Building Blocks Berlin, 2012
Here children are clients who dream up unique houses drawn by architects, as Färgfdabriken’s concept Building Blocks moves to “Felleshuset” next to the Swedish Embassy in Berlin.
Building Blocks travels to Berlin and will during the fall 2012 be exhibited at Felleshuset. The project is initiated by Färgfabriken and Medium and this time in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy in Berlin. Building Blocks Berlin invites local architects and children between 5-16 years to explore the boundaries of architecture.
Building Blocks investigates the accepted roles in the building process, specifically the relationship between architect and client. It also aims to show how a child’s vision of an ideal home may differ from the adult norm. A child’s limited architectural reference and ultimate freedom of choice may reveal new solutions for living. It may also challenge adults to think about their chosen environments in a new way by looking beyond the accepted notions of taste, fashion and tradition. Building Blocks is a fresh way to open discussions about the accepted norms for all buildings. Is dull architecture a product of a client’s lack of imagination, the architect’s failure to inspire or the restraints of the planning process? After the exhibition at Färgfabriken 2010 the concept Building Blocks has already two followers, first Building Blocks Oslo 2011 where the exhibition at Norsk Form was their greatest success ever, and second the upcoming exhibition Building Blocks Berlin, fall 2012 at the Swedish embassy in Berlin.
Participating architects
Building Blocks is a concept developed by Färgfabriken and Medium, based on children’s participations in architecture. The project investigates the accepted roles in the building process, specifically the relationship between architect and client. The idea is based on children, between 5 and 16 years old, as clients and commissioners of architecture. Each child or group of children collaborates with different architects. Each architect’s proposal is built in scale 1:1 and exhibited.
Partners
NCC Deutschland; The Swedish Embassy and Felleshuset in Berlin