Slow Architecture and the Power of Place

The “power of place” is becoming more and more important as an anchor point in our complex and interconnected world. The more digital and global our way of life becomes, the stronger the yearning for local roots and “real” experiences. Enter Slow Architecture and a whole new understanding of space and effect.

That the maxim “higher, faster and further” is not eternally sustainable was already apparent before Corona, but the pandemic has made it even clearer. People have become more aware of the extent to which the ‘mass’ principles, such as mass consumption and mass tourism, harm our environment, and thus, sooner or later, all life that depends on it, including our own.

Everything is related to everything – with this renewed knowledge, the question is being asked anew in many areas: How do we want to live in the future? Slow Architecture can provide an answer.

Slow Architecture does not mean that work progresses slowly, rather requires the architect to closely consider the history of the place, its surroundings and its residents. As in other areas of the Slow Movement (e.g. Slow Food and Slow Fashion), people are increasingly asking questions about authenticity, sustainability and regionality. In addition to the use of natural materials such as wood, clay or natural stone, the embedding of buildings in their surroundings is an important consideration. The architecture should ideally blend in with the landscape and be supported by local materials and building culture.

Slow Architecture lives and evolves with its inhabitants and visitors, as every place is a unique combination of nature, architecture and its lived culture. This requires the architect to acknowledge and understand the traditional in order to combine it with new, modern elements so as to create unique, sensual living spaces.

The demand for this type of architecture is on the rise, especially in Western societies, in which an ever-increasing number of people work in cities and long for peace and closeness to nature. The increasing popularity of this type of architecture reflects above all a new understanding of luxury. The pomp and swank that is displayed to the outside world is giving way to individual products, high-quality materials and unique experiences.

Slow Architecture is here to stay. As time passes, we can expect the origin, authenticity and diversity of a place to be given more and more consideration in spatial planning and building design.

Original German text by Christiane Varga, trend and future research.
I work as a trend and future researcher in Vienna. In my work I deal with the many facets of the question “How do we dwell and live in the future?”.

English translation by Off Grid Hideaways.