Jo Barratt talks to architect, designer and inventor, Alistair Parvin in this latest podcast from Civic Radio.

Alistair Parvin says it is easier to capture what a citizen is not, than what a citizen is, and notes the language of ‘customers’ and ‘consumers’ that has been increasingly employed as public services have been privatised.

But he points to the growing movement of those who are reframing ‘democracy’ (so that it isn’t just about registering a vote every few years) and challenging how public services are provided. He suggests that new technology enables a true revolution – in which we move away from centralised civic structures, towards a world in which community planning and construction is done by citizens rather than to citizens. Where architects are not just working for the rich and for huge construction companies, but supporting more people have more power over their environment.

This is not just a theoretical position.  Alistair is part of Zero Zero, a company that encourages and coordinates the development of Open Source architecture blueprints of houses, (the WikiHouse) that can be downloaded free of charge, and made, in kit form, with 3D printing.  The kit can then be constructed by those with no traditional construction skills, in a matter of days.

Scale model of Wikihouse in New Zealand             pic by Martin Luff

You can also see Alistair Parvin’s Ted Talk here.

Tags: Alistair Parvin, Architecture, Citizenship, Civic Radio, Open Source Architecture, Self Build, WikiHouse