Archrival was formed in rebellion to outdated architectural practice. We act to make rivalry and criticism productive tools for the architecture profession and recognise that without these tools, it cannot remain contemporary. We seek to unite divisions within the profession through ultradisciplinary practice, non-typical project formats, unsolicited activities and new types of public interventions. Archrival does not claim to have found any overarching solutions, nor that architecture can provide any remedy to the world’s increasingly complex problems. Instead we focus on small, strategic actions that might have a cumulative effect, to promote evolutionary adaptation within our discipline. Our manifesto is a celebration of how rivalry might advance the profession, and is outlined as follows:
The Unreal Paradigm
The architecture profession perceives itself working within a field of clients and opportunities, but relies heavily on competitive commissions, traditional procurement models, an under-utilised skill set, and often lacks business training.
The Competitive Context
The profession in reality is affected by economic, social, legal, political and environmental pressures, which are evolving at an accelerating rate of change. By operating in the ‘unreal paradigm’ this context is increasingly and unproductively competitive, as the profession cannot viably continue to offer valuable responses to changing markets.
A Confined Profession
As the intensity of economic, social, legal, political and environmental pressures increases, the action and theory of architecture is increasingly restricted. Practice must change, but the status quo remains for most of the profession, resulting in more isolated and irrelevant projects that do not adequately respond to or escape this condition.
Archrival's Formation
The formation of Archrival is a direct response to this paralysing disciplinary condition. A new organisation operates outside of the traditional commercial practice structure, constituted by individuals from rival practices, in an extra-curricular and non-profit capacity. The practice is free to operate proactively, flexibly, strategically and with fewer constraints.
Strategic Action
Archrival escapes the ‘unreal paradigm’ and creates strategic action through projects that challenge the expectations of both public audiences and professionals. Archrival makes no claim for dramatic change, but instead operates with an agenda to produce small, highly site-specific actions that have a cumulative effect.
Site Specific Projects
Highly responsive site-specific projects are made in direct response to complex contemporary conditions, engaging directly with contextual pressures. When combining site-specificity with strategic action, the projects become critically relevant to the profession. The projects evolve from, respond to and transform each site.
Programmed Projects
As works of architecture and not art, Archrival’s projects are programmed. They offer a useable function and reveal social and cultural profits for audiences and collaborators, whether by revealing new ideas, providing an expanded professional network, or offering a transformative insight. The projects are not isolated but offer new experiences through their making, use and afterlife.
Momentum
Strategic projects have a correlating and cumulative impact. As Archrival’s projects expand and multiply, a project network is formed through overlapping alliances. The cultural profit intensifies and offers both collaborators and audiences a stronger return.
Ultradisciplinary Practice
Ultradisciplinary practice surpasses the specified extent, range or limits of architecture practice. By combining strategic actions, site specific and programmed projects with an inherent quality of making, (whether hand made or digitally fabricated), Archrival is able to create richer projects through unique responses to the external pressures affecting our discipline.
Networks
Due to accelerating change and specificity amongst professions, it is increasingly difficult for an individual or specific industry to solve problems alone. By forming a constellation of networks, forming inter-disciplinary alliances and working outside of the ‘unreal paradigm’, Archrival has greater agency to affect change.
Reformation
Through concentrated and strategic action the ‘unreal paradigm’ is ultimately replaced by a unified creative environment. The future profession operates at the intersection between diverse networks, educated clients, contemporary business strategy and relevant architectural projects. The potentials for this future expand beyond the realm of speculation – the future is endless, open and uninhibited.
To see how this manifesto is tested through our ultradisciplinary practice, see the visual catalogue of past projects in the Preface
The Unreal Paradigm
The architecture profession perceives itself working within a field of clients and opportunities, but relies heavily on competitive commissions, traditional procurement models, an under-utilised skill set, and often lacks business training.
The Competitive Context
The profession in reality is affected by economic, social, legal, political and environmental pressures, which are evolving at an accelerating rate of change. By operating in the ‘unreal paradigm’ this context is increasingly and unproductively competitive, as the profession cannot viably continue to offer valuable responses to changing markets.
A Confined Profession
As the intensity of economic, social, legal, political and environmental pressures increases, the action and theory of architecture is increasingly restricted. Practice must change, but the status quo remains for most of the profession, resulting in more isolated and irrelevant projects that do not adequately respond to or escape this condition.
Archrival's Formation
The formation of Archrival is a direct response to this paralysing disciplinary condition. A new organisation operates outside of the traditional commercial practice structure, constituted by individuals from rival practices, in an extra-curricular and non-profit capacity. The practice is free to operate proactively, flexibly, strategically and with fewer constraints.
Strategic Action
Archrival escapes the ‘unreal paradigm’ and creates strategic action through projects that challenge the expectations of both public audiences and professionals. Archrival makes no claim for dramatic change, but instead operates with an agenda to produce small, highly site-specific actions that have a cumulative effect.
Site Specific Projects
Highly responsive site-specific projects are made in direct response to complex contemporary conditions, engaging directly with contextual pressures. When combining site-specificity with strategic action, the projects become critically relevant to the profession. The projects evolve from, respond to and transform each site.
Programmed Projects
As works of architecture and not art, Archrival’s projects are programmed. They offer a useable function and reveal social and cultural profits for audiences and collaborators, whether by revealing new ideas, providing an expanded professional network, or offering a transformative insight. The projects are not isolated but offer new experiences through their making, use and afterlife.
Momentum
Strategic projects have a correlating and cumulative impact. As Archrival’s projects expand and multiply, a project network is formed through overlapping alliances. The cultural profit intensifies and offers both collaborators and audiences a stronger return.
Ultradisciplinary Practice
Ultradisciplinary practice surpasses the specified extent, range or limits of architecture practice. By combining strategic actions, site specific and programmed projects with an inherent quality of making, (whether hand made or digitally fabricated), Archrival is able to create richer projects through unique responses to the external pressures affecting our discipline.
Networks
Due to accelerating change and specificity amongst professions, it is increasingly difficult for an individual or specific industry to solve problems alone. By forming a constellation of networks, forming inter-disciplinary alliances and working outside of the ‘unreal paradigm’, Archrival has greater agency to affect change.
Reformation
Through concentrated and strategic action the ‘unreal paradigm’ is ultimately replaced by a unified creative environment. The future profession operates at the intersection between diverse networks, educated clients, contemporary business strategy and relevant architectural projects. The potentials for this future expand beyond the realm of speculation – the future is endless, open and uninhibited.
To see how this manifesto is tested through our ultradisciplinary practice, see the visual catalogue of past projects in the Preface