WHAT A WASTE
WHAT A WASTE is a design-build project in collaboration with the Heart of Noise Festival in Innsbruck. The architectural design takes the form of an assemblage, comprising a collection of found and recycled objects. Objects and items undergo a transformation when placed in a new context and reassembled on a one-to-one basis.
WHAT A WASTE thus becomes a stage for a rubbish tip full of found objects, contaminated sites, toxic waste and non-recyclable materials. Totems made of rubbish are elevated to the status of cult objects, preserving the memory of a throwaway society whilst simultaneously subjecting it to critical scrutiny.
The decision to classify something as rubbish depends less on objective or inherent characteristics and more on social, cultural and scientific assessments. An ordinary object is transformed into a valuable artefact through new contextualisation and its combination with other things. Here, the beauty lies in the unexpected, in the reversal of triviality and value, and it invites us to reflect on our connection to matter and to the everyday. If rubbish is simply matter in the wrong place, should we move it somewhere else?
The entire design-build process, from design through to construction, was carried out as a collaborative endeavour, with individual designs repeatedly made available as open source to all students for further development. This led to a constant stream of new designs comprising assemblages of various architectural elements, objects and ideas. Decisions were reached through discussions and the joint exploration of possibilities.
The course was designed as a vertical studio in which both Bachelor’s and Master’s students worked together – this fostered a productive diversity within the group. The process of collecting objects and materials and working collectively gave rise to a highly responsive methodology that generated improvised and intuitive situations.
We regard the ability to remain open to new circumstances and opportunities and to work with uncertainty as a contemporary approach to addressing, on the one hand, resource scarcity, the circular economy and the recycling of building materials. On the other hand, this methodology facilitates a collective, interdisciplinary process in which an atmosphere of equality throughout the entire workflow fosters a sense of shared responsibility amongst all those involved.
