What does the word ‘basic’ mean? Fundamental, critical, essential, necessary - all these synonyms illustrate the significance of its meaning. Architecturally, we often associate the term with the primitive, the vernacular, even the banal. However, we sometimes forget to take into consideration the relative and temporal nature of the term. What was considered ‘basic’ in the 1900s was a radically different paradigm from what we consider as ‘basic’ today.
Wireless technology, cloud storage, cryptocurrencies, smart materials - today, we live in a much more transitory, intangible, and decentralised world. Our vital companions are smart phones. Our essential workplace is not a place but wireless connection.
We find ourselves in an era of radical transformation in economic, ecological, political and climatic. This prompts us to rethink the notion of ‘basic’, to update the role and performance of architecture in order to be able to keep up with our new lifestyle.
