Invited Lecture for Bergen School of Architecture,
April 2025.
April 2025.
As architects, we are vested in the aesthetics of architectural spaces but often take for granted the materials we build with and who we build for, falling into the all-too-familiar storylines. For example, here in the North, we think of timber as a warm, natural, and local material, compared to the cold, artificial surfaces of steel or concrete. However, is an all-timber building truly sustainable, even if it turns out to be five times more expensive? Are we turning 'good timber' buildings, despite their sometimes higher environmental footprint, into the realm of inconspicuous consumption bordering fetishism? In the world of global material interdependencies, I believe we, as architects, must be aware of the long histories of the materials we build with. Architecture is an inherently political practice, and architects are responsible for both what we build and for whom.
This lecture, prepared for BAS students, centred around two provocative arguments: what are we building with and for whom? What are the myths that permeate both the contemporary Nordic architectural practice and architectural education, and could history and theory of architecture serve as antidotes for these delusions?