects update their
perceptions of the current conditions of the society. With some
experiences from architectural offices and studies I dare to say
that the practice many times is not reflective enough. A conclusion
is that philosophy can be helpful in finding new ways
of understanding our world. This is discussed in the interviews
with philosopher Sven-Olof Wallenstein and landscape architect
Anders Mårsén at Naturorienterad Design, NOD.
Regardless of which perceptions one might have of architecture
and society, they will decide the architecture. To be
aware of this therefore becomes highly relevant. The second
part of the thesis presents offices that in different ways try to
update their view upon architecture. To realize ones' theoretical
approach to a practice can be difficult. There is not just one
answer, however there are some aspects that are worth mentioning.
The Dutch office UNStudio sees the architect as an expert in
common knowledge. As such one has to be an active part of
society. They emphasize the importance of working across
disciplinary boundaries. At their office they work in team with
people with different qualifications adapted to the specific
project. In our diverse society it is important that the architect
is aware about the social, economical, historical and cultural
context. This is stressed by both the architect critic Ola Andersson
and theorist Fredrik Nilsson.
Another example of a progressive method of working is to
have a clearly defined agenda. The architects at NOD (Nature
Oriented Design) starts their projects by asking themselves
some basic questions. This helps both themselves and their
customer to understand the assignment. Experiences and
knowledges extracted from the process are documented and
become a part of the offices' further education. According to
NOD there is also a great quantity of knowledge that can be
gathered from other fields such as philosophy, the advertising
business and corporate development. To get inspiration from
a wider spectra is something that I think is becoming more inevitable
and makes architecture more interesting as well.
In my garden project I have tried to be aware of new
approaches and methods of working. It has resulted in a greater
understanding of what possibilities architecture have. To try
to comment our surrounding through architecture is in my
opinion one of the most essential aspects of the profession. All
architecture is of course reflections of the society, sometimes
however, one might suspect that for example the customers'
economical restrictions, rather than anything else, is what is
being expressed. Hence the possibilities vary, but to be aware
of them and to seize the oppurtunities when given, is important.
I reflected on what a garden really is. Is it possible to
create a garden, and meet demands on functional, aesthetical
and recreational values, with other materials than the traditional?
There ...