VENICE BIENNALE 2012
UNMEDIATED DEMOCRACY DEMANDS UNMEDIATED SPACE - CROATIA
VENICE BIENNALE 2012: UNMEDIATED DEMOCRACY DEMANDS UNMEDIATED SPACE /
CROATIA
B
Space is a basic resource. Architecture has the capacity to essentially
affect the overall management of space. As a result, it is incumbent upon it to
be aware of the elementary politics inherent in every architectural activity.
Since there is now no recognition of any form of positive social
aspiration, and there is no faith in the correctness of the current
orientation, secure social (and architectural) mechanisms like empathy and in
general ethics have either lost their effectiveness or been totally rejected.
For this reason there is no surprise that current dramatic social events evince
the total unreadiness of most architects to keep up with them, that is to be
able to make concrete and effective spatial responses to the concrete social
needs and problems.
For architecture to be capable of restoring its social relevance, that
is to be once again able to be the spatial generator of processes of social
interaction and integration, we need to take the whole debate about the Common
Ground of architectural activity (that is of its ambitions and responsibilities)
back to the beginning, for if there is any common denominator of our
professional activity, then this can only be people and includes literally
every member of the social communities within which and for which we work. Only
in this way, aware of the breadth of our own social responsibility, will we be
able to regain the right to speak from the position of the first person plural.
Pulska grupa works above all, though not solely, locally. The address
the city as a restless field of conflict, in which, however, they read a
potential for the creation of new spatial and architectural relationships.
Their ability to focus on the immediate spatial problems of the environment in
which they live gives them the credibility to unite their experiences in a possible
methodology of architectural activity in today’s conditions. Since they act in
conditions of equality -and not top-down as impersonal, aloof professionals-
with their social community, the members of the Pulska grupa formulate their
professional and human credo through the formulation that “unmediated democracy
demands unmediated space.”
B
PRAKSA COOPERATIVE
B
Praksa is an engineering cooperative for design, urbanism and
architecture. As socio-economic association Praksa employs direct democracy regarding all
activities, including collaborative work projects. Solidarity, mutual help,
integration of cultural and political engagement in the sphere of production,
education, exchange of knowledge and skills are some of the cooperative’s
guiding principles.
Praksa was founded by members of Pulska
Grupa in May 2011 as the first
engineering cooperative in Croatia. It has members with several years of
experience working in domain of architecture, photography, design and
journalism
