Simultaneously existing as both the architectural surface and its attachments, the envelope is a point of contact, a material link, between architecture and other social, political and economic processes. Envelope is suddenly a loaded word across disciplines. Philosophers, anthropologists, artists, environmental engineers, product designers, marketing experts, economists have identified it as a critical aspect of contemporary culture. This series of conversations will explore the envelope’s potential across a broad range of practices, revitalizing architecture as a political agent and relocating it in a broader cultural field. Curated by Alejandro Zaera-Polo, Urtzi Grau, and Stan Allen.