Burnout – Crisis as Opportunity?
On a collective and an individual level, we have been exposed to an inexhaustible wave of economic, environmental but also socio-spatial crises. While some of these threats seemed “manageable” and others were simply “ignored”; we have reached the point where a worldwide pandemic has introduced a perpetual crisis mode to our everyday lives, restricting not only our environment –but also draining, depleting and burning out our personal integrity and capacity to act!
As architects, artists or practitioners of a broad conception of the field of spatial matters, we have to realize the significant consequences we have to face in these processes. How is our practice involved? In what way are other actors struck and affected?Can my practice generate fruitful results for all, out of this continuous moment of crisis? How does a moment of crisis reflect in our understanding of space and can burnouts be regarded as not only socio-individual but also spatial phenomena?
The word “crisis”, like its Greek origin krinein (to decide or to judge), includes both a positive and negative momentum. The burnout is thus not the moment to hesitate, but to act and step forward.
Our collective burnout has physically and emotionally challenged us, but also showed us that we have the opportunity to change and adapt to the most unexpected circumstances. Now is the moment to reflect and rethink alternatives; to mediate new approaches.
We want to hear your perspectives on this topic. Send us a summary of your contribution by March 31st to content@foam-network.com. This can be an abstract or other forms of textual summary (max. 300 words) or the first drafts and files of multimedia projects.