Roots Architecture brings design and pragmatic problem solving together in an interesting manner. This is closely related to the kind of work we have been doing over the last couple of years. The main task of Roots Architecture is; to build a useful structure with materials of low esteem and value, designed and implemented by young architects and students.
We think experiments like this have an obvious value in contemporary architecture. Not only do they give architects and students much needed learning experiences in building and practical design, the result also serves a purpose. As students, the participants are used to create designs that never see realization.
As architects, when our design choices have real life consequences, we can come to a greater understanding of what good design is about. The challenges don't lie so much in shape and concepts as in the relation between architectural knowledge and practical solutions. Contemporary architects are in danger of being seen as esthetic consultants, and will often have a lesser voice in the building process, perhaps due to percieved lack of knowledge and insight into how designs are built.
Even though the Roots Architecture initiative happens in a corner of a festival, the learning experience the participants receive is directly related to the development of our built future.
