who & why? Archrival is a non-profit organisation based in Sydney, Australia which initiates collaboration through extra curricular architectural practice. Founded in 2011 by architects Claire McCaughan and Lucy Humphrey, the organisation seeks to bring the creative community together by creating unsolicited architectural works. This non-standard practice reacts against the conventional paradigm of architectural processes; the slow process of making buildings and outdated procurement methods. Strategic design projects (at any scale) have the power to change the perception of the built environment and the architectural profession. By working at a small scale Archrival procures projects quickly and in high numbers, creating momentum and catalyzing change within the industry.

that is a big ask! how? Architects have an enduring rivalry. Archrival seeks to manipulate this creative force by instigating projects with unprecedented collaboration, where the notion of individual authorship is removed.  By expanding the authorship of projects our interoffice and inter-disciplinary collaborations allow projects to become richer, diversify and evolve with often unexpected results. By combining skills in an unprecedented way (above rivalry) we might achieve extraordinary outcomes.


 

a diagram of our practice formation, for the Formations:New Practices in Australian Architecture  EOI, 2011