Architecture theory & criticism
1. ACCELERATION Focus: Architectural theory from 1961 to 1995.
2. COMMONS
3. PARTICIPATION Context: Successive crises compel architects to reassess roles,
methods, and tools.
4. REGIONALISME CRITIQUE
5. TRANSFORMATION Challenge: Responding to ecological and social transitions with
6. RESILIENCE new approaches.
Approach: Revisiting recent history to uncover relevant voices,
texts, and projects.
7. ECOLOGY Focus: Examining the paradox of critical architecture culture in
8. DEMOCRACY 1990s Flanders.
9. PERFORMATIVITY Paradox:
10. DECOLONISATION
11. ACTIVISM • Institutions like the Flemish Government Architect and
Flanders Architecture Institute promoted the
12. CARE
depoliticization of architecture.
• Current climate challenges demand the depoliticization
of architecture.
Resolution: Introducing students to the distinction between
politics and the political:
• Politics: Procedures within societal organization.
• The Political: Antagonisms that define human existence.
, ACCELERATION = versnelling
1972 – Club of Rome: ecology, acceleration, technology, crisis
A world in transition
1. The limits of growth, 1972
1968 24dec – photo’s of the moon → becoming realistic: how fragile the earth is = 1 system that is connected
Aurelio Peccei
- Italian industrialist for Fiat
- Makes us clear of how we need to be aware of our footprint of the earth
- With Alexander Kind, they start a meeting in Rome → researchteam as a result: with 5 people they
wrote a book ‘The Limits of Growth’ (30 editions)
Elements of the book:
Human perspectives (graphic):
- People who are concerned with matters that affect fam / friends over a short period of time
- Other look farther ahead over a larger area
➔ Only a very few have a global perspective that extends in the future
The world model – they analysed 5 parameters
1. Resources
2. Industrial output
3. Populations
4. Food
5. Pollution
Conclusions: if no chances to historical growth trends to appear: the industrial system collapses, food becomes
scarce, and the population decreases. They predict that around 2072, the Earth will become very complicated.
They also said that everything could still be changed, it is dynamic, and we need to start that change now.
2. Environmental awareness
‘Wat we toen al wisten’ – Geert Buelens & ‘we waren gewaarschuwd’ – Jaap Tielbeke
‘Silent spring’ – Rachel Carson (1962)
- The spring is quiet after a few years, everything is shut off.
- Why? Because people have destroyed everything.
- She is a scientist who is sounding the alarm.
‘The population bomb’ – Paul Enrich (1968)
- Predicted that the population will be a gigantic problem
1970: The aim is to convince young people to save the Earth, Save Our Planet.
1971: foundation of greenpeace
1. ACCELERATION Focus: Architectural theory from 1961 to 1995.
2. COMMONS
3. PARTICIPATION Context: Successive crises compel architects to reassess roles,
methods, and tools.
4. REGIONALISME CRITIQUE
5. TRANSFORMATION Challenge: Responding to ecological and social transitions with
6. RESILIENCE new approaches.
Approach: Revisiting recent history to uncover relevant voices,
texts, and projects.
7. ECOLOGY Focus: Examining the paradox of critical architecture culture in
8. DEMOCRACY 1990s Flanders.
9. PERFORMATIVITY Paradox:
10. DECOLONISATION
11. ACTIVISM • Institutions like the Flemish Government Architect and
Flanders Architecture Institute promoted the
12. CARE
depoliticization of architecture.
• Current climate challenges demand the depoliticization
of architecture.
Resolution: Introducing students to the distinction between
politics and the political:
• Politics: Procedures within societal organization.
• The Political: Antagonisms that define human existence.
, ACCELERATION = versnelling
1972 – Club of Rome: ecology, acceleration, technology, crisis
A world in transition
1. The limits of growth, 1972
1968 24dec – photo’s of the moon → becoming realistic: how fragile the earth is = 1 system that is connected
Aurelio Peccei
- Italian industrialist for Fiat
- Makes us clear of how we need to be aware of our footprint of the earth
- With Alexander Kind, they start a meeting in Rome → researchteam as a result: with 5 people they
wrote a book ‘The Limits of Growth’ (30 editions)
Elements of the book:
Human perspectives (graphic):
- People who are concerned with matters that affect fam / friends over a short period of time
- Other look farther ahead over a larger area
➔ Only a very few have a global perspective that extends in the future
The world model – they analysed 5 parameters
1. Resources
2. Industrial output
3. Populations
4. Food
5. Pollution
Conclusions: if no chances to historical growth trends to appear: the industrial system collapses, food becomes
scarce, and the population decreases. They predict that around 2072, the Earth will become very complicated.
They also said that everything could still be changed, it is dynamic, and we need to start that change now.
2. Environmental awareness
‘Wat we toen al wisten’ – Geert Buelens & ‘we waren gewaarschuwd’ – Jaap Tielbeke
‘Silent spring’ – Rachel Carson (1962)
- The spring is quiet after a few years, everything is shut off.
- Why? Because people have destroyed everything.
- She is a scientist who is sounding the alarm.
‘The population bomb’ – Paul Enrich (1968)
- Predicted that the population will be a gigantic problem
1970: The aim is to convince young people to save the Earth, Save Our Planet.
1971: foundation of greenpeace
