Traditional mapping has long been a tool to delineate physical spaces, often reflecting prevailing power structures and control mechanisms. However, mapping as a concept now seeks to transcend these conventional boundaries by incorporating both methodological and instrumental dimensions, as well as symbolic, cultural, aesthetical, and ecological aspects.
This edition of CA2RE suggests this expanded approach goes beyond traditional mapping providing an open and diverse debate that welcomes examples of multi- and trans-disciplinary thinking and doing.
It challenges established means and narratives imposed on space and territory, offering more holistic and inclusive understandings of the environments we inhabit. It stimulates alternative ways of analysing, interpreting, and researching architectural and artistic domains.
By embracing performative and critical cartographies, mapping enables the deconstruction of spaces shaped by dynamics of appropriation and control. It questions pre-existing spatial narratives while empowering communities to reclaim and reinterpret their environments through collaborative practices.
The integration of digital and physical networks of control into mapping processes further expands the field, offering a comprehensive view of how technologies shape our perceptions and interactions with space. By documenting these often-invisible forces, mapping can develop critical visualisations that reveal how territories are structured and transformed.
Drawing as a critical methodology serves as a bridge between artistic expression and spatial analysis. This hybrid form of representation fosters innovation in artistic and architectural practices, encouraging a (re)imagination of space that prioritises cultural significance and ecological sustainability.
Mapping, therefore, offers not only a method but a theoretical framework for exploring the complex relationship between human interventions and the environment. It prompts a re-evaluation of how we design, inhabit, and perceive spaces, advocating for practices sensitive to cultural narratives and environmental imperatives.
By adopting mapping concepts, researchers and practitioners can contribute to the transformation of cultural and social landscapes, promoting resilience and sustainability. This aligns with contemporary movements in architectural research that emphasise interdisciplinarity, inclusivity, and innovation.
Mapping establishes itself as a fundamental conceptual tool in the (re)imagination of spatial representation, opening pathways for more equitable and sustainable (inter)actions with our environments.