DETAIL 1/2.2026

From the editorial of issue DETAIL 1/2.2026

The New Pragmatism

How can architecture deliver on its promises when budgets are tight, tasks are pressing, and resources are limited? A new generation is rethinking the act of building: pragmatic, yet far from simplistic. By concentrating on what truly matters, they achieve unexpectedly inventive outcomes even under austere conditions. Standards, regulations, and established norms can sometimes stand in the way of intelligent ideas – but they can also set them in motion. Building simply remains a complex field. In this issue, we hear from architects who have embraced the discipline of doing more with less.

For Ludwig Zitzelsberger, the smaller the budget, the greater the freedom for architectural expression. The architect of the Kunstscheune sees the real appeal in paring the project back to its essence. Our editorial team was struck by the care invested in the well considered details, such as the transition where the folded roof surface meets the gutter. The Swiss firm Holzhausen Zweifel, in their project for a temporary bus terminal, discusses the sometimes challenging dialogue with the building trades. Installing services neatly enough to avoid cladding can result in double the expected workload – by no means an unusual occurrence. Meanwhile, Spanish studio Harquitectes distils an entire philosophy of simplicity into a single wall in their multifamily building – a wall that carries loads, insulates, and regulates the indoor climate. The House for Five Women in Bosnia takes a different path: by refining the raw shell, Kollektiv Ten creates a place that opens doors to the future – a space for autonomy and community.