TEDxTUESDAYS EVENT

Tonight, 27^th November 2012, there will be a ted talk projection and discussion at the office. This week's #TEDxTuesdays event is about how design and architecture can engage and empower communities. We'll have speakers from thewww.liveinslums.org organization, and watch two architecture and urbanism related TED talks:

Majora Carter, Greening the ghetto: http://www.ted.com/talks/majora_carter_s_tale_of_urban_renewal.html

And, Bjarke Ingels, 3 warp-speed architecture tales:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AYE3w5TWHs

We will like to see you there.

ARCTALK: FBW

It is our pleasure to invite you to the arctalks, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

Wednesday 28th November, we hear from FBW group.

FBW is a Design, Architecture, and Engineering-led, multi-disciplinary consultancy with demonstrable expertise and wide ranging experience in robust, reliable, and compliant development project delivery. Based in the UK and with established centers of operation in The Netherlands, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, and with a further regional office set to become operational in Kenya in 2012, the firm provides professional building services throughout Eastern Africa and the wider region.

FBW group designed the KIST library.

Please join us Wednesday 28th November at 5:00pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.

We hope to find you all there.

THE GOOD CAUSE - Architecture of Peace Exhibit

THE GOOD CAUSE - Architecture of Peace Exhibit - OPENING  24th NOVEMBER  at 7pm - Closing 1st DECEMBER 2012.

KIMISAGARA, 'FOOTBALL FOR HOPE’ COMMUNITY CENTRE, KIMISAGARA, KIGALI, RWANDA (Opening hours 9am-5pm).

Click link to be taken to Google Maps for directions.

'This lecture is in conjunction with the 'Architecture of Peace' exhibit in Kimisagara opening on the November 24th, curated by Archis and KD|AP and funded by the Embassy of Netherlands in Kigali.'

‘The Good Cause’ shows the thin line between architecture of war and architecture of peace. It shows the complexities of a post-conflict resolution but also gives clues how architecture can contribute to a sustainable peace. The exhibition can be seen as an instalment in a long-term project with the aim to better the way the world deals with international peace keeping and reconstruction.

On the opening night there will be short talks by Lilet Breddels from Archis, Architect Anne Feenstraand South African Photographer, David Southwood.

‘The Good Cause’ is the second exhibition made as part of the Architecture of Peace project. The first exhibition took place in September 2011 at the Canadian Centre of Architecture (CCA), Montreal. This exhibition was conceived by Archis, Amsterdam and organized by the Netherlands Architecture Institute (Nai), Rotterdam, in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and brought to Rwanda by KD|AP.
 
This presentation was co-organized with Killian Doherty (KD|AP) , made possible with the help of Denis Guzzo and Esperance supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In addition to this opening Anne Feenstra ( a Dutch Architect) will be giving at lecture on Wednesday 21st at KIST @5pm (details here) as part of the Arcbox Lecture series AND David Southwood will be giving a presentation  on his work at the Goethe Institute at the evening of Friday 23 November @6pm (details here)

KD|AP
 KD|AP (Killian Doherty /Architectural Practice) is a Design, Research and Curatory studio focusing on critical community driven issues relating to housing and the city. KD|AP designed and constructed the Esperance Football For Hope Community centre, in conjunction with Architecture for Humanity.  
 
Archis
 Archis is an experimental think tank devoted to the process of real-time spatial and cultural reflexivity and action. The Archis Foundation comprises three departments: Archis Publishers, Archis Interventions and Archis Tools. Archis publishes VOLUME magazine and other innovative publications.www.archis.org

Anne Feenstra

Anne is a Dutch architect living and working in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is owner of AFIR Architects and related to Kabul University. Anne is the local representative of CIE in Afghanistan and works with his team on the renovation of the National Museum and manages the renovation of the Bagh-e-Jahan nama Palacein Khulm.

David Southwood

Dave Southwood is a self-taught photographer whose photographic works are exhibited at The South African National Gallery, The Finnish Museum of Photography, The Christoph Merian Stiftung, The Spier Art Collection and private collections in South Africa and abroad. Three of his short films on architecture were shown at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2010. He has worked in many African countries with a focus on cities.

Esperance
Based in Kigali, Rwanda, Espérance uses football as a tool to promote peace and gender equality, to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and to teach young people about conflict resolution, transformation and reconciliation in a society that is still recovering from the genocide in 1994.Espérance’s Football Amahoro (Football for Peace) tournaments are played according to special football rules that facilitate peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue. The organisation’s Football Forum Theatre combines Football Amahoro and theatre on the pitch. Players are also actors and present a specific conflict or social issue, allowing the spectators to contribute to the play, providing feedback and solutions to the presented conflicts. Participants are not just educated; they are trained to be educators themselves, thus encouraging young people to take responsibility for their own actions and to become role models in their communities. Espérance has been a street football world network member since 2002 and was selected as a Centre Host in Rwanda for the „Football for Hope 20 Centres for 2010“ campaign.

ARCTALK: AN ARCHITECTURE OF RESISTANCE ANNE FEENSTRA / AFGHANISTAN

It is our pleasure to invite you to the arctalks, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

Wednesday 21th November, we hear from Architect Anne Feenstra, owner of AFIR Architects related to Kabul University.

Anne is a Dutch architect living and working in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is owner of AFIR Architects and related to Kabul University. Anne is the local representative of CIE in Afghanistan and works with his team on the renovation of the National Museum and manages the renovation of the Bagh-e-Jahan nama Palacein Khulm.

Anne Feenstra (Netherlands) practices a fine and subtle sustainable architecture with design philosophies based on innovative techniques and contemporary architecture, while respecting traditional skills and local building materials. With his design teams and extensive research he has successfully developed community supported projects in India and Afghanistan.

Please join us Wednesday 21th November at 5:00pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.

We hope to find you all there.

ARCTALKS: 3 RD ARCTALK

It is our pleasure to invite you all tt the third of *arctalks*, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

This Wednesday, 31^th October, we will hear from Amin Gafaranga, founder of SOGEM Rwanda.

Please join us Wednesday 31^th October at 5pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.

SECRET CINEMA RETURNS WITH 'URBANIZED' - TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER @ 8PM – CINESTAR

Welcome back to the SECRET CINEMA , an event curated by KD|AP in support of The Faculty of Architecture and Environmental Design(FAED) at KIST!

These cinema events will continue on the theme of urban change, in conjunction with the KIST Urban Design Studio Year 4 (based on availability of films and at the discretion of the organiser). I may revert to the voting system every so often, so simply subscribe to the newsletter for updates on events.
The first film in the re-launch of these screenings is Urbanized; a 2011 documentary film by Gary Hustwit 1 and considered the third of a three-part series on design known as the Design Trilogy, the first being Helvetica about the typeface and the second being Objectified about industrial design. The documentary discusses the design of cities, looking at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world's foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.
Entry is 1500 RWF per person to subsidize free entry for the KIST Students. Please note, this event is a non-profit endeavour.
This will be shown on TUESDAY 7th November at 8pm , at CINESTAR cinema in Nyamirambo. 
TOTAL RUNNING TIME - 85 minutes.

Your support is enabling our students exposure to resources not readily available at KIST and we thank you for your patronage.
Follow Kigali 'Secret cinema' events on twitter here: https://twitter.com/KD_AP.

Bring your friends. Spread the word.

Visit our studio arcblog's below: rwanda-arcbox-arc3411.blogspot.com/

CINEMARC: THE FOUNTAINHEAD

It is our pleasure to invite you to the opening of the new season of Cinemarc, the cinema series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

This Wednesday 24^th October, we will show you THE FOUNTAINHEAD.

Based on the 1943 eponymous novel by Ayn Rand, the 1949 film adaptation of the Fountainhead’ charts the architectural trajectory of Howard Roark. A talented and aspiring architect, Roark struggles to find commissions for work, from clients that allow him artistic autonomy, whilst his less creative, but more obedient, peers such as Peter Keating seem to follow the pack and succeed. However the meaning of ‘success’ to Roark is grounded within his inherent need for artistic freedom and not the quantity of work. Disenchanted by trends of architecture ruling the profession, he abandons architectural practice to work in a stone quarry. A series of understanding clients, however pull back Roark from the brink of obscurity, yet the resilience of his artistic ego arising from concepts of the ‘ownership’ of his designs, result in drastic undertakings and explosive results.

'THE FOUNTAINHEAD' was shown as part of ARCHITECTURAL THEORY IV (ARC 3322) lecture on Ethics taught in Semester 2 by Killian Doherty.

Please join us Wednesday 24^th October at 5:00pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the projection.

We hope to find you all there.

ARCTALK: BUILDING LAND ADMINISTRATION IN RWANDA

It is our pleasure to invite you to the third of the arctalks, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

Wednesday 17^th October, we hear from Eng. Didier G. SAGASHYA, Deputy Director General of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority.
Eng. SAGASHYA will discuss about building land administration in Rwanda through land tenure regularization.

Rwanda is undergoing social and economic transformations after 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, had a new Constitution in 2003 and a national land policy in 2004. Subsequently an organic law related to land use and management was enacted in 2005.  The policy and the law set principles for land ownership, land use planning and land administration which were inexistent and incoherent before.
In order to ensure security of tenure, institutions in charge of land were established right from national to cell level. With high political will, target to register all lands in Rwanda was incorporated in the EDPRS 2008-12.
The programme aimed at registering 10million parcels of land in 2148 cells using Aerial Ortho-photos and para-surveyors for demarcation and cell land committees together with village leaders for adjudication. As of end of September 2012, 10.4 million parcels (100%) have been adjudicated and demarcated and 5.8 million leasehold titles approved and printed for issuance. The total cost for registering a parcel is between 5 and 7 USD. The target, now, is to have all titles for adjudicated and demarcated parcels issued by December 2013.
To ensure the sustainability and maintenance of the land registry, Land Administration Information System (LAIS) was developed. The System deals with land transactions in electronic secure way and will reduce time and costs, thus improving investment climate.

Please join us Wednesday 17th October at 5:00pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.

We hope to find you all there.

CANCELLATION OF ARCTALK THIS WEDNESDAY

Due to unforeseen causes with our Guest lecturer, Dr Donna Rubinoff, the ARCTALK of today (Producing space and place in Kigali) has been cancelled.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

ARCTALK: PRODUCING SPACE AND PLACE IN KIGALI

It is our pleasure to invite you to the second of the arctalks, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

This wednsday, we will hear from Dr Donna Rubinoff about producing space in kigali: Designing and building Kigali's Institutions of Sustainable Urbanism.

Dr. Rubinoff will discuss her job as Senior Advisor in Sustainable Urbanism for the City of Kigali, the challenges she faces and the approaches she uses to translate urban plans into reality. 

She will explain how she strategically chooses, designs and develops the institutions that produce sustainable urban landscapes, space and place. 

In doing so, she will explain why a diverse professional background helps and why geographical theory is invaluable to solving urban design problems. 

She will illustrate with three examples drawn from Kigali Affordable Housing, Streetscape/Public Realm Design and ICT/E-Governance. 

Dr. Rubinoff has over 30 years of experience as an urban planner and designer, landscape architect and development geographer. She has worked in the private sector, as a public sector planner, and as a university professor. Most recently, she has been the Senior Advisor in Strategic Sustainable Urban Development for the City of Kigali, consulting on special projects for the City including Affordable Housing Policy and Strategy, Streetscape/Public Realm projects, and ICT systems for urbanization. During 2011 she was Senior Advisor in Urban Planning to the City of Kigali. Previously, with OZ Architecture (2006 to 2011) she was the Project Director for the Kigali Sub Areas Plans (Kinyinya Town Center, Masaka Sector, Kimihurura Urban Center and Rebero Resort/Conference Center).

Please join us Wednesday 3rd October at 5:00pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.
We hope to find you all there.

arctalks 2012-2013

EXHIBITION: AWARD-WINNING PROJECTS

It is our pleasure to invite you to the exhibition and the awards for the best student’s projects.

The student design award is sponsored by the architectural association of Rwanda (AAR).  There will be an opening of an exhibit in the arcbox, our design gallery, which will highlight the award-winning projects.

Please join us tomorrow 26^th September at 4.30pm at FAED arcbox for the gallery opening.

We hope to find you all there

ARCTALK: The role of the AAR and contribution of Rwandan architects in changing skylines of Rwandan cities

It is our pleasure to invite you to the opening the new season of arctalks, with a talk by Jean Marie Vianney Kamiya, an architect with GMK Architects and President of the Architectural Association of Rwanda (AAR).

The presentation will be about the achievements of the Rwandan Association since its formation in 1997 to date, in Rwanda as well as in East African Region. We will emphasize more on the role of AAR in promoting the profession of architects and fostering a sustainable built environment in which Rwandan Architects play a leadership role.

The presentation will introduce to the students some of the works done by Rwandan Architects and talk about some of challenges they face in their professional practice. Based on specific projects or experience from our members we will give insights on the perceptions of local and foreign clients about architecture in Rwanda.

 

We will conclude the presentation by laying out the vision of the association for the next fifteen years, especially that we have the project of law governing the profession of Architects and Engineers soon to be signed and take effect and next year FAED will produce the first class of graduate architects.  We hope this part will open a discussions with students and faculty on  ways to  make effective our association, , what they think we should have done that we didn’t and how they think we can shape the future together when the join the association as registered architects.

Please join us tomorrow Wednesday 26th September at 4:30pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.  

We hope to find you all there

ARCTALKS: OPENING THE ARCTALKS

It is our pleasure to invite you to the opening the new season of arctalks, the public lecture series sponsored by the Department of Architecture at KIST.

This semester the arctalks series will be focused on work being done within Rwanda, from institutions to private practitioners and other professionals related to the fields of design, architecture and urbanism. Our guest lecturers will show the myriad and diverse sides of the art and architecture world in Rwanda.

Tomorrow 26^th September, we will launch this season's arctalks series with a talk by Jean Marie Vianney Kamiya, an architect with GMK Architects and President of the Architectural Association of Rwanda.  The talk will be preceded by the presentation of student design awards sponsored by the Architectural Association of Rwanda and the opening of an exhibit in the arcbox, our design gallery, which will highlight the award-winning projects.  

  

Please join us tomorrow Wednesday 26th September at 4:30pm at the FAED arcbox for the gallery opening and at 5pm in FAED Classroom 2 for the lecture.  

We hope to find you all there

SITE VISIT AND ARCTALK BRICK BY BRICK by Bruce Engel

Since 2009 Bruce Engel has been working as Project Manager on the design and construction of a “Women’s Opportunity Center” (WOC) for Women for Women International (WfWI) in Kayonza, Rwanda.

The campus of 20 buildings on 1 hectare that make up the WOC provide a place for WfWI to train local women in various vocational job skills. An aspect of this job training was facilitated by the construction of the center itself where in late 2010, Bruce trained 200+ women in the art of brick making. Since then, the women have been producing the 500,000 bricks needed for the construction of their Center. Late last year, the construction of the center commenced.


The arctalk will take place on the construction site and will focus on construction related issues: methods of construction, use of materials, construction sequencing and detailing, along with an overview of the design of the center and the various technologies incorporated into the site.
The contractors will also be participating in the lecture, to share their point of view on the project and will be available for questions as we tour the site.
There will be transport provided by KIST to attend the lecture. 
Please sign up to partecipate. Spots are available on a first-come first-serve basis.
If you are interested please send an email with your name to arcbox.LS@gmail.com



The arctalk and site visit will take place Wednesday 30th May 2012
We will departure from FAED building at 1.30pm. 
The arctalk and site visit will start at 3.00pm in Kayonza, in the construction site of Women for Women Women’s Opportunity Center on the road to Tanzania.


SIGN UP NOW!

SECRET CINEMA: BOGOTA CHANGE

Welcome to a SECRET CINEMA event

Cities on Speed, GLOBAL VISIONS FOR an urban FUTURE is a documentary project commissioned by The Danish Film Institute and the national broadcaster DR . The project is a series of four films – Bogotà Change, Mumbai Disconnected, Cairo Garbage, Shanghai Space-, selected through a call for submissions, directed by four different filmmakers who tell character-based stories on four of the world’s largest megacities: Bogotá, Cairo, Mumbai and Shanghai.

We started with Cairo, looking at the disparties between the cities waste management plan and its increasing population. We then moved onto Mumbai ,focusing on the cities choked transport network and the various actors which moved along with, inbetween and at the edges of the stifling flow of traffic, and finally to Shanghai and its inability to find space for its inhabitants, with ideas for a subterreanean city.

'BOGOTA CHANGE' will be the last of this series. This will be shown on 22nd May at 8pm , at CINESTAR cinema in Nyamirambo. (Running time is 58 minutes).

This film will be preceded by Melbourne based filmmaker, Nora Niassari's 'Under the Bridge'. A visual study charting the impact of 'the consequences of the Lebanese Civil War on Beirut’s public transportation'. This short documentary succintly captures the pervasively destructive and invasive nature of large scale infrastructural insertions. (Running time is 28 minutes)

TOTAL - 1h 40 minutes.

BOGOTA CHANGE - 'A vaccine against crime. Weapons melted down for baby cutlery. »Bogotá Change« is the story of two charismatic mayors, Antanas Mockus and Enrique Peñalosa who, with unorthodox methods, in less than 10 years turned one of the world's most dangerous, violent and corrupt capitals into a peaceful model city populated by caring citizens. With Mockus and Peñalosa and key members of their staff as first hand witnesses, the film uncovers the ideas, philosophies and strategies that underlie the changes in Bogotá and which are now being exported to cities worldwide.'    Danish Film Institute

These films are in conjunction with KIST Urban Design Studio Year 4 and there will be a short introduction by tutor Killian Doherty. The future intention is that this film series relating to architecture and urban design will be screened to the public at KIST.

Entry is 1500 RWF per person to subsidise free entry for the KIST Students. Your support is enabling these students exposure to resources not readily available at KIST and we thank you for your patronage.

ARCTALK: HOUSING PLANNING IN RWANDA

It is our pleasure to invite you to the next arctalk and of the department of Architecture in FAED.

This next Wednesday May 16th the arctalks guest will be Edward Kyazze Head of Division for Housing, Urban Planning and Development in Rwanda Housing Authority, Ministry of Infrastructure. In this talk he will attempt to assess the current status of housing planning, production and implementation (supply and demand issues) in Rwanda but in particular on an urban context.

The talk Rwanda Housing authority:strategic approaches for an adequate housing, will also identify the existing problems and challenges in the housing industry while presenting some of the strategic mechanisms to such demanding issues in a bid to ensure production of adequate and affordable low and medium-income housing on an urban-wide scale.

The lecture will take place this next Wednesday May 16th at 5.00 pm at FAED building, studio 3^rd year. Please, find attached the flyer,

We hope to find you all there.

TRAVELLING STUDIO ZANZIBAR_THE SWAHILI ARCHITECTURE

Join us for a public lecture as the third year Architecture students present their findings and experiences of their research trip to Tanzania as part of the Department’s annual traveling design studio.  The aim of this studio is to learn the importance of the context in the development of an architectural design, in all the stages of the process.

To learn and to teach architecture, to understand it and design it, it should be first experienced; that is the reason why a trip has been organized and performed to the neighboring country. In Tanzania the students and lecturers have learnt from cities, landscapes, flavors, climate and other teaching experiences. Specifically in Stone town, where the project will be based, the students have researched and learnt from the richness and complexity of the Swahili culture and its architecture. The importance of history, culture and traditions to build up for the future can be also applied in the Rwandan building experience.

Swahili architecture and the entire trip is the center of this public lecture and exhibition, where the third year students will guide us trough their findings and experiences.

ARCHITECT OF THE MONTH: ANTONI FOLKERS

“We are not looking into Africa anymore as the poor place where they need our help but as the place where there is people who can be our business partners, with whom we can work together, and from whom we can learn certain things.” Antoni Folkers

Antoni Folkers is a Dutch architect who is working in Africa for almost 30 years, in the field of architecture.
Graduated in 1986 as an architect and urban planner at Delft University, his engagement to African architecture started in the eighties when he was living and working as an architect in Tanzania and Uganda and has never left him ever since, now he is a resident Architect for East Africa.

He has been a cofounder of various offices and foundations: in 1992 FBW Architects with offices in the UK, the Netherlands, and Uganda; in 2001 ArchiAfrika; and recently, in 2010, he cofounded African Architecture Matters. The main aim of these organizations is the promotion of African architecture and the conservation of it.

The aim of ArchiAfrika, where he is the director, is to give more attention to African architecture as a whole and of course in promoting and improving African architecture through academic exchange, education, and through professional input. The target of ArchiAfrika is to put (modern) African architectural culture on the world map.

He wrote the renowned book “MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN AFRICA”, one of the few studies on modern African architecture. The work raises the discussion about the place of the often moralizing and simplified period of western modernism, while also providing a wide-ranging survey of the many-sided and colorful architecture from different regions in Africa. Using practical, illustrated examples, Folkers documents and describes the different hybrid architectural forms that have arisen out of a confrontation with western architecture and city planning and in so-doing tells an alternative history of African architecture.

Retrieved from http://www.archiafrika.org & http://www.africanews.it

PUBLIC LECTURE: RWANDA_THE VERNACULAR MATERIALS

It is our pleasure to invite you to the next arctalk of the department of Architecture in FAED. This Wednesday March 28th the arctalks will present the lecture Rwanda_The vernacular materials presented by Alice Tasca.

“Vernacular” in the architectural context is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources.

The lecture tries to define classify and explain which are the materials that can be called “vernacular” in Rwanda. We will describe which are the techniques used locally to build with them and how can they be interpreted and adapted to answer the contemporary needs.

Bamboo, wood and earth as materials are only some of the topics: lots of different fibers and common used techniques can be translated and applied to build small and useful structures.

The lecture will use a design example that used vernacular techniques to improve the existing.
The talk will take place this Wednesday March 28th at 4.30pm at FAED building.
We hope to find you all there.

SECRET CINEMA: SHANGAI SPACE

Welcome to a SECRET CINEMA event.

OK you are suffering from deja vu. Cinestar have assured me that the projector is finally working.If the projector breaks down again we can gather around a laptop. So with that.......we're back with the rescheduled screening of 'Shanghai space' We hope you'll join us again.


Cities on Speed, GLOBAL VISIONS FOR an urban FUTURE is a documentary project commissioned by The Danish Film Institute and the national broadcaster DR . The project is a series of four films – Bogotà Change, Mumbai Disconnected, Cairo Garbage, Shanghai Space-, selected through a call for submissions, directed by four different filmmakers who tell character-based stories on four of the world’s largest megacities: Bogotá, Cairo, Mumbai and Shanghai.

We started with Cairo, looking at the disparties between the cities waste management plan and its increasing population. We then moved onto Mumbai , focusing on the cities choked transport network and the various actors which moved along with, inbetween and at the edges of the stifling flow of traffic.

Shanghai will be the second last of this series titled 'Shanghai Space'. This will be shown on 8th May at 8pm , at CINESTAR cinema in Nyamirambo. (Running time is 60 minutes). The following week (15th May) I will screen the final of the series 'Bogotà Change' with a special suprise short screening from Beirut.

'Shanghai is an explosion of transformation. Every other day a new building is completed, and every year the city's population grows by half a million people. Authorities are desperately seeking out more space, while the city's inhabitants must adapt to constantly changing surroundings. In an office on the 20th floor, government advisor Professor Shu prepares the next generation of young urban planners for Shanghai's future. In order to find the space needed for Shanghai's millions of inhabitants, planners are now looking underground.' Danish Film Institute

These films are in conjunction with KIST Urban Design Studio Year 4 and there will be a short introduction by tutor Killian Doherty. The future intention is that this film series relating to architecture and urban design will be screened to the public at KIST.

Free entry for the KIST Students. ALL STUDENTS AT KIST SHOULD BE ATTENDING THESE
FREE CINEMA EVENTS.

MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN AFRICA: the exploration and the question of modernity in architecture

The exploration, as an example of a research process, is my personal journey on how I came to frame research into the book ‘Modern Architecture in Africa’.  It follows -- perhaps not too conventionally -- the escape from the dungeons of Western Modernism at the TUDelft, via the practice as a missionary-cowboy-architect  in Africa, to reflections that formed the basis of the book.

It may seem a ‘do before we think’ process, but that is not altogether the case. The leading research question of ‘what is modernism in architecture’ has been the red thread in my work and thinking, still is the red thread today and probably will remain so until my demise. Possibly without being answered to satisfaction.  But that is not so much a problem.

This question accompanied me on the journey and will do remain so for the remainder of the road. It is of such strength that if continuously fuels my thinking and practice, and forces me to move. There is, of course, a reason behind this question, which is the driver of my professional career.

Organizing the thinking process, framing the research and finding answers also commenced at an early date on my journey, but were only seriously gaining momentum with the establishment of ArchiAfrika and the projects that followed. These projects can be seen as cases on how architectural research can be organized and carried out, without twenty-odd years of working until coming to retrospective insight as seems to have happened to me.

Public Lecture: ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS IN COLLABORATION.

This next Wednesday February 22nd the arcbox lecture series will present the public lecture  ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS IN COLLABORATION.

presented by our Guest Silla Chow.

Silla Chow is a construction consultant working on school construction projects with the Rwanda Education Board.  She has over 20 years experience in the construction industry, working on various public and private sector projects.  She will share her experience of collaborating with architects as a structural engineer and as a project manager.

The lecture will take place next Wednesday February 22nd at 4.30 pm at FAED building.

PUBLIC LECTURE_Venezia: a city born from the water

Arcbox cultural committee is pleased to present to you Edoardo Salzano.

Former Professor in Urban and Regional Planning and Dean of the School of Urban, Regional and Environmental Planning at the University IUAV of Venice, he also worked as a planning consultant in many Italian local governments. Author and editor of several books, journal articles, he collaborated with newspapers and magazines, and funded two planning journals and an online journal. He is founder and director of www.eddyburg.it, an Italian website concerning urban planning, society and political issues. Edoardo works, actively supports and provide technical assistance to a number of the progressive organisations and urban movements in Italy, but also participating to international forums.