Groundwork

Addressing the architectural response to contemporary social crises and ecological challenges, this project investigates alternative methodologies that are currently reshaping the discipline. The presentation centres on three new documentary films produced by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal, originally shown there as individual exhibitions. The included studies highlight diverse global strategies: Xu Tiantian (DnA_Design and Architecture) designs precise structural interventions balancing heritage, tourism, and marine ecology on Meizhou Island in China; the Berlin collective b+ champions a European Citizens’ Initiative prioritizing the rehabilitation of standing structures over speculative urban growth; and Carla Juaçaba crafts minimal pavilions supporting Brazilian communities resisting extractive agriculture. Rather than celebrating finished buildings, the selection uncovers the raw design process. Through a combination of moving image, archival documents, and physical fragments, the display reveals exactly how architectural concepts materialise within volatile socio-political environments.