2_3_ScanMagazine_Issue_81_Oct-Nov_2015_Scan Magazine 1 15/10/2015 21:35 Page 32
Cutting-edge architecture with a twist With a lab dedicated to the most cutting-edge, avant-garde of designs and a solutions-focused approach to architecture, Belatchew Architects are among the rising stars of the sought-after architecture firms in Scandinavia. “Architecture is about so much more than just design,” says founder Rahel Belatchew Lerdell. By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Belatchew Architects
Belatchew Architects are not just nominated for a World Architecture Festival (WAF) award. Founder Belatchew Lerdell also sits on one of the juries and will give a talk at the festival. “We’re looking at how we can utilise and recycle structures in cities,” she says about BuzzBuilding, the experimental creation that will make the topic of her talk. “In this case, we’ve looked at roundabouts and how we can do more than just driving around in circles, and we’ve created an insect farm to ex-
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SwimCity
plore what it might be like if Stockholm was self-sustainable in terms of protein.”
The architect goes on to talk about the idea of local produce versus import, and the goal of a city contributing as much as possible by itself. Insects are relevant because plenty of species are dying out, and they are crucial as pollinators in the cities. BuzzBuilding explores ways to attract insects to cities and make them want to stay there. The idea is so out there it almost sounds crazy – but, then again, that is exactly what Belatchew Architects are all about: pondering the challenges of modern-day urban development and coming up with creative solutions, no matter how bizarre. “Design has no intrinsic value in itself,” says Belatchew Lerdell. “Our challenge as architects lies in creating attractive cities