Rural Lab envisions a future where architecture transcends the confines of the city, revitalizing rural landscapes, buildings, villages and towns as centres of equality, innovation, culture, and ecological stewardship.
Lab Committments:
1. Reconnect with the Land and its Settlements
Rural Lab embraces the unique cultural, environmental, and economic contexts of rural landscapes, buildings, villages and towns. Rural Lab explores place-specific architecture grounded in the materiality of the land and its architectural heritage, responding to local resources, traditions, and ecological systems. Architecture must work symbiotically with the environment to regenerate and sustain rural communities.

2. Decentralize Architectural Thinking
Shift the focus from urban-centric models of design to the challenges and opportunities of life beyond the city. Rural Lab champions a decentralized approach, addressing rural issues such as declining populations, land use, precarious housing and resilient infrastructure to foster thriving communities beyond the city.

3. Champion Craft and Innovation
Bridge tradition with modernity by integrating local craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies including modern methods of construction. Rural Lab promotes experimental and context-sensitive design, harnessing emerging tools and practices, such as environmental evaluation software, digital fabrication, bio-based locally sourced materials, and adaptive reuse to create architecture that is both forward-looking and deeply rooted in place.

4. Empower Local Communities
Architecture should be a participatory act, involving the voices of those who inhabit and shape rural landscapes and settlements. Rural Lab advocates for community action and co-creation processes, empowering communities to take ownership of design solutions that address their specific needs and aspirations.

5. Research as a Catalyst for Change
Rural Lab prioritizes interdisciplinary research into pressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, precarious housing and rural depopulation. Through collaborations with artists and makers, scientists, policymakers, and local stakeholders, the Rural Lab explores transformative architectural practices that have both local and global relevance.