Studying and Researching with the Craft
Studying and Researching with the Craft
Dr. Wolfgang Schwarzmann from the Liechtenstein School of Architecture spoke in an interview with baunetz Campus about what hands-on research and teaching mean to him and why craftspeople should be more involved in design planning and research. Here is a summary.
At the University, I work in both research and teaching in the field of craftsmanship. My doctoral thesis examined carpentry processes and the impact of new technologies on carpenters’ daily tasks. I was particularly interested in whether craftspeople could still be considered “craftspeople” or rather “computer workers.”
Especially today, in the midst of debates about AI and automation, I believe creativity is an absolutely essential skill. It hardly matters to me whether someone has completed a trade apprenticeship or a degree. What counts is that young people can develop innovative solutions that are not found in textbooks—be it in sheet metal work or in architectural studies. I always encourage students and young craftspeople to look for unconventional solutions. That’s why, in my teaching, I deliberately pose open-ended questions to challenge learners outside of their comfort zones. The crucial skill is to solve problems that don’t yet exist—a competence that will only become more important in the future.
“One of the great challenges of our time is that we are training young craftspeople and designers today for a profession whose future challenges we don’t yet know,” — Dr. Wolfgang Schwarzmann.
For me, architecture students and apprentices in the trades are united under one roof, though with different focuses in the construction process, materials, and expertise. I strive to foster mutual understanding on both sides. Craftspeople should be able to recognize the aesthetic aspects of a building, and designers should develop buildable solutions. In my work with apprentices and students, I build a strong bridge between both disciplines and familiarize them with the other’s skills.
More and more, I realize that I will never fully understand all facets of the work of an experienced carpenter. Precisely because these processes are difficult to document, deeply involving craftspeople in research is crucial. With their daily work, their expertise in materials, and the associated work steps, they are the experts in their own discipline. For me, this expertise is the central aspect of solid research.
A university offers this unique space of possibility—where exactly such bridges between craftspeople, designers, and students of architecture can be created, discussed, and explained.
Dr. Wolfgang Schwarzmann is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Liechtenstein, focusing on digitization in the trades, computer-aided fabrication in timber construction, and the connection between tradition and technology. His teaching addresses both architecture students and apprentices in the trades.
Craftsmanship, research and teaching, as well as the circular economy, were discussed by Dr. Wolfgang Schwarzmann together with Prof. Dirk Hebel in a podcast: https://heinze.podigee.io/122-new-episode
