Architectural follies are by nature ambiguous, lying somewhere between inhabited sculptures and buildings with no intended use. Historically, they were often constructed as artifacts intended to reside within and enliven their surrounding landscape. The Oxford Dictionary defines the term ‘folly’ as “a building constructed primarily for decoration, but suggesting through its appearance some other purpose, or of such extravagant appearance that it transcends the range of usual garden buildings.”

Despite the lack of programming, follies have appeared as exemplars of architecture akin to pavilions in their ‘other purpose’, their capacity to test new material, formal, tectonic, and performative ideas. The proposed follies likewise address concerns of site, performance, material exploration, and structure. The primary task is the continuation, development, and verification of material and construction systems utilizing a specific material to build key moments in architectural forms.

Coordinated by Felix Heisel