MINISTRY OF COMMON LAND
Public Works, 2021
As the dominance of capital over land continues, public and common land become endangered. The Ministry of Common Land is a call for architects to challenge the enclosure of land for the profit of the few and innovate in new forms of practice. While ministries are historically set up by the prime minister and cabinet, the Ministry of Common Land takes the form of a citizens’ assembly, where policies are deliberated and made by citizens, facilitated by politicians as civil servants. If land moves away from being a market commodity, it could be reimagined as a resource for the long-term protection of people and the planet.
Public Works is a not-for-profit critical design practice set up in 2004 to occupy the terrain in between architecture, art and performance. Together with an interdisciplinary network, the studio reworks the city’s opportunities towards citizen-driven development. It aims to create long-sustained relationships that build commonality and trust, and enable co-authorship.
