Who we are

ArchiFair is a non-profit organisation run by Anna Schweiger and Jaap Willemsen. Anna works as a freelance architect in Vienna and Jaap works for an architecture firm in Berlin. ArchiFair is our joint side project, so to speak, where we can pursue our passion for social and ecologically sustainable architecture.

We both believe that the environmental impact of the construction industry in general must be drastically reduced in order to achieve the Paris climate goals. In particular, the use of cement, a component that causes massive CO2 emissions, should be significantly reduced within the construction industry. But construction sand is also a major contributor to climate change, as its extraction is accompanied by the destruction of ecosystems around the globe. With ArchiFair, we want to create awareness for these issues in the construction industry.

Method

With our projects, we want to experiment with sustainable building methods, both traditional and new, that can have a positive impact on the current building discourse. The construction projects we carry out are non-profit oriented and should, above all, support people in underserved areas. In our projects, we work closely with local non-governmental organisations that are familiar with the local conditions. These cooperations give us the opportunity to realise sustainable and meaningful earth buildings while ensuring their long-term use.

In the implementation of our projects, we are supported both by volunteers
(mainly architecture students) as well as local construction workers. We also work closely with the Vienna University of Technology and international experts. An important aspect of our approach is to create an environment on our construction site where an intensive intercultural exchange can take place and all participants learn and benefit from each other.