Form(s) of
Instability; Demonstrations in the Architectural Potential of Weakness

The Ph.D. project (2023), grounded in pre-industrial material and building culture, explores a process-oriented approach to materials and architectural design. The investigations depart from discoveries and observations of material practices in traditional building techniques, which present alternative ways of approaching the relationship between materials, instabilities, and forces—differing from conventional building practice.

Instead of resisting and seeking control, the examples work with forces – giving in by taking a sacrificial role or leaving space for material (dimensional) changes. The research is propelled by a fascination and wonder for a material approach that seems increasingly alienated from how we think and build today.

The notion of weakness is used as a critical framework and theoretical apparatus to unfold the identified material examples and challenge normative building practice. Furthermore, the notion of formless (informe, G. Bataille) is used as an operative term within the research.

The research uses artistic practices as a mode of investigation to establish an engagement with the material, seeking particular insights into experiential, performative, and imaginative dimensions.