Post-2008 Architecture Embraces 'Naivety' as a Stance Against Parametricism
In a piece for ArchDaily, Diogo Borges Ferreira explores how small architectural firms established after the 2008 financial downturn have embraced 'naivety' as their public image, moving away from the prevalent heroic and parametric styles. This shift can be traced back to the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale, where Patrik Schumacher introduced the Parametricist Manifesto. The economic crisis eroded faith in grand narratives, leading these firms to adopt a more humble approach. Notable examples include Fala Atelier, aoa architects' Hoji Gangneung guesthouse (2022), Comte/Meuwly's 'Filter House', Point Supreme's 'architectural magical realism', and Bovenbouw's 'Weekend House'. Ferreira connects this aesthetic to the ideas of Novalis's romanticism and metamodernism. The article contributes to ArchDaily's exploration of escapism in architecture.
Key facts
- The essay discusses architecture offices founded after the 2008 financial crisis that adopt 'naivety' as a stance.
- Patrik Schumacher presented the Parametricist Manifesto at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale.
- Fala Atelier has described itself as a 'naive architecture office' since at least 2019.
- aoa architects in Seoul designed Hoji Gangneung, a 2022 guesthouse complex with five volumes named simply.
- Comte/Meuwly, founded in 2018 in Zurich, received a 'Kaninchen' award in 2019 and a Distinction Romande d'Architecture in 2023.
- Point Supreme was founded in Athens in the year of the crisis (2008).
- Bovenbouw's Weekend House in Bazel is a 121-square-meter bungalow.
- The article is part of ArchDaily's theme on escapism in architecture.
Entities
Artists
- Diogo Borges Ferreira
- Patrik Schumacher
- Adrien Comte
- Adrien Meuwly
- Marianna Rentzou
- Konstantinos Pantazis
- Jaewon Suh
- Novalis
- Timotheus Vermeulen
- Robin van den Akker
- Raymond Williams
- Jos de Mul
Institutions
- ArchDaily
- Fala Atelier
- aoa architects
- Comte/Meuwly
- Point Supreme
- Bovenbouw
- ETH Zurich
- Hochparterre
- Venice Architecture Biennale
- Zaha Hadid Architects
- Fala
Locations
- Seoul
- South Korea
- Zurich
- Switzerland
- Athens
- Greece
- Antwerp
- Belgium
- Bazel
- Venice
- Italy