Spatial Agency is a project that presents a new way of looking at how buildings and space can be produced. Moving away from architecture's traditional focus on the look and making of buildings, Spatial Agency proposes a much more expansive field of opportunities in which architects and non-architects can operate. It suggests other ways of doing architecture.

In the spirit of Cedric Price the project started with the belief that a building is not necessarily the best solution to a spatial problem. The project attempts to uncover a second history of architecture, one that moves sharply away from the figure of the architect as individual hero, and replaces it with a much more collaborative approach in which agents act with, and on behalf of, others.

In all the examples on this website, there is a transformative intent to make the status quo better, but the means are very varied, from activism to pedagogy, publications to networking, making stuff to making policy - all done in the name of empowering others. In Bruno Latour's terms, critical attention is shifted from architecture as a matter of fact to architecture as a matter of concern. As matters of fact, buildings can be subjected to rules and methods, and they can be treated as objects on their own terms. As matters of concern, they enter into socially embedded networks, in which the consequences of architecture are of much more significance than the objects of architecture.

Although Spatial Agency started out as a critique of the conservative tendencies of mainstream practice, it ended up as a celebration of the bravery, canniness and optimism of an inspiring group of historical and contemporary figures. We do not expect everyone to agree with our selection (the whole point of lists is not to agree with them but wrangle with them and in that form your own interpretation of the subject) but if you feel that anyone in particular has been left out, then please do contact us. We also welcome any feedback, comments, or suggestions on the website itself and the projects featured.

For more a detailed reading of Spatial Agency see a recent article by Tatjana Schneider and Jeremy Till published in FOOTPRINT.

PROJECT TEAM

Nishat Awan is a research associate at the School of Architecture, University of Sheffield.
Tatjana Schneider is a lecturer at the School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, where she teaches design studio, history and theory.
Jeremy Till is an architect and educator. He is Dean of Architecture and the Built Environment at the University of Westminster, London.

And with huge thanks to all the people featured on this website, many of whom have been very generous in their time and support, especially in the provision of images and correction of detail. The project was funded by a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.