Interview with Architects in Residence 2025 Taller Architects
With the theme “An Optimistic Contingency Plan,” Arcam’s 2025 program explores how we can prepare for risks in the North Sea Canal area—such as chemical incidents, flooding, and soil pollution—while building a safe, energy-neutral, and climate-resilient city.
This year’s program is developed in collaboration with makers, masters, and doers. Leading the way are our new Architects in Residence: Rachel Borovska (BOOM Landscape), TALLER Architects, and NEW ENVIRONMENTS.
In the coming weeks, an interview series will introduce you to these visionary makers and their optimistic approach to the future.
1. Who is Taller Architects?
At TALLER Architects, we see architecture as a way to engage with and shape the world around us. From Bogotá to Amsterdam, our work is rooted in strengthening communities and deepening their connection to the natural environment. We believe it’s time to shift focus—toward design that is thoughtful, responsive, and genuinely improves the way people live while respecting the planet we all depend on.
At TALLER Architects, we embrace what we call "sensible design"—an approach that prioritizes resilience over infinite growth.
2. Why participate as an Architect in Residence in 2025?
At our office, we tackle today’s urgent challenges—climate change, inequality, and displacement—by rethinking the foundations of how we build. Disasters expose deep systemic flaws but also opportunities for change. The Optimistic Contingency Plan is a chance to challenge conventional design thinking and explore more resilient, adaptive futures.
3. What are you looking forward to in the collaboration with Arcam and the other AiRs?
We also see this research as a chance to learn from different fields and experiment with new ideas. Collaborating with a diverse group of experts pushes us to break away from conventional thinking and discover new ways to engage with change and uncertainty. We’re excited to dive into these conversations with Arcam, the other AiRs and partners—not just in theory, but through tangible spatial and urban strategies.
4. Which location or challenge in the Western Port Area appeals to you?
The area fascinates us because it lies at a point of transition—where industry meets urban expansion, and planned development encounters ecological limits. It’s a place where the pressures on the current system become visible. Rather than imposing rigid plans, we want to explore how Haven-Stad can adapt to change instead of resisting it.
5. How do you view (economic) growth in relation to the climate challenges?
If endless growth within our expanding technological systems and urban networks is unsustainable, how do we build for a future that isn’t driven by constant expansion? This is not an abstract concern—the systems we depend on in our city are fragile and could break down sooner than we expect. At TALLER Architects, we embrace what we call “sensible design”—an approach that prioritizes resilience over infinite growth.
6. What thoughts came to mind during the first month of this project in relation to the theme?
From the start, this research has pushed us to see disasters not just as crises, but as moments to rethink how we live. Instead of quick fixes or technological solutions, we want to explore ways to make communities and the built environment more adaptable and resilient. Collaborating with our partners has deepened this perspective, strengthening our commitment to a more forward-thinking approach to design.
7.What are you optimistic about?
We believe cities are not inevitably headed for a slow apocalypse—there are many paths towards a different and more resilient future. Disasters may disrupt, but they can also spark new ways of thinking and building. Architecture has a role to play—not by enforcing rigid solutions, but by creating spaces that welcome change and allow for the unexpected.
