Architecture and its Tacit Dimensions

In the field of architecture several ‘epistemes’ are constantly at work, but often without being explicitly discussed or critically scrutinized. These tacit forms of knowledge not only inform but also determine the way that architects observe their environment and the way they intervene in it. This talk will address the presence of this ‘black box’ of epistemes within architectural culture and illustrate how it informs a new domain of architectural research.

Prof. dr. ir. Lara Schrijver is Professor in Architecture Theory at the University of Antwerp Faculty of Design Sciences. Earlier, she taught at Delft University of Technology (2005–2014) and the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture (2007–2013). She is editor for the KNOB Bulletin and has served as editor for ”Footprint“ journal and “OASE”. Her work has been published in various academic and professional journals. She is author of “Radical Games” (2009) and co-editor of “Autonomous Architecture in Flanders” (2016). She was co-editor for three editions of the annual review “Architecture in the Netherlands” (2016–2019).

Prof. dr. ir. Tom Avermaete is Professor at ETH Zürich, where he is Chair for the History and Theory of Urban Design. Avermaete has a special research interest in the post-war public realm and the architecture of the city in Western and non-Western contexts. He is the author of “Another Modern: The Post-War Architecture and Urbanism of Candilis-Josic-Woods” (2005) and “Casablanca, Chandigarh: A Report on Modernization” (2014, with Maristella Casciato). Avermaete has also edited numerous books, including “Shopping Towns Europe 1945-75: Commercial Collectivity and the Architecture of the Shopping Centre” (2017, with Janina Gosseye), and is a member of the editorial team of “OASE Architectural Journal” and the advisory board of the “Architectural Theory Review”, among others.