Waiting Rooms of Architecture

“What precedes architecture?” Architect-artist Malgorzata Maria Olchowska (°Bartoszyce, 1982) investigates how personal and collective memories influence our view of the built environment. According to Olchowska, there is no limit to the resilience of cities: “Cities go up and down, we see that now with the war in Ukraine or with the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Urban districts that are now in ruins will sooner or later be rebuilt.” The book is built around a text by Vlad Ionescu (Faculty of Architecture and Art, PXL/UHasselt) in which he reflects on Olchowska’s work, from 2009 to today. This is supplemented and illustrated by means of a visual essay in which Olchowska shows her work of the last five years.