Forest & Phoenix

Forest fires are not only the result of climatic changes, but require a consideration of the interdependencies between territorial and social changes over time that favor this phenomenon. The concept of this work promotes the idea that architecture in the 21st century, beyond its design character, should be an inclusive practice that incorporates different forms of knowledge. The complexity of forest fires and the measures to be developed, as well as the involvement of the community in terms of prevention, require a holistic approach involving various disciplines and experts.

In the first part of the work, the collected knowledge is summarized in a book and illustrated with analytical drawings and diagrams. The book is extended by a map illustrating parallel processes and temporalities. In response to the increase in forest fires, the state Brandenburg is planning to establish a forest fire competence center for coordinated collaborations between various disciplines such as forestry, firefighting and science. Our design reinterprets the current planning for the center to include a public-effective level and creates hybrid structures that promote synergies of seemingly independent processes. These four structures, each dedicated to a specific aspect of wildfire management, organize the center as a decentralized network. The focus of the design concept is the transformation of individual knowledge into collective knowledge, as the forest fires represent a challenge for society as a whole. Visibility and transformation of the buildings through use, time and volume are key aspects of the design and determine the appearance and functionality of the architecture. The hybridity in the designs and the constructive details themselves attempts to unite the two levels of poetry and reality of the forest habitat. Materiality is a central element of the design concept. After forest fires, the charred trees are felled and the potential of a value chain remains largely unused. The structures are intended to test how this wood can be used and refined by the fire itself in order to promote the sustainable use of wood as a resource. The deliberate design and location of the buildings allows visitors to observe and experience the activities in the forest fire competence center, encouraging them to actively participate and become aware of their environment.