Architecture as mediator of culture, democracy and hope: XXIII World Congress of Architecture in Turin

Abstract

The XXIII World Congress of Architecture organized by The International Union of Architects (UIA) was held in Turin from June 29 to July 03. Every third year this great architectural event gathers together more than one thousand professionals and students from 126 countries that UIA encompasses today. The main topic of the this year Congress was 'Transmitting Architecture' suggesting that future architecture will increasingly depend on communication and integration. It also suggests that global problems which architecture has been encountered with in recent years should be considered at all levels through ever active network of information and communications. In that term exchanging and sharing knowledge and experience among architects of different national and social backgrounds are crucial. Besides, transmitting architecture has also a faint futuristic sound which points out new technologies and their increasing importance in architecture. At last, this topic emphasize that the Congress has been oriented towards and open to not only academic discussions, but to younger generations and students who have always been most experienced in using digital technologies. Throughout the Congress Programme which consisted of lectures, debates, workshops exhibitions, where more than 600 speakers participated, various topics were discussed with a common aim to gain an insight into the situation on current architectural scene, to realize the position of architects and architecture in today's sphere of social, political, cultural, technical and technological factors, and consequently to establish possible tracks and offer recommendations for further progress in this field. Out of Congress, the participants had the opportunity of being introduced to Turin, the city of vision and sustainability put into action.

U Torinu je od 29. juna do 03. jula 2008. godine održan 23. po redu Svetski kongres arhitekture u organizaciji Međunarodne unije arhitekata (Union Internationale des Architectes, UIA), događaj koji svake treće godine okuplja hiljade poslenika arhitektonske struke, kako profesionalaca, tako i studenata iz 126 zemalja sveta, koliko danas broji UIA. Ovogodišnja tema Kongresa je bila 'Arhitektura koja (se) prenosi' ('Transmitting Architecture'), koja sugeriše da budućnost arhitekture u velikoj meri zavisi od komunikacije i povezivanja, da se globalni problemi sa kojima se arhitektura suočava moraju rešavati na svim nivoima, putem stalno aktivne mreže informacija i komunikacija, te da je stoga razmena znanja i iskustava između arhitekata različitih nacionalnih i kulturnih zaleđa krucijalna. Osim toga, prenosiva ili transmiterska arhitektura ima i blago futuristički prizvuk, koji asocira na nove tehnologije i sve veći značaj koji one imaju u arhitekturi. Ovaj naslov podvlači i orijentisanost i otvorenost Kongresa za mlađe generacije kao najizrazitije 'konzumente' digitalne tehnologije u arhitekturi. Kroz višednevni program Kongresa, sastavljen od predavanja, diskusija, radionica izložbi na kojima se predstavilo rečju i delom više od 600 autora, trebalo je da se dođe do uvida u to kakva je pozicija arhitekata i arhitekture u trenutnoj konstelaciji društvenih, političkih, kulturnih, tehničkih i tehnoloških činilaca, sa ciljem da se ustanove moguće smernice i preporuke za dalji napredak struke. Osim toga, učesnici Kongresa imali su prilike da upoznaju i Torino, grad vizije i održivosti na delu.