In the endeavour to erect edifices and establishments that bear semblance to self-upraised metropolises, the vernacular ethics and practices (developed over several centuries) in various lands have been lost or devalued. This is a phenomenon that sustains across all global cities and villages—in terms of the architectural techniques devised in such lands, the imported materials used for construction, as well as the mechanisms of heating, cooling, cooking and storing utilised in indoor spaces. In the absence of the visible process of scouring for materials in one’s vicinity, and the presence of an abundance of goods available in the market, individuals tend to forget that resources are limited. Such a realisation can, then, only become discernible through pedagogical means, through publications, and through expositions that can delineate the benefits of utilising vernacular means, and illustrate the demerits of exporting popular materials, techniques and aesthetics. An ongoing architectural exhibition, namely A Lot With Little, on view at MAS Context Reading Room in Chicago, Illinois, USA, aims to do so through the showcase of ethically and responsibly conceived works by ten international practices.

Curated by London-based architect and curator Noemí Blager, the exposition is on view from October 26, 2023 - January 27, 2024. The showcase, with exhibition design conceived by MAS Studio and the construction of installations undertaken by Ken Byron, Iker Gil, Julie Michiels and David Schalliol, includes films by Tapio Snellman and music by Daniel Nolan. In her curatorial statement, Blager shares, “In a world where unpredictable events and natural disasters increasingly affect our living conditions, and where the building industry is responsible for nearly 40 per cent of global carbon emissions, the responsibility of architects has never been as critical as it is today. Indifference to the overwhelming consequences of climate change is not an option. With limited time, money and resources at our disposal, we urgently need new sustainable ways to design and produce good architecture. An architecture led by societal needs, and made with the resources at hand, that responds to local culture, local economy and the environment. An architecture conceived ethically and responsibly, that cares for our future.”

The exhibition is a partner program of Chicago Architecture Biennial 2023 or CAB 5, which is titled This is a Rehearsal and intends to explore contemporary environmental, political, and economic issues through art, architecture, infrastructure, and civic participation. A Lot With Little satisfies this overarching theme of CAB 5 through the showcase of works by architects hailing from both the Global North and the Global South. “The former wrestle with commercial pressures and strict regulations, while the latter contend with resource scarcity and inadequate infrastructure. And architects everywhere confront the escalating impact of extreme weather conditions,” Blager asserts.

The showcased projects span the divisions of housing, education, restoration and adaptive reuse, as well as disaster-resilient architecture and infrastructural innovations undertaken in response to calamities. Instead of platforming mechanisms and techniques that serve as demarcations of newfangled and grand innovations in engineering and architecture, Blager invited 10 practitioners who stray away from fulfilling superlative denominations and have undertaken projects to imbue a positive impact on society. “The contributing architects provide multiple interpretations of a common mindset, overcoming a lack of resources with creative ingenuity,” Blager shares.

The featured architects include Mariam Issoufou Kamara from Niger, Anne Lacaton & Jean Philippe Vassal from France, Mauricio Rocha from Mexico, Marina Tabassum from Bangladesh, Jan de Vylder & Inge Vinck from Belgium, Francis Kéré from Burkina Faso and Germany, Solano Benitez from Paraguay, Marta Maccaglia from Peru, Shigeru Ban from Japan, and Marta Peris & Jose Toral from Spain. Although hailing from regions with distinct climates, resources and permits, these architects unanimously ‘embrace lateral thinking and participatory methods, leading to the creation of sustainable, affordable architecture that contributes to societal betterment.’ Each architect operates with the intent of prioritising the context over their concepts and styles, alongside creating flexible spaces that are people-centric and harmoniously blend in with their natural and man-made surroundings.

The exhibition, which will tour globally and be showcased at various art, design and architecture events, comprises a multichannel film installation for presenting selected projects (in their existing state and locale). The three film installations within the gallery also present snippets of interviews with the exhibiting architects. By using this medium and method of presentation, the curator hopes to impart an immersive experience that allows visitors to holistically understand the aspects that guide a location’s architecture and the challenges of designing such spaces. The music for each project was composed by Daniel Nolan, to bring the audience closer to the experience of inhabiting the buildings.

Blager elaborates upon the exhibition design, “Using films as the medium, we adopt a sustainable approach to presenting architecture without the need for physical object transportation or generating waste, making it fully accessible worldwide. Each hosting institution is free to create its own design with the materials they have at hand. The only requirement is that the space can be darkened for the projection of the films.” Within the gallery, Blager stationed the featured projects such that they are grouped according to building typologies. The different sections include Housing, Education, Transformation and Disaster Relief.

Under the categorisation of Housing are works by Mariam Issoufou Kamara of Atelier Masōmī; Peris + Toral; Mauricio Rocha and Gabriela Carrillo of Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha; Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck of AJDVIV; and Solano Benitez of Jopoi de Arquitectura. Their projects, namely Niamey 2000 in Niger; Social Housing units in Cornellà, Barcelona, Spain; Estudio Iturbide in Mexico City; Rot Ellen Berg, in Oudenaarde, Belgium; and Abu House, in Asunción, Paraguay, respectively, demonstrate sensitive, innovative, creative and sustainable approaches undertaken to address the issue of housing crisis in most urban conglomerations. The projects address social and private housing needs, as well as contextual issues, climatic factors and the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in the region.

The second category, namely Education, platforms projects that showcase the power of community participation in developing architectural interventions that ‘can pave the way for improved education accessibility and contribute to societal advancement and development.’ Some educational architecture projects showcased at the gallery include Startup Lions Campus, in Turkana County, Kenya by Kéré Architecture; Museo Anahuacalli in Mexico City by Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha; Rural Schools in the Peruvian Amazon, in Pangoa, Peru by Marta Maccaglia of Semillas; Nantes School of Architecture in France by Lacaton & Vassal; Faculty of Architecture, Design and Art (FADA) in Paraguay by Solano Benitez of Jopoi de Arquitectura; and Teletón, Children’s Rehabilitation Centre in Paraguay by Solano Benitez.

In the realm of Transformation, Blager stationed projects where existing buildings and structures have been transformed for alternate usage. “This approach challenges the conventional inclination to view these edifices solely as historic monuments or opt for complete demolition. Instead, it embraces a more thoughtful and sustainable way of repurposing them to meet contemporary needs and aspirations,” Blager elaborates. Amongst the projects hosted under this helm are the Transformation of 530 Dwellings, in Bordeaux, France, by Lacaton & Vassal with Fréderic Druot and Christophe Hutin; Fabrica de San Pedro Cultural Centre, in Mexico by Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha; and Palais des Expos, in Charleroi, Belgium, by Jan de Vylder and Inge Vinck of AJDVIV.

Lastly, the gallery section designated to Disaster Relief features projects by two organisations, namely, the Foundation for Architecture Community Equity (FACE) and the Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN). While FACE, spearheaded by Marina Tabassum, is dedicated to the task of addressing the needs of Bangladesh’s landless, ultra-low income groups, and climate refugees; VAN is a non-governmental organisation founded by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban to design shelters that are affordable, easy to assemble and made using sustainable materials. “Amidst the global landscape, natural disasters such as climate change-induced sea-level rise, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and the ongoing global refugee crisis, give rise to precarious living conditions that demand urgent architectural interventions. These initiatives by FACE and VAN showcase how architectural ingenuity can play a pivotal role in providing essential support and solutions during times of crisis,” reads an excerpt from the exhibition text.

Upon being asked what’s NEXT for the exhibition, Blager shares, “I want to take the exhibition to as many corners in the world as possible to demonstrate that it is possible to create an architecture that is ethical, responsible and that cares for our future. And of course, I’d like to continue sharing more examples of this kind of extraordinary architecture to inspire.”

‘A Lot With Little’ is on view from October 26, 2023 - January 27, 2024, at the MAS Context Reading Room, 1564 North Damen Avenue, Suite 204, Chicago, Illinois, USA - 60622.