The traditional image of architects as solitary creative geniuses working alone at drawing boards is rapidly becoming obsolete. Today's architectural profession is experiencing a fundamental transformation, shifting from individual authorship to collective activism as practitioners expand their influence beyond traditional building design into social, environmental, and political advocacy.
For decades, architecture was perceived as an inherently individual pursuit, dependent on the figure of a creative genius and centered on problem-solving through drawing. This romanticized notion reached its peak during the era of "starchitects," when a few famous names dominated the profession. However, this model has gradually given way to a more collaborative approach involving offices, collectives, and multidisciplinary teams working together to address complex contemporary challenges.
Modern architects are increasingly expanding their expertise into diverse fields such as gastronomy, music, design, and corporate consulting, applying spatial thinking to solve problems far beyond traditional construction projects. As social, environmental, and political crises intensify globally, the architect's role continues to evolve from that of a solitary author to mediator, activist, and collective agent of transformation. This shift reflects both an ethical awakening within the profession and growing recognition that design, regulation, and care are inseparable dimensions of contemporary practice.
Alina Kolar, campaign manager of HouseEurope!, exemplifies this new approach to architectural activism. "When architects work collectively, they move from being isolated authors to becoming part of a shared process of transformation," she explains. HouseEurope! is a citizens' initiative that received the prestigious 2025 OBEL Award for its advocacy of the Right to Reuse across the European Union. The campaign argues that existing buildings should be prioritized over new construction, thereby reducing unnecessary demolitions and promoting rehabilitation of the built environment.
This year marked a significant turning point for the OBEL Foundation, as it was the first time the award was granted to a movement rather than a single office or project. According to the Foundation, "This angle is exciting for us because it is the first time we have awarded a movement and a call to action that extends beyond architects, urban planners, or people in the building sector. It speaks to every European citizen and invites everyone to play a role in shaping the future. Awarding HouseEurope! truly embodies what OBEL stands for."
Kolar emphasizes the expanded role of contemporary architects, stating, "Architects are not just service providers. They are mediators between policy, space, and society. Activism in this field means translating values into structure, into contracts, codes, and timelines. Pragmatism begins where ideals are made operational." This perspective represents a fundamental shift in how architects engage with public life, moving beyond traditional design services to become advocates for systemic change.
HouseEurope! emerged as a collective advocacy effort founded by a diverse group of architects, urban planners, activists, and economists. The initiative represents a new model for how architects can engage with public policy and social issues. Faced with urgent climate goals and the increasing loss of existing buildings across Europe, the group mobilized their professional expertise beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, translating spatial thinking into political action and drafting legal frameworks for public campaigns.
The organization's central proposal seeks to establish the reuse of existing buildings as a legal presumption, ensuring that what already stands is considered first as both a cultural and carbon resource. This approach challenges conventional development practices that often favor demolition and new construction over renovation and adaptive reuse. HouseEurope! demonstrates how architects can function as civic agents, shaping not only physical spaces but also the systems and policies that define them.
This transformation arrives at a critical moment when climate goals demand not only technological innovation but also profound changes in how society measures value and environmental impact. "If we truly want to reduce emissions, we must extend life cycle assessments to include the CO₂ already spent. The impact of yesterday must become the value of tomorrow," Kolar argues. By redefining renovation as both an environmental and economic opportunity, the campaign positions reuse not as an exception but as a fundamental right.
The campaign emphasizes the need for architects to serve as translators between disciplines, aligning design intelligence with fiscal and legal frameworks. This interdisciplinary approach reflects a broader trend in contemporary architecture toward collaboration and systems thinking, moving beyond aesthetic considerations to address complex social and environmental challenges.
A prime example of this collaborative approach in practice is the renovation of the Cité du Grand Parc in Bordeaux, designed by Lacaton & Vassal, Frédéric Druot, and Christophe Hutin. Completed in 2017, this groundbreaking project avoided the demolition of three social housing blocks from the 1960s, instead preserving and dramatically improving 530 residential units. The architects adopted a strategy of "generous addition" rather than replacement, integrating new balconies and winter gardens into the existing façades.
This innovative approach increased living space, enhanced thermal comfort, and crucially allowed residents to remain in their homes throughout the construction process. The project demonstrates that social, environmental, and financial goals can converge in a single architectural intervention. By revaluing structures that were once stigmatized and considered obsolete, the design team showed how renovation can serve as a democratic, ecological, and economically intelligent alternative to demolition.
The Grand Parc project has become what the architects describe as "a scalable reference" – a replicable model capable of inspiring public policy and design practices that view existing buildings not as constraints but as opportunities for urban and human regeneration. This project exemplifies how contemporary architecture can address multiple crises simultaneously while respecting both environmental resources and community needs.
Kolar reminds us that "Architecture has never been an individual act. Everything we build is the outcome of many forms of knowledge, labor, and, at best, care." This perspective challenges the traditional mythology of the architect as singular creative genius, instead positioning design as an inherently collaborative endeavor that requires diverse expertise and community engagement.
What unites these various approaches to contemporary architecture is a redefinition of care as something actionable and measurable. "The task is to make care executable, to turn sustainability into procedures and imagination into public good," Kolar explains. This shift from abstract ideals to concrete implementation reveals a broader transformation in the profession, with architects increasingly serving as stewards of existing value, facilitators of collective intelligence, and advocates for the longevity of what has already been built.
Perhaps the greatest contribution of architecture today lies not in creating entirely new structures, but in learning to see and act upon the potential within what already exists. This represents a fundamental shift from a culture of replacement to one of enhancement and adaptive reuse, reflecting both environmental necessity and social responsibility.
HouseEurope! continues its work toward making building reuse a matter of public policy, inviting architects, citizens, and governments to join the "Power to Renovation" movement. This initiative seeks to make reuse a legal requirement that must be considered before any demolition can proceed, fundamentally changing how European societies approach their built heritage and environmental responsibilities.
