Archonomy - Architecture for an alternative economy
Designing buildings which support the shared economy.
Environment
What does lagom mean in Swedish?
"In Sweden it is a commonly understood and often discussed topic that the citizens are striving to achieve a state of “lagom.”... Lagom is neither being excessive nor sparse but looking/feeling/being at the perfect equilibrium right in between...In one word, lagom describes the essential and elementary basis of the Swedish national psyche, which is one of consensus and equality."
http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/what-%E2%80%9Clagom%E2%80%9D-really-means
"To engage stakeholders at the local government level we need to stress the idea of well-being. It's an effective way to educate people about the effects of their lifestyle and buying habits. It's not about deprivation or going without, but understanding what it is to have enough...After the basics (shelter, clothing, food, water) are covered, well-being is less dependent on material goods. This needs to be a central part of the sustainable consumption movement."
"Live life in a way which is better for you, your family, your community and the planet"
http://www.shareable.net/blog/why-cities-can-and-should-lead-the-sustainable-consumption-movement
A significant part of the 'sustainable consumption movement he is referring to is collaborative consumption i.e. The Sharing Economy.
Could architecture be a part of the sustainable consumption movement by creating an
environment which supports and sustains the sharing economy?
We do not have a word for lagom in the english language, but it is an inherent part of Swedish culture. I want to use architecture as a vehicle to generate a culture and vernacular meaning of lagom . ie. I want to design a new living typology in the UK which encourages a new way of life that sustains the sharing economy and by doing so generates an anglicized culture of lagom.
With this technology exploration I hope to make use of our tech-dependent society to challenge the semantics of 'Architect' and pioneer new responsibilities which force the profession to look beyond the static confines of structure and connect buildings to the sharing economy.
Adopting and The Lagom lifestyle is a balance between:
- Owning Less
- Sharing More
- Experiencing More
Why own less?
Different websites with different lists:
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/escaping-excessive-consumerism/
http://tinyhousetalk.com/5-reasons-to-own-less/
The problems caused by over-consumption include natural resource depletion, unhappiness, growing inequality, climate change
.
Why share more?
What I really mean by we should share more is we should move towards collaborative consumption.
"A new economic model has arrived. Named by TIME as one of the “10 Ideas That Will Change the World”, collaborative consumption describes the shift in consumer values from ownership to access. Together, entire communities and cities around the world are using network technologies to do more with less by renting, lending, swapping, bartering, gifting and sharing products on a scale never before possible. From Airbnb to Zipcar to Taskrabbit, collaborative consumption is transforming business, consumerism and the way we live for a more fulfilling and sustainable quality of life."
http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com/about/ "Sharing re-invented through technology"
Sharing can eliminate waste, improve efficiency, connect people to one another, and allow us to make money on extra stuff in our closets and garages.
http://www.shareable.net/how-to-share how to share more.
Sharing more helps us to consume less as individuals
Less waste
More efficiency
switch from access to ownership
The basic fact in that the growth imperative of our economic system is fundamentally at odds with our finite natural systems. We need to refocus on individual, family, and community well-being and spread the message that sustainable consumption does not mean going without. Rather, it means better quality of life for everyone. To address inequality, we need to shape the economy for more equitable access to resources.
http://www.shareable.net/blog/why-cities-can-and-should-lead-the-sustainable-consumption-movement
Why experience more?
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/buy-experiences/381132/2/
How could Architecture boost this new economy?
Key environmental signals which affect lagom: location, security and accessibility.
How does location affect lagom?
The ability to move/change location allows more experience.
Freedom - Our day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year needs are not static but often our location is. Often we are not living in the location most central to our needs because the building where we live is static.
Environment - for example, if someone changes jobs and it's located on other side of the city, if they can move closer, they will spend less time commuting
Health and wellbeing - if we live in the most central location to our needs we are more likely to be able walk and cycle.
Economics - creates a more flexible labour market...if people know they can easily move they will extend their search parameters for a job as they are more flexible on location.
How does security affect lagom?
The feeling of security enables us to share our space and belongings more willingly
To share our space and belongings we need to have trust and feel secure.
How does accessibility affect lagom?
Having access to everything we think we may need makes it much easier and more desirable to own less.
Network technologies, similar to those being used in other industries using the shared economy, could pave the way for a technology based infrastructure within a new living typology that monitors and affects environmental signals such as: location, security and accessibility.
Network Technologies
I am going to explore the systems (structures) and devises (materials and construction) which collate and process qualities which could affect location, security and accessibility.
