Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kaijima, who make up Tokyo based architecture office Atelier Bow-Wow, have wrapped up their visiting professorship at TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.
After six months working with students on the theme ‘Constructing the Commons’, a two day conference by the same name was held March 3 – 4 with diverse key-note speakers presenting their perspectives on the theme.
In a basic sense the commons refers to resources shared by all members of a society, whether they are physical resources like water, or land, or cultural resources. Both the project and conference were arranged by the Chair of Methods and Analysis, and aimed to engage with the commons from an architectural, philosophical and sociological stand-point.
The commons is a well-established area of academic inquiry, however approaching it from a more architectural perspective is fairly new, as such both the lecturers and attendees brought diverse perspectives to the event. Keynote speakers, aside from Atelier Bow Wow, included artist Jan Rothuizen, urban designer Paola Viganò, architecture professors Margaret Crawford and George Baird and sociology professor Richard Sennett. Sennett in particular challenged some views held by fellow lecturers and attendees on the distinction between the commons as public space and a space of justice in his pre-recorded lecture and Q&A. However Hans Teerds, researcher from the Chair of Methods and Analysis and one of the organisers, told Delta that it is these differing approaches and opinions which “challenge us as architects to really figure out what architecture and urban design thinking can do for the commons.”
There were recurring questions throughout the conference as to what makes up the commons, what the exact role of architects is in constructing these spaces, and how people behave and interact with them, as well as the political and social implications of all of the above.
The conference was very well attended, particularly by students and staff of TU Delft, even moving from the Berlage rooms to Oost Serre to fit the large number of attendees. It marked the end of Atelier Bow-Wow’s visiting professorship and their ongoing project at TU Delft, the results of which are currently exhibited in BK. Professor Tom Avermaete, who chaired the conference, said “it has been a big privilege working with them over the past six months.” While the number of students who were able to collaborate with them was limited to 45, the content of the conference revolved around many of the discussions had throughout the project “making public our own experiences of the last year” according to Teerds, rather in fitting with the theme.
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