PIONIRA

Project

267663

Status

Submitted

Award category

You want to submit

NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS RISING STARS : concepts or ideas submitted by young talents (aged 30 or less)

Project title

PIONIRA

Full concept/idea title

Description

PIONIRA builds a European future full of possibilities Portrays ways of worldmaking Critically questions and stimulates Researches old knowledge and new paths Showcases regional diversity Calls for action Is a new aesthetic PIONIRA was founded in 2019 by Lena and Charlotte as a platform for inspiration and collaboration. We subjectively curate projects, authentic places and the people behind them. We share philosophies and knowledge through conversations, photography, videos and words.

Where is your concept/idea being developed or intended to be implemented in the EU?

Please provide a summary of your concept/ idea

PIONIRA is an interdisciplinary space for reflection, people and cultural exchange, based on elements from architecture, ecology and crafts. It was founded in 2019. As young architects, we are convinced that architecture needs to not only think but practice a multidisciplinary approach again - combining crafts and expertise from the myriad fields it draws from and influences. Our aim is to showcase the complexity of architecture and to make the many associated topics of a holistic design accessible for many. PIONIRA is a European movement. Brought to life by two young, female architects: Lena Breitenborn and Charlotte Schoenberger. Through portraying projects, authentic places and the people behind them, we search for a definition of a holistic architecture of tomorrow: our future is full of possibilities. We aim to raise awareness of common history and values and to reinforce a sense of belonging to a shared European space, composed of specific regional identities. By establishing a relationship between the old and the new, through collecting and publishing, we aim to inspire and encourage people to actively shape our world, preserving its beauty. A strong sense for aesthetics guides our work, leading to intuitive understanding paired with strong images. Our content speaks to emotion and evokes certain atmospheres that intuitively reach people on a personal level. We dive into personal stories and worlds to showcase how sustainable, holistic design is already practiced throughout Europe. Through photography, videos and interviews we render these examples accessible and provide a platform for those who frequently act in a humble manner in the background. With mainly English content we reach people across borders, geographically and regarding age and gender, via digital and analogue streams. We create a young, beautiful and strong image for sustainable, holistic architecture – cool and accessible for all. 

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of sustainability and how these would be met

The climate emergency demands that the ways we think and shape our surroundings change radically. The rapidly evolving context of worsening scientific indicators, calls for positive examples to lead the way. We believe that this future needs to (re)think architecture holistically. It is our urge to explore what this could be and how it could look, encompassing three main areas of research: how can architecture care for the people, care for the self and care for the earth? In order to answer these questions we pursue these key objectives: lead by good example: we portray people, projects and authentic places through photography, essays and interviews collate an index of historic and contemporary projects, searching for a holistic architecture, based on the following criteria: animal, crafts, earth, food culture, localism, plants, raw materials, regenerative agriculture, reuse, rural future, social, sustainable design, vernacular architecture and women The interwoven nature of these criteria is what constitutes sustainability. We strongly believe that sustainability is not only technical and measurable with norms, but encompasses a perhaps even larger, immeasurable aspect – we wish to establish this in peoples’ minds and hearts. At the moment, our collection is still at its beginning. As PIONIRA grows, the diversity and plethora of answers shall become ever more evident. This will lead to a broader understanding of sustainability. Many architectural projects will not meet all criteria of sustainability - some will meet social sustainability, some will meet technical norms, some will work with renewable energy and materials and some will question sustainability from the grey energy of resources to the final detailing phase. It is our aim to showcase the diversity that lies within architecture, providing a positive narrative on a path towards a hopeful future - where many different solutions can contribute together.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these would be met

Our objective is to produce high quality content with an emotional drive, to implement the ideas of the Green Deal on a personal scale. Beautiful images with a real meaning. PIONIRA speaks to people on a personal level with easily understandable, enticing audiovisuals, to convey sustainability directly. We are studying architecture at a University of the Arts, which allows us to not only have a technical approach to architecture and design, but also a very strong aesthetic, free and creative approach. Our aesthetic understanding, paired with our professional and diverse background in education, allows us to give an architecture of tomorrow a new image. By founding and running PIONIRA, we developed a strong audiovisual communication that reaches people directly on a personal level. It is our aim to use our developed language to reach people across borders and to implement an attractive image regarding sustainable and holistic design in people’s minds. We are curious, motivated, charismatic and extroverted. Studying architecture has equipped us not only with strong and creative ways of seeing and perceiving this world. But also with storytelling and communicating concepts and ideas and with the capacity to ultimately implement these on a one to one scale.  We therefore not only bring professional know-how to the table, but also a strong conviction for Europe and the necessary skills to work on many different levels - from content creation, to promotion, to reaching an extensive and young network across all of Europe. Regarding the quality of experience, our main objective is to eliminate borders of intuitive, emotional understanding. With our audio-visual content, coming form two young female architects, we immediately convey ideas and philosophies on a personal level. The identification with our protagonists happens through our storytelling, by asking the right questions and by pairing their words with strong, beautiful images. 

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of inclusion and how these would be been met

In the past, architecture has frequently been a field reserved to well educated academics. Concepts were frequently discussed among professionals but there was a strong lack of translation for people beyond the professional architectural realm. This leads to an immense discrepancy between what people without architectural background (the majority) want to build and how - and between what architects think is necessary and clever. We are tearing down these borders and making architecture accessible and understandable. Naturally, everyone should be included, as by living we choose to interact with the built environment. Therefore, everyone should be part of re-thinking how to live together in the future. We wish to work towards this goal in the long run by showcasing a large variety of projects that we are slowly building up already. These are mainly collected in English to be accessible for most and can be accessed with mobile or desktop devices from anywhere.  We therefore follow the following guidelines: Diversity and accessibility for all by necessity. Participation can and should only be based on merits and motivation, never on gender, age, economic situation or origin. Equality when learning from one another, in all possible directions. Recalling regional heritage, specificities and knowledge from all European countries, as an indispensable treasure for any design project. Integrating and empowering all states of the Union to participate.

Please explain the innovative character of your concept/ idea

PIONIRA is not speaking about how architecture education and practices should change, we are changing it. Related to mainstream concepts and practices, we offer a perspective that we have never seen in architecture. There are millions of websites with beautiful images, there are plenty of articles written about architecture in general, but there is no handpicked, subjectively curated platform that collects specific examples already leading the way. In the long run, we will also interlink the people we interact with - the protagonists and our community, to become an ever-growing network. When we began this project, we suddenly felt a wave of action, as people are finally seeing the need to map and collect projects working in this direction. Our innovative character lies in being one of the first to do so, with camera, microphone, pen and paper in hand and open minds and hearts. As we speak about the future, it is important to include the “new generation”, as they will be the ones living and acting in the near future. We embody exactly this generation and it allows us to reach people of all ages. Unique to our project, is also our perspective. We are Lena and Charlotte, two ambitious, young European women. At the moment, we are in our Master studies of architecture in Berlin. Lena previously studied photography and Charlotte studied at the European campus of Sciences Po Paris in Nancy, France. Over the years of studying, working and living abroad in various European countries, we have acquired an extensive like-minded but diverse network of young professionals, who will be key figures in change making throughout Europe in the coming years. We speak German, English, French, Portuguese and Italian and navigate through different cultures and countries with ease and fluidity. The intercultural know-how we have acquired allows us to adapt to new situations and equips us with the courage to face new challenges and unknown situations with eager and curiosity.

Please detail the plans you have for the further development, promotion and/or implementation of your concept/idea, with a particular attention to the initiatives to be taken before May 2022

Architecture has always been a profession bringing together many domains and it is exactly this what we want to do today.  We understand PIONIRA as a tool for the exchange of ideas, growing with time, contributing to the current discourse for our planet Earth. In order to bring the potential of this tool to its fullest, we envision the following next steps until May 2022: 1. Continue to build our network with interviewing more pioneers around Europe in the near future we plan trips to: Holland, Greece, Italy, Finland and would love to extend our research to Slovenia We will build a network that spans all European countries Informing and critically questioning the status quo of the European architecture, ecology and crafts scene Regarding our website: we wish to work with programmers to make it more interactive, i.e. for collaborations to happen more easily This will require more technical equipment and programming and travel costs to be covered 2. Digital to Analog space, from talking to doing! We propose some initiating analogue gatherings in the form of educational retreats (weekends), linked to certain themes These gatherings would work under the umbrella questions: How can we care for the self, the people and the earth?  3 protagonists from our main research themes will be invited (architecture, ecology, crafts), bringing together various domains with a specific focus, to create interdisciplinary, tangible exchange With this multifaceted approach, PIONIRA can lead to co-creation of content, skills and valuable social exchange Our larger vision is a festival. Ideally we would like to host this in Portugal, where PIONIRA began. This needs preparation and a good basis, therefore we think this will happen after May 2022, when we have both finished our studies. Last but not least, we are educated to build. As architects we will not only preach but also practice all of our principles in the future – in PIONIRA spirit!

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed concept/idea has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars Awards more than once in the same category.