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Studio: Convivality
A laboratory for radical animism
Studio 25/26 Semester 2
Academie van bouwkunst Amsterdam
Site
Archtersluispolder, Zaandam, NL
Tutor:
Philippe Allignet
Focus
Post-humanism, Conviviality, Radical Animism, Anthropocene, Interdependency
Beyond the Anthropocene
Humanity has become a geological force, marking our entry into the Anthropocene and leaving the stable climate of the Holocene behind. Driven by a capitalist dream of growth and industrialization, this era is characterized by a "metabolic rift", a disturbance of natural cycles and a separation of human connection to nature. In Western societies, this nature-culture opposition has been heavily influenced by a naturalist ontology that creates a clear mental division and hierarchy between humans and non-humans.
This studio poses a critical question: can the design practice reimagine the way we act, think and behave toward the non-human world?
Conviviality and radical animism
As spatial designers, we have the power to challenge how society conceives of and acts toward nature. To bridge this gap, the studio uses "conviviality" as a spatial design approach.
Drawing on the theories of anthropologist Philippe Descola and landscape architect Martin Prominski , we challenge traditional naturalistic divisions and advocate for an ontological shift towards animism.
To achieve true conviviality, students must embrace three design characteristics:
- Symmetry: Rejecting human supremacy to consider humans and non-humans as equals.
- Entanglement: Erasing the division between human and non-human scales to create interdependency at every project stage.
- Resonance: Designing spaces that trigger "transformative encounters," allowing humans to reconsider their relationship with the living world.
The Achtersluispolder as laboratory
The testing ground for these radical concepts is the Achtersluispolder in Zaandam. Originally a rich peat landscape, it witnessed drastic anthropisation throughout the 20th century.
Today, it is a monospecific, concrete island dedicated to heavy industry, burdened with polluted grounds and low air quality. This highly anthropized and challenging enclave serves as the perfect laboratory to test interventions of radical animism.
Designing for interdependency
This studio intends to broaden the message of conviviality to all spatial disciplines, it is not simply about putting birdhouses on building facades. What we need are new narratives, visions, and ideas to bridge the gap between nature and culture.
The methodology guides students from deep anthropological and spatial research to the formulation of a bold societal statement. From there, concepts are translated into concrete spatial interventions spanning from large-scale visions down to the smallest detail .
The ultimate goal is to build an interdependency narrative that can add to our efforts to shape a sustainable and liveable future
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