'The architect needs more partnerships'

"The discipline needs a stronger collective voice where interdisciplinary cross-cutting connections are the basis for coping with climate change and the ecological crisis. We need to develop a nature-positive and climate-neutral course in education, for our profession, in architecture. At that tipping point we are now."

Speaking is Janna Bystrykh: "Architects should want to think much bigger. After all, we are facing some very complicated - and big - issues. We will have to build our knowledge in many new ways if we want to tackle these challenges effectively and substantially. In the curriculum we are now developing, our ambition is to formulate that fully around climate change and the ecological crisis. We do this, for example, by seeking input and expertise from exact and social scientists, from economists, politicians, historians, and others. Call it a holistic approach, but we can no longer do without it. It is neither possible nor necessary to gather all the necessary knowledge ourselves to initiate and pursue this transition."

Bystrykh therefore argues that the role and task of education must change. "In addition to practice, theory and design, students must now be prepared to continuously innovate and learn to deal with big issues. More nuances have emerged in the field."

The Amsterdam Academy of Architecture has therefore put climate urgency and ecology as important themes on the agenda. "We want to give students the opportunity to experiment during their studies, and develop a position and vision around these themes. And, create awareness that with the profession we have an essential social task and responsibility."

According to Bystrykh, students can handle this just fine. "We are now receiving the new applications for the next academic year. I get very excited by the demonstrated commitment to social issues, and the ambition to contribute to climate-neutral and nature-positive change. There are also students with their own businesses, they have a keen vision of how to improve the world and they see that they do not find this vision among existing businesses around them. They are open to creating meaningful partnerships with other disciplines. And ... not insignificantly, they understand that we cannot understand and apply the many complex facets of climate change and ecology in relation to architecture without deep other insights."

When asked whether students who may doubt the existence of the climate and ecological crisis will feel at home at the Academy, Bystrykh replied, "Everyone is welcome, and we also explain in advance that the climate-neutral and nature-positive approaches are inseparable parts of design education. But I haven't encountered those students yet."

"Ecology, biodiversity and sustainability must therefore be given a fixed, intrinsic value within that design process, both in education and in practice, and I hope we can find each other well in this and work together, strengthen and inspire," concludes the ambitious Bystrykh. "After all, it is an exciting time, with new dimensions, urgencies and vistas."