The role of experiments in architecture towards a regenerative society

In Heroic Attempts to Start from Scratch, Peter van Assche reflects on the role of architectural experimentation in the transition toward a regenerative society. Starting from the idea that history has no purpose, only consequences, the text examines how design decisions shape the future and argues that the environmental crisis is not only a moral issue, but also the result of flawed design logic.

Through a series of projects, reflections and historical references, Peter shows how architecture can challenge apparently self-evident systems and replace them with new forms of thinking. He describes the development of Pretty Plastic, where an experiment with household plastic waste grew into a viable architectural product, and the People’s Pavilion, a temporary building constructed entirely from borrowed materials and returned without damage after use. These projects demonstrate that circularity is not simply about recycling, but about redefining value, ownership, material lifecycles and the relationship between buildings and time.

The essay also connects architecture to mathematics, science and belief systems. Peter argues that what we call logic is always rooted in assumptions, and that designers must learn to question the axioms of their time. In this view, architecture becomes a field of cultural and material invention: one in which adaptable buildings, layered urban systems and experimental prototypes can help create new logics for living.

Rather than presenting sustainability as a checklist, Heroic Attempts to Start from Scratch is a plea for curiosity, experimentation and courage. It shows how architecture can move beyond linear thinking and become an active force in shaping a more regenerative, meaningful and resilient world.

You can find a PDF of the publication here.