#17
ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE IN EXPANDED FIELD

When in the introduction of his book on the history of the architectural profession Spiro Kostof described architects as conceivers of buildings and claimed that what they do is ‘to design, that is, supply concrete images for a new structure so that it can be put up’ – he depicted centuries old way of practicing architecture which is exclusively governed by the master-discipline of design. From its birth in Renaissance Italy the mode of architectural practice that relies solely on the central role of design and is primarily focused on solving aesthetic problems has been persistently sustained by academia and various professional institutions that monitor and regulate the production of architects. Yet, from the second half of XX century the influx of the emancipatory goals of political and social movements along with critical thought, external to the inner theories of architecture, have lead some architects to question the limits or architects’ professional responsibilities and engage with wider social, political and cultural contexts within which the profession operates. Consequently, these new interdisciplinary approaches that are quite distinct from the design process has brought in new ways of practicing architecture.

The 17th series of talks of Architecture Fund are inviting for the discussion about the contemporary contexts of architectural practice and to give a glimpse into interdisciplinary work that engages with wider social and political contexts of built environment instead of exclusively focusing on the aesthetics. By exploring different work that operates within the realm of images, texts and/or actions the aim of the talks is to examine what constitutes contemporary architectural practices, how and in what institutional contexts do they operate and what product(s) do they produce. Dedicated to the architectural community as well as wider public, these series of events engage in a discussion about the architects’ professional responsibilities and the potential of the profession to react and get involved in wider social and political debates about the built environment.

The 17th series of talks of Architecture Fund are sponsored by Lietuvos kultūros taryba, Lietuvos kultūros institutas, „ACO Nordic“, „Caparol Lietuva“, „ELMO technologijos“, „JUNG Vilnius“.