Tom Avermaete
Research Studio Zürich's Material Commons
This semester’s Research Studio focuses on the material commons of Zürich and explores how local material resources influenced the aesthetic, construction and craft cultures of the city. By investigating the material commons using the tools and knowledge of the architect, this studio will attempt to answer questions as: What are the material commons and how does Zürich’s material history helps us in addressing the social, political and environmental challenges of our time? What leeway do we see for architects and other producers of the city to mobilize Zürich’s material commons to serve the common good?
Material Circulation and the City
In spring semester FS22, the seminar week of the Chair of the History and Theory of Urban Design focuses on the circulation of materials in the production of the city and explores how material resources influence the aesthetic, construction and craft cultures of the city. By looking at projects and initiatives by Belgian and Swiss architectural firms and municipalities, we will investigate both historical and contemporary practices of material reuse and ‘urban mining’, and how architectural practices can be reconceptualized to support a circular economy. Thus, the seminar week aims to offer students insights into the diverse handling of materials in architecture and the cultural, political, and social aspects of materiality in the production of the city. Through drawing, writing, reading, and discussing, students learn to approach the subject matter analytically and to expand their disciplinary knowledge in architectural research.
Alexandre Theriot (Professor of architectural design, ETH Zürich)
