“How much Ex.Change?”

Tutors: Amos Meisel, Hannah Meisel together with Thomas Cristea and Julia Janiel

As part of the TAB 2026 side programme, this workshop explores the relationship between time, labour and value in architecture and addresses the often invisible temporal, economic and conceptual dimensions of architectural production.

Architecture is not only defined by what is built, but by the extensive processes and communications that precede construction. These processes e.g. conceptual development, negotiation with regulatory frameworks, economic constraints and interdisciplinary collaboration, remain largely inaccessible to the public and frequently undervalued within professional practice. The workshop aims to critically examine this “pre-construction time” in architectural fields and its impact on the quality and meaning of the built environment.

Taking place at the EKA Kotzebue 2 plot, the project will culminate in an outdoor scaffolding installation responding to TAB 2026’s theme “How much?”. Conceived as a billboard, dialogue platform, or walkable sequence of questions and responses, the installation examines the value, transparency and accessibility of conversations between architects, building companies and the wider public.