villardjournal 04.25

The fourth issue of the villardjournal delves into the notion of negotiation. The etymology of the word suggests an active state of being: from Latin neg (not) -otium (ease, leisure), negotium meaning also occupation, affair, be it public or private. Today, the word is mainly used to indicate a continuous confrontation with something considered as “other,” a confrontation between beings, ideas, an act of exchange, of communication, that always implies the mutual interest in finding a common ground. As architects, we are asked to negotiate our position in order to align with stakeholders and clients; but, simultaneously, we feel the need to continuously negotiate stereotyped definitions and approaches. Considering architecture as an act of negotiation places it at the centre of the political debate and raises questions on the role of the architect in relation to institutions and policies. From our daily experiences as practitioners, academics and citizens, we ask ourselves what does it mean to negotiate nowadays, what are the contemporary virtual or physical platforms for exchange. To counteract polarisation and predefined assumptions, we dwell on the meanings and spatial possibilities of negotiation practices. In times of impossible conflict resolutions, spaces for dialogue are needed more than ever in every field of discussion. Spanning across diverse research spheres, VJ04 investigates the manifold ways in which Architecture – as a spatial and inherently political discipline – operates within an economy of negotiation(s) and acts of mediation, both as their catalyst and their outcome.