-ism initiated from a desire to foster a gathering of people that reflect on and boldly explore the position of architecture today. The seed of this concept was first sown in 2014; born out of my personal and theoretically inclined curiosity in architecture’s relationship to culture. It has since then matured by cause of opening itself up to diverse thought and a more developed, yet still young, experience of practice. Thus, it has spread its roots and materialised into a team of collaborative individuals whom all share a similar ethos.
At -ism, we believe there should be no defined way of engaging in the discourse if new opportunities, ideas and solutions are to arise. With its complex socio-political and economical entanglements, architecture requires a lawless break-out space to breathe and cultivate. This magazine aims to be a perceivable platform to do just that. We also believe that critical reflection and experimentation should be activated throughout all stages of the career path with public consideration in mind. Writing, discussing and collaborating offer fertile ground to start.
Architecture is at the core of this conversation, but we wouldn’t achieve our aspirations without welcoming thought from surrounding disciplines. That is why for our first issue, we have chosen to publish an assortment of responses to our chosen theme.
Displacement, the act of moving something from one place to another, infiltrates through our current reality. Whether we participate in the act or are affected by it taking place, everything surrounding us is in shift. Architecture itself is constantly active, as consequence of its inherently fluctuating relationships. This is evident in the curated lens of Francisco Campos Fernández, as he allows us to become voyeurs to the struggle of Mexico City’s community after breaking down due to a natural disaster (p28). Furthermore, Fraser Morrison’s work highlights the altered role of the architect, most noticeably in relation to sustainability. With reference to Kate Raworth’s ‘Doughnut Economics’, he forces us to question the position of practice and the government in the UK today (p40).
Additionally, we are reminded by Alissar Riachi of crises in underexposed regions like the displaced communities caused by war and conflict in the Middle East (p20). However, critical reflection does not always go hand in hand with pessimism: with equal consideration, Fraser Birtwistle submerges us in the humorous and playful monologue of a journeying brick, house and town (p34).*
With a long term vision and belief in this publication, we aim to keep bringing together professionals and students alike, allowing a diversity of voices and backgrounds the opportunity to ‘foster’. We welcome your feedback, we welcome your ideas, and we welcome your submissions. So please, feel free to get in contact with our team.
Until then, we hope you enjoy our first issue, where we have been finding our feet, testing our ideas and enjoying the process.