New SHARE Editorial Project Coming Out in 2021: “Transforming the World Through Architecture”

Following last year’s successful launch of our first book at SHARE Architects – “Designing the Profile of the Future Architect” to which 100 contributors from all across Central Eastern Europe have participated – our editorial project continues with a sequencing project titled “Transforming the World Through Architecture”.

The new volume will feature another insightful series of debates and interviews coordinated by Serban Tiganas, Secretary-General UIA,  SHARE Society President.

After designing together, the profile of the future architect, as a shared project, we invite architects of the world to continue by thinking and talking about how to transform the world through architecture. What they do, what they propose and advice for that, and we will build a corpus of knowledge from the answers. And we will share it.

The focus of our editorial project will be to interview industry leaders in architecture, investors and political executives on topics related to architecture and beyond. The research has already started and it will be finalized at the start of 2021.

Architecture Everywhere

For centuries architecture was understood as a small part of what was built, but the best part. Very few architects in the world we’re designing the most important buildings, the rest being produced by the slow transfer of knowledge. It is not the case anymore. In this logic, most of today’s large number of architects are not doing architecture. The role of the architect must be different. He must be an agent of change in a new paradigm. Architecture needs a new definition based on the necessary quality of every built structure and not only of some. What an endeavour! 

The World is in Need

It became evident that the world is affected by critical global changes. Climate, resources, production, consumption, waste, and in general the behaviours we use to have, need to be revised. The domination of a world, western or eastern, old or new, close or far is not possible anymore in the long run. We can feel that it is only one world under the influence of every action. Architecture is part of this. It is an important part less autonomous we used to consider. We built by following ununified rules, sometimes obsolete or even contradictory. The world is in need of a strong vision and effective plan for stopping the decline of nature, the essential precondition of life.  

Time is Short

Compared to the speed of evolution of humankind and of major transformations at a planetary scale, what happens in the present is incredibly fast. This means that the time for effective action for keeping control of the human civilisation concerning its environment is very short. No more that one or maximum of two generations has an unprecedented task for designing the new paradigm. Strong principles, extensive education, new regulations and best use of technology, both high and low are to be harmonised quickly if we want to play our chances. Architecture is, by definition, the result of such holistic efforts, paid inside and outside the profession, for the global interest. 

To Preserve, to Change and to Transform

We need to preserve, but also to change the way we protect, both natural and built environment. We need to change the way we build, use and reuse the buildings in a very dynamic world. We need to combine wisely predictions with totally open paths for future evolutions, related to constructions. Transformation is the right word for both preservation and changes in harmony. Every action and even non-action are producing effects. Coordinated efforts are needed. For architecture, it is a historical chance for relevance. For architects, it is the moment of becoming part of a single project, developed by everybody individually or in small and larger teams, but finally as being just one unique global architecture studio, in which all architects are involved because of their final goal. 

Aesthetics of Compatibility

It is of crucial importance not to forget that architecture is an art and has the chance to transform life in a world of arts. Architecture is and must stay a good balance of all its vital ingredients. There is a risk for considering some aspects of building more important because of the damage some unsolved issues may produce. The question of how the aesthetics of architecture is going to be influenced is a serious one. How to be compatible with the existing and how to transform by incorporating values and adding new ones seems to be a great task of architecture. It is about not forgetting the essential because of the emergency status of things. 

From Balance to Synergies

Architecture shall combine real and virtual, flexible and augmented and should create an equilibrium of aspirations and possibilities. But there is so much to be done to reach the balance and to create the desired synergies the transformation needs. It is always a question of what and how not only of how.  

The Theory, the Policies, and the Practice

What happened to the theory of architecture? It is atomized and isolated in high academic circles. Theory needs to consolidate and to play its role by finding new foundations for a longer and wider span of validity and application. Then policies may be built considering it. Otherwise, the politicians will continue to state that when asking two architects upon a solution, they will get at least three opinions on that. Theory and practice should go together for the identified goals. Trial and error, intention and failure should be taken as part of the big task we have together, to transform the world.  

The Questions

After designing together, the profile of the future architect, as a shared project, we invite architects of the world to continue by thinking and talking about how to transform the world through architecture. What they do, what they propose and advice for that, and we will build a corpus of knowledge from the answers. And we will share it. 

Șerban Țigănaș

Stay tuned as we’ll soon start publishing our first sequence of interviews held at this year’s 3rd edition of SHARE Skopje 2020.