Conversations on Planetary Care 

Architecture must move towards a new paradigm of care for the planet. This exhibition proposal embraces the imminent disruption as an opportunity to make the practice more meaningful and inspiring. Essays, conversations, and architectural works discuss the various types of science-backed interdependencies that must be nurtured to resume living within planetary boundaries. The proposal was developed in collaboration with the competition organizer Archinfo Finland during the course of the three-stage open competition.

The most pressing issue facing the world today is preserving a livable future. The arts have already turned towards posthumanism and ethics of care to turn the trajectory. Architecture – whether understood as a practice, profession, or product – has been slow to engage with this discourse, but must urgently catch up, seek new solutions, and move towards a new paradigm of care for the planet. It is essential because architecture is a form of art, but also the moment when societal values are transformed into something physical and permanent. This exhibition’s approach embraces the imminent disruption as an opportunity to make architecture more meaningful and inspiring. 

The complexity of the grave problems concerning architecture today, such as climate crisis, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, cannot be solved in isolation. The issues must be understood as an intertwined whole which carries repercussions also for social equality and justice. The exhibition theme of planetary care is examined through four different perspectives: Repair as an Act of Caring, Interspecies Affinities, Abiotic Worlds, and Transgenerational Thinking. These topics, each centering on a kind of interdependence, were selected because care, when taken as the starting point for architecture, illuminates the various intricate science-backed linkages that must be nurtured to resume living within planetary boundaries.

The exhibition underlines the urgent need for change and articulates the role of architecture as a driver of positive change. Through varied media, the exhibition explores the interconnections and interdependencies that underpin a sustainable future. It recognises that addressing complex issues such as the climate crisis and biodiversity loss requires a holistic approach that takes into account social equity and justice alongside environmental concerns. Through such a transformative conversation, architecture can create meaningful and inspiring spaces that not only reflect our values but also actively contribute to a viable future for generations to come.