Processes of cutting are intrinsic to architectural practice, the formation of content, composite material, and the construction of the built environment. As architects we cut to represent what does not yet exist; plans, sections and details reveal the inner workings and assembly of space. We engage with a system of abstractions authorized through the opacity of globalization, severed from the means and methods that compose the world around us. In an urgent drive to combat climate change we slice, recycle, adapt and reuse existing buildings as we transform infrastructure, resource extraction and manufacturing to reduce our carbon footprint. Trees are chopped down, wood is chopped and chopped up, reconfigured and reassembled. Advancements in mass timber construction are allowing us to build larger and taller – with more frequent use the industry is adapting, making it more affordable and logistically viable. The capacity of buildings to sequester carbon is increasingly well understood within academia and the profession. Many envision a new approach to architecture and urbanism that combines reuse, restoration, and mass timber construction to transform cities from carbon emitters to carbon sinks. Automation and artificial intelligence are transforming the way we build: exponentially accelerating project schedules, disrupting labor structures, and increasing efficiency as the construction process is further decentralized. CHOP CHOP! The twelfth Issue of Room One Thousand mines cutting as a methodology, interrogating what, why and how we cut. We invite submissions of scholarly articles, images, photo essays, drawings, speculations, poems, recipes, fictions, reactions and quotes that broadly consider how our lives are chopped.
Cut
Dissect
Reassemble
Reconfigure
Scramble
Degrade
Progress
Construct
Cook
Build
Restore
Transform
Section
Rush
Transition
Text articles or photographic essays can be up to 2500 words in length. While contributions may take a range of formats, including research papers, creative writing, built work, and speculative projects, they must be written clearly and concisely to reach an audience beyond architectural academia. We also encourage contributors to demonstrate techniques and methodologies in meticulous detail. We seek provocative approaches and value accessibility, expertise, and rigor.
To submit a proposal, email the following in one pdf document to roomonethousand@berkeley.edu:
Title
Author name and bio, 50 words max.
Abstract describing method and argument, format (text or photo essay), and length of your proposed contribution, 300 words max.
A writing sample of academic or professional quality that is accessible to an audience beyond architectural academia. Maximum 2 pages. Samples may be partial.
Design or website urls, optional.
November 13th, 2023 at midnight Pacific Time: Proposals due
November 28, 2023: Selected authors notified on or before
December 28, 2023: Contributions due
April 2024: Publication