Fieldstation studio is a local node in the international fieldstations network, initiated by Corneel Cannaerts & Michiel Helbig in 2016. Fieldstation explores architecture in relation to contemporary fields and connected to the Anthropocene and the technosphere. The studio focuses on the agency of emerging technologies and phenomena, and their impact on the culture and practice of architecture and the environment in which we operate as architects.
The built reality is only one layer that makes up the environments we inhabit, it is influenced by other material and immaterial layers, and it contributes to larger economic, material, environmental, informational and infrastructural systems. We see this expanded field, this constantly changing, layered and hybrid environment as the context that architecture operates in and actively engages with. We think that architects should be aware of the impact and potential of this complex reality of today and proactively engage with it, rather than passively waiting for design briefs and projects.
Fieldstation studio functions as an Academic Design Office and coördinates a yearly Master Design Studio at the KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture in Ghent. We propose an explorative architectural design studio, aiming to investigate the potential of architecture as a medium to disrupt, explore and raise questions, rather than solving them. For every edition of our Master Design Studio we introduce a topic and starting point that reflects urgencies and/or emerging phenomena.
The master studio combines explorative research with hands-on architectural design exercises, field trips and workshops, providing a platform for students to develop their own interests, skills and projects within the proposed topics. Fieldstation studio trains students in taking position within contemporary fields and provides them with a platform for developing their future practice. Our weapons of choice are design fiction, spatial narratives, speculative media, imagineering, hacking and critical making.
Fieldstation studio also organises two elective courses for Master Students; Computation & Materiality and Cinematic Architecture. These courses explore several topics related to the Master Design Studio through different media or from a specific point of view.
Besides teaching, fieldstation studio also produces works in collaboration with people from different fields and by exploring several media. These projects aim to translate and consolidate our academic research.
