Dear architects… - Architecture as Work - vernissage at GAB

“Dear architects…” the project that speaks to architects has something to say again. For the third time, curator Karolína Plášková calls for reflection on the position of architects in society and their working conditions. The Faculty of Architecture VUT in Brno, as part of the project Space for Engaged Architecture, opens the exhibition Architecture as Work on December 6, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Gallery of Architecture Brno. The exhibition and accompanying program will depict and map the situation in the labor market, the position of the Czech Chamber of Architects, and schools of architecture. Come join us to find out whether architecture is a calling or “just” a job?
The third exhibition within the project “Dear architects…” addresses working conditions in the field of architecture, focusing on the precarious work and living conditions (primarily, but not exclusively) of the young generation of architecture graduates. The goal is to raise awareness and perhaps contribute to the discussion on issues such as collective work organization, unpaid work and internships, the structure of architectural firms (hierarchical vs. non-hierarchical), and the balance between work and private life (including care for family members, etc.). One of the reasons is that the profession of architect is perceived as a calling rather than a job—and it is customary (culturally) to sacrifice oneself for projects.
Architects often present the agenda of architecture as “seeking solutions to contemporary problems.” If architects are expected to work ethically, it is crucial to discuss working conditions and the toxic culture in the architectural profession. Due to competition in the market, architects are “forced” to work below value, often passing this burden onto young architects without security, for example, in the case of the Czech Republic, in the form of a gray economy. Not only precarious working conditions lead those working in architecture to leave the field. There is also a toxic workplace culture, e.g., overtime, night work, discrimination, or humiliation. If architects organize and fight for fairer conditions, they may achieve greater freedom to work on projects that benefit society and do not harm the planet (or their health).
The intention of the project and its accompanying program is not to emancipate graduates through education on business management or pricing, etc., but to help them develop their professional identity, distinct from those “who can hire and fire.” Despite the deep-rooted resistance to using collective power, the effort is to show that tangible success can be achieved through grassroots organization and solidarity.
The project loosely follows the 2018 exhibition from the “Dear architects…” series with the theme Ethics of Architecture, where working conditions were one of the topics in the accompanying program: on a workshop led by a collective of architects who later were behind the establishment of trade unions for those working in architecture in the UK and also in a discussion about the balance between work and private life, which included trade union lawyer Šárka Homfray, Austrian architect Sabina Riß, who conducted research and a “manual” on this topic for young architects, and Monika McGarrell Klimentová, who coordinated projects focused on promoting equal opportunities for women and men at Forum 50%.
The exhibition Architecture as Work does not aim merely to describe the current (critical) situation (for example, based on conducted surveys and questionnaires, often initiated by the workers themselves), but primarily to strive for the presentation and discussion of initiatives or their successes in the field of improving working conditions. The exhibition will serve as a laboratory for collective thinking and sharing know-how. Many topics will therefore also be discussed in the accompanying program in the form of lectures, workshops, or panel discussions, providing space for those working in architecture to meet and debate.
By the term “working in architecture,” we understand all those involved in creating architecture in various positions and spheres – besides practicing architects in private studios, also those working in the public sector, in academia, or in cultural institutions. It is also crucial to examine how education shapes and is shaped by practice. Guests will include Marisa Cortright, author of the book “Can this be? Surely this cannot be?” Architectural Workers Organizing in Europe, and Angelika Hinterbrandner, an architect and editor of the digital magazine on architecture Kontextur, who addresses working conditions as well as the transformation and future of the architectural profession. Panel discussions will include architects who have chosen a different path than “classical” designing (e.g., working in the nonprofit, public, or academic sector), members of the Association of Women Architects discussing the obstacles women in the architectural profession face, and Klára Brůhová discussing pressure at universities and measures against toxic culture. Klára led the Commission for Equal Opportunities at the Faculty of Architecture of ČVUT, which was tasked with preparing an ombudsman institute.

Curator: Karolína Plášková
Exhibition Architecture: Karolína Munková, Eva Truncová
Graphic Design: Bára Růžičková
Organizational Assistance: Adéla Šoborová, Lucie Zádrapová
Supervision: Jan Kristek
The project of the Faculty of Architecture VUT was created with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and the statutory city of Brno.