Crafting Along Material Wear

Abstract

The institutionalization of the architectural practice has caused a linear life cycle that relies on the efficiency of mass standardized products, not only exacerbating ecological effects but also breeding mediocrity in architecture. An epistemic break from the creative and tangible process of craftsmanship, which has been marginalized as practice of the past. The aforementioned restrictive qualities of the practice have spurred the emergence of new counter ideologies in repair and reuse, which embrace the heterogeneity inherent in wear. The context of Madrid provides an opportunity to explore the idea of crafting wear, beginning with empowering an network of traditional crafters and extending to overlooked actors in material aging, enriching discourse and exchange of material knowledge towards a more mature attitude in hybrid design. The transformative impact of embracing wear in the urban fabric can cultivate a communal sensitivity towards architectural expression of material aging. In adopting a hybrid expression of wear, from the craftsman to the public, interweaving various knowledge domains carving a niche in the practice of architecture, that develops into a thriving network of skilled crafters in material wear.