The Office for a Non-Precarious Future

The Office for a Non-Precarious Future at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition—the Venice Biennale 2023 focuses on the current pressing problems of the architectural profession that young architects deal with. The initial question is: How can architects design a better world if they themselves work in a toxic working system? The project comprises of an exbition, a residency programme, and a publication as a work-in-progress.

The theme
Precariousness and working conditions are one of the most discussed issues at the moment. The project and exhibition “The Office for a Non-Precarious Future” are based on the research report “Working Conditions of Young Architects” that was conducted in 2020 in the Czech Republic. It shows that almost 50 percent of young professionals work as freelancers for a single contractor without any employment benefits (health insurance and social security, among others). Such a high percentage comes with other problematic indicators: 62 percent of young architects work more than eight hours a day, including regular or occasional work on weekends (66 percent) and 32 percent of young architects do not have a regular or fixed contractual income.

The exhibition
The exhibition is divided into two parts. The “Factory” represents a segmented production space. The workstations and white monitors suggest a prefabricated architecture, the tasks and hierarchies are clearly defined. An animated infographic, data and diagrams illustrate the complex working conditions of young architects in the Czech Republic. Its opposite, the “Laboratory” is an experimental space for architects to give this discipline a speculative, collective concept. Desks, easels and an interactive screen provide information, tools and best practice examples that help to open up ideas for visitors and residents.

Residency programme
Selected young actors from the Czech Republic are invited to intervene in the part of the exhibition called “Laboratory”. The residents will work on-site for three to five days throughout the exhibition period, and will co-formulate forms of architectural practice and how to live and work in a sustainable, non-precarious way. Here, seven residency projects and collectives will be presented, including rapping architects (cosa.cz); art performance by Vladimír Turner as the mascot of precarisation, Mr. This is Fine; Instagram account @bimemennale with satirical memes on architecture practice (Dynamický blok & adamngebrian2); a student collective focusing on the mental health of architecture students (Stop Clicking, Start Sleeping), and others.

The publication
The publication by Ruby Press, Berlin, will serve as an Atlas or overview of strategies and tactics young architecture platforms/collectives in Europe have developed a more sustainable, non-precarious future for the professional practice. It brings best practice examples of approaches—discursive, critical; collective approaches—collectives, platforms, networks, agencies in architecture. Particularly important ecological, cultural and social aspects of architect’s work will be highlighted—to find a modus operandi for the architecture profession in the 21st century.

The team
The project is organised and supervised by the National Gallery Prague. The commissioner is Helena Huber-Doudová, curator of the Architecture Collection. Exhibition authors are the architect, facilitator and researcher Eliška Havla Pomyjová, architect David Neuhäusl and motion designer and Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design professor Jan Netušil. Residency mentor is Simona Binko

Advisory Board: Eva Franch i Gilabert, Osamu Okamura, Andreas Ruby, Marcin Szczelina, Yvette Vašourková.

Press contact: Adam Steinwicht, adam.steinwicht [​at​] ngprague.cz.