When Volume started as ‘magazine to go beyond architecture’ in 2005, the world was a different one. There was a lot of attention for the spectacular in architecture, for instance, and little for where society was going in relation to architecture: the urgencies and opportunities architecture could and should engage with. Since, Volume explored a wide variety of topics and terrains, each time looking for the added value of architecture.
Volume #48: The Research Turn – the second in our series on learning – is dedicated to mapping the contemporary field of research that is pushing processes of knowledge production forward in architecture, art and the social sciences.
THE SYSTEM* indicates the complex interaction of the economy, professional practice and personal choice. The asterisk draws attention to the ambiguity of such a term, while hinting at an intention to change ‘it’, whatever it is. In this issue of Volume, we’re dilating our pupils to focus on ‘the system’ itself, treating it as a result of, and therefore question of, design. As we are unfortunately well aware, lobbying is not enough to change the system. Applying strategies like leveraging, short-circuiting, disrupting and infecting might be more effective.