School of Repair: Towards a Reparative Material Practice
On Saturday, September 14, 2024, the School of Repair event “Towards a Reparative Material Practice” took place at Palmgatan’s Kollektivverkstad in Malmö. This full-day workshop brought together 34 professionals from the building sector to explore sustainable building practices using natural materials such as clay and wood. The event provided a mix of theoretical learning and hands-on experience, offering attendees insights into traditional construction techniques with a focus on ecological repair and sustainability.
The workshop was led by local experts in the field:
Ulrika Stenkula from Gaia Arkitektur
Johan Jönsson, material expert from Lera i Norden
Per Kristian Hansson from Lerkultur
Marwa Dabaieh, architect and professor
The day’s program was curated to alternate between lectures and practical sessions. It began with an introduction and lecture by Ulrika Stenkula and Johan Jönsson, followed by the first practical workshop on timber framing. After a plant-based lunch, attendees listened to a lecture on clay and its applications, presented by Per Kristian Hansson and Marwa Dabaieh, which led into a second practical workshop on adobe brick construction and clay wall plastering.
The event was part of the ongoing exhibition “The Great Repair Moves North”, displayed at Form/Design Center in Malmö, which examines how architecture can become a reparative force in a world scarred by resource exploitation, inequality, and conflict initiated by ARCH+, Akademie der Künste in Berlin, ETH Zürich, and the University of Luxembourg.
The School of Repair was organised in partnership between Form/Design Center, Växtverket, Lera i Norden, Gaia Arkitektur, and Malmö University with co-funding from Nordic Innovation.
The atmosphere throughout the day was lively and collaborative, with participants exchanging ideas and insights while working hands-on with sustainable materials. Participants appreciated the integration of theory and practice, offering a deeper understanding of how to use nature-based materials in a meaningful, repair-oriented architectural practice to be brought back to their day-to-day work.
