WORK — Architecture and Labour / RIOT

How does the economic system underlying space production impact architectural practice? Conversely, how does the practice of architecture impact the construction industry and housing crises? This lecture series, WORK—Architecture and Labor, seeks to illuminate obscured and too often ignored economic questions to address work conditions and the division of labor and class in the profession. How can the current architecture practice be reformed to operate on non-extractive principles? For instance, will bridging the gap between intellectual design workers in the office and the manual and executive labor force on-site offer a way out? What is the causality between land and material value and the organization of the office? Why is the profession so remote from labor struggles and poorly organized, with so few unions, badly negotiated labor contracts, and barely any self-management models? Asking candidly ‘who can afford to be radical,’ this lecture series seeks answers from thinkers, researchers, and practitioners to address power structures and labor in architecture.

Marisa Cortright with (non-)Swiss Architects.
Tuesday 27 February 16:00 - 17:30 CET

Marisa Cortright is an architectural worker based in Zagreb, Croatia. Before publishing “‘Can This Be? Surely This Cannot Be?’ Architectural Workers Organizing in Europe,” she contributed to the exhibition “Safe Spaces – The Right to Space” at the Arcam and urged Death to the Calling in Failed Architecture. @marisacortright

(non-)Swiss Architects is a collective of architectural workers with a migrant background and Swiss allies. @nonswissarchitects