reflections
Why not greenfield projects?
When architects build on a tabula-rasa site, they tend to make buildings that are set in stone. Over time, all buildings, even the good ones will have to adapt. Hence, at studio plug.in, we see ourselves as a part of this never ending cycle of buildings adapting to its day and age and NOT as the penultimate authors.
Appropriateness of
Design Tools
How different would the design be if one were to begin with a model rather than a drawing sketched to scale? If one wants to achieve something as ineffable as 'sense of place', are technical drawings the way to go about it, or are they too restrictive?
Biases in the Brownfield?
Would the dream project for studio plug.in be working with a building with some good architectural quality, or working with one devoid of it and bringing in new life to it?
Partnerships vs. Proprietorship
Given that critique and analysis of the existing buildings is an integral part of the process, partnerships might be more resourceful to surface the bias of the otherwise single proprietor.
Why only brownfield?
The processes followed for the dream project and the client project in the studio has been quite distinct from each other because of the brownfield/greenfield type. They almost seem to have different ideologies, which is ironic because they belong to the same practice. Hence, the call was taken to work with only brownfield projects as that is one avenue where architects can actively be intervening today.