The notion that works of art and architecture can be open, in the sense of being prone to external influence and change, has a long and diverse tradition. Within this tradition, open architectures have historically been associated with the in- and under-determined shapes of buildings, as well as with concepts such as collectiveness, flexibility, adaptability, multiplicity, plurality, heteronomy, collaboration, and participation. Recent approaches to open architecture appear to focus more on the role and agency of the architect in society, shifting attention from buildings to the practice of the architectural profession. In these approaches, the architect’s authorship is contested and often replaced by a flexible, mediating role as a negotiator of the will and interests of various stakeholders, frequently employing a user-centered approach. Despite its vibrant tradition and the exciting possibilities it offers for future practice, open architecture is not without its drawbacks. Based on the editorial framework and diverse contributions by various authors in the 31st issue of the Footprint Delft Architecture Theory Journal—co-edited by the author—this presentation aims to discuss the different trajectories, possibilities, and shortcomings of open architecture.

Biography:

Esin Kömez Dağlıoğlu is an Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture, Middle East Technical University (METU). She received her bachelor’s degree in 2006 and her master’s degree in 2009 from the Department of Architecture at METU. She completed her PhD in 2017 at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), with a thesis on the concept of context in architectural education, theory, and practice, funded by the Huygens Scholarship provided by the Dutch government. During her doctoral research, she conducted master’s studio and seminar courses at the TU Delft Department of Architecture. Since 2018, she has been teaching a first-year undergraduate studio and an introductory course on architectural concepts at METU, as well as a graduate course on “the city in contemporary architectural theory.” Her work has been published in numerous national and international journals, including Architectural Theory Review, Archnet-IJAR, OASE Architecture Journal, Thresholds, METU JFA, Grid, Mimarlık, and Ege Mimarlık. Articles by her have also appeared in the books Site Matters and Architectural Contextualism. She has presented papers at various significant national and international conferences organized by prominent organizations such as EAAE, ARCC, ACSA, AHRA, and ISUF. In 2022, she co-edited a special issue on “open architecture” for the Footprint Delft Architecture Theory Journal. She currently serves on the editorial boards of METU JFA and Footprint journals.

Reference

Piet Blom. Aerial view of ‘Housing as an Urban Roof’, 1969-70. Collection Het Nieuwe Instituut, BLOM 126-7.