Beyond Concrete

In view of our limited resources, we must also rethink out approaches in the construction industry. This requires a constructive design cultule that paves new ways of dealing with building materials.

Beyond Concrete. Strategies for a post-fossil Baukultur combines contributions from the symposium “Constructive Futures – Beyond Concrete”, which marked the start of the academic year 2021/2022 at the School of Architecture of
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW. This academic year is special, as all bachelor’s and master’s degree programs must withstand the unreflective fallback on supposedly proven construction methods in order to explore constructive and future-oriented solutions beyond our professional comfort zones. The symposium provided an opportunity to reflect on where the construction and planning industry currently stands and why a fundamental change seems inevitable to us.

With contributions by Axel Schubert and Kim Förster, the first section of the publication provides a general overview of the challenges of building for a post-carbon society.
In the second part, Circular highlights the potential of reusing buildings and components.
The third and last part includes contributions by BC, Harquitectes and Anupama Kundoo, whose projects show possible “constructive futures,” thus casting a positive look into the future.

With contributions by Brussels Cooperation, Kim Förster, Harquitectes, Anupama Kundoo, Axel Schubert, Zirkular

and essays by Annette Helle, Axel Humpert, Barbara Lenherr, Dominique Salathé, Tim Seidel and Harald R. Stühlinger

Barbara Lenherr is an architect and architecture journalist. Since 2011, she has been responsible for publications and communication as a research assistant at the School of Architecture of University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW. She has edited and co-authored various books on teaching and research in the field of architecture and urban planning.