'Absolute Beginners': The Achievement Society and the Disenclosure of the Architectural Profession

Abstract

‘Absolute Beginners’ applies Byung-Chul Han’s theory of the ‘achievement society’ to contemporary architectural practice, where the valorisation of productivity has fostered a culture of auto-exploitation and burnout. Drawing parallels between Han’s critique and architecture’s overemphasis on work, competitions, and unpaid labour, the article highlights the profession’s complicity in perpetuating systemic inequities. Combining Han’s call for a contemplative life with Manfredo Tafuri’s critique of the discipline, it argues for collective resistance through labour organization and a re-engagement with history. The disenclosure of architecture requires the architect to acquire both self-awareness and the capacity for action.