Beyond Paralysis

Beyond Paralysis asks what role architects play in combating the climate crisis. The physical exhibition creates an immersive space for dialogues on the topic. The proposal was developed in collaboration with the competition organizer Archinfo Finland during the course of the three-stage open competition.

Time is a crucial component to the climate crisis. Hence the exhibition has a strong temporal aspect. The columns dominating the space symbolize the ten years between 2020 and 2030, which according to the IPCC is the year by which we must have radically reduced emissions in order to have a chance of fighting climate change. Over the course of the exhibition, the columns crumble in reaction to world climate news: bad news speed up the degradation, while good news slow it down. An audio piece ringing in the space draws the content of the exhibition catalogue out into the physical space, thus bringing the different parts together to create a unique and memorable visitor experience.

Our proposal for the Finnish pavilion caters to different types of exhibition goers by allowing them to choose the depth of their experience.

The exhibition focuses on architects as societal change-makers. The exhibition catalogue consists of three sections, the first one laying the background for architects working for a greater societal cause. The second part proposes a discussion about the challenges architects face when combating the climate crisis and the third part glimpses into the future and what rethought professional roles could lead to.