Responsibility in architecture begins long before the first draft. It manifests itself in the decisions about who is allowed to participate in the design process and who has control over the space. Planning is never neutral, but rather shaped by structural conditions, societal dynamics, and the question of how participation is organized. Who bears responsibility? Architects, investors, users, politicians?

These are the questions that AJA addressed in 2025. Living space is scarce and unequally distributed, economic conditions influence design and construction quality, and design decisions never stand alone. When dealing with existing buildings, the question arises as to how much creative freedom lies in rethinking and meaningfully transforming what already exists, rather than simply replacing it.

Responsibility can rarely be clearly assigned. It emerges from the interplay of various stakeholders, when interests are weighed against each other, solutions are negotiated, and consequences are shared. Thus, the question arises not only in the design phase, but at every stage of the process: Is it my responsibility? Or is it, in fact, our shared responsibility?

Photos © Nadine Reisen