How did this idea come up?

As young professionals, architects and not only, we immediately found out what were the challenges and difficulties in becoming part of the work world. The domination of the giants of the past sometimes limits the freedom of the youngest of today to find their own way in this tortuous game of parts. More and more often we are forced to move away from home to find new opportunities, easier conditions or just places that allow us to express ourselves more freely. But are we really free? Is the adult world really that magical place of opportunities we dreamed of as children? Probably these dreams came from a collective imagination that was far away from the reality of the contemporary society in which we live today. 

In fact, our society is constantly changing, running fast and hungry for the most disparate knowledge, where the role of architecture seems to occupy a critical position today, but also essential. The sense of community and belonging that the most recent phenomena of social mobilisation in the field of sustainability have generated, seem not to find a corresponding value in the architectural field. The absence of a contemporary architectural movement that can provide advice on real architectural and social theories seems to us, however, more than anything else, a blessing. 

The trust in the theory of the great minds seems no longer sufficient to satisfy the needs and requirements of our community. Moreover, asking ourselves who is the community we are planning for is today the fundamental question to raise. 

The birth of a real European society, in fact, has questioned the theories and design methods that seemed to work until the end of the 20th century. For this reason we decided to set a starting date, in order to understand our narrative better: November 9, 1989. From this date, in our opinion, no more architectural manifestations have been found that could be traced back to the traditional definition of Movement. Symbol of freedom, of a new peace achieved, of a new beginning, the fall of the wall has meant a change of direction for all Europe. It is no coincidence that, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the real process of creating the Union began and, shortly thereafter, the society we know today.

Nowadays, being part of European society means living in a society of infinite cultures that interweave, interact and coexist in a territory without boundaries. Being part of the European society means believing that the word together does not mean being in the same place, but being able to act all at once even from distant places. Believing in an European society that has broken down its physical and social boundaries means feeling part of a model of universal society, based on the sole goal of improving the world in which we live.

What inspired us?

There are many examples that the European community has proposed in this direction, including the recent mobilisations on climate issues related to the goals of the Agenda 2030 that have triggered a real social revolution. This document, published by the UN in 2015, set 17 sustainable development targets for 2030, highlighting, for the first time in history, the non-sustainability of the current development model. Sustainability, therefore, is no longer only an environmental, but also an economic and social issue. Overcoming the idea that sustainability is limited to the purely environmental sphere, a new system of transversal collaboration between the various disciplines involved has been identified. 

This new approach must also be an inspiration for the architect’s role. It is no coincidence that the city, and therefore the architecture, appears in the Goal number 11 of the Agenda with the caption “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. The question is therefore why the Goal on cities has not been associated with architecture or urbanism alone, but with the word community. 

In our opinion, the answer seems simple: a city without a community that experiences it does not exist, since it is on our communities that the meaning of dwelling and, consequently, that of architecture is born and grows. It is precisely for this reason that Goal 11 of Agenda 2030, in its very title, already describes the aspects that Jacquard is going to investigate: the city, architecture, society and sustainability become a single vision to be achieved together. 

An excellent example of the possibility of implementing this model comes from Italy with the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development: ASviS. 

In order to pursue the common goal, both at government and civil society level, of implementing a model of sustainable development (the only one possible so far), ASviS has drawn up 17 thematic working groups, one for each Goal of Agenda 2030, which could work individually on specific issues, but that could then discuss synergistically on their results. In this way, development becomes truly sustainable: the sharing of experiences and skills to propose specific solutions and activities are thought in the perspective of “ if each problem is faced with multilateral solutions, conflict is reduced through collaboration” (Pierluigi Stefanini, President of Asvis, during the ASviS Report 2019, 4 October 2019, Auditorium della Musica in Rome, trad. Maria Terzano).

What does all of it have to do with us?

For this reason we are convinced that this approach does not only involve the design sphere, but all the fields that concern the real subject of architecture: people. We believe then, that it is fundamental that architecture shows itself for its true essence: a structure that is very complex today, that grows and lives not only on theory and imagination, but also on the disciplines that affect and inspire it during the constant change of the society.

As a result, Jacquard will host not only the architects’ opinion, but also the opinion of anyone who has something to say about the suggested topics.

How do we want to do this?

Proposing themes of architectural origin, found and extracted from one of the 17 Goals of Agenda 2030 each time, Jacquard will use architecture as a pretext to give voice to all the disciplines that closely deal with these issues. Through call for papers, every topic can be discussed by each of the experts from the different disciplines involved. In this way, for a given topic, it will easily be possible to get an idea of how different, yet linked to each other, the various opinions of the different actors involved are.

What do we expect to happen?

Jacquard wants to offer a ground for mutual exploration, collaboration and opportunities. Through the weaving of different professional figures who are now part of this complex system (architects, engineers, sociologists, psychologists, etc.), Jacquard will offer itself as a stage for anyone who has something to tell or is willing to make their voice heard. 

J. will be your safe place when you are looking for inspiration to find innovative ideas, experiment with new paths or make a step change in your profession.

J. is a place of equal confrontation and sharing, where the only common goal is to give and do the best for the society in which and for which we work. An opportunity to create new collaborations, new friendships and, who knows, new loves near or far. A place where distances no longer matter: everything becomes possible and we are really the protagonists of our decisions.

Who can take part?

Just you. Whether you are a professional, a student or a free spirit, the important thing is that you are a young under 35 and that you have something to share with us. We eagerly await your opinion in return to our calls!