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atelier larassati on temporary spaces with lasting impact
“why aim for permanence when changes are inevitable in almost every aspect of our lives?” — stephanie larassati of at-lars
throughout the years, we often see architecture as a permanence. we tend to opt for fixed, long-lasting materials and construction techniques that are often taking really heavy tolls on the earth. so, what will happen if we need to make modifications to it? are we only going to add to the footprint? then why build for the longterm in the first place if we’re unsure about it?
not many of us have thought about how temporary structures could play a better role while preserving the constantly-changing world. and it is this fact that has brought indonesian architect stephanie larassati, founder and principal architect of at-lars, to make endless dialogues with temporality upon many of her projects.
driven by a constant battle between the old and the new during her stay in berlin, she sows two deeply rooted questions in her practice: ‘whether it is possible to create something that is not permanent/ephemeral yet sustainable?’ and ‘how can architecture be an agent of change?’
as we conversed with stephanie about what it means by build temporarily beyond its mere functions, we were welcomed into her train of thoughts and principles in practice.