These and other questions will be discussed in the symposium that will take place at the Ernst von Siemens-Auditorium in the Pinakothek der Moderne. Architects and clients alike will introduce the projects designed and initiated by them and share their long-lasting experiences. The Architekturmuseum der TU München together with the Goethe-Institute Sub-Sahara Africa and the Bavarian Chamber of Architects will hold a three-panel discussion, featuring international guest speakers to address central aspects of the exhibit, such as participation and urbanization.
Important Information about the symposium:
November 14, 2013
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.: Keynote-Lecture: Lesley Lokko „The Culprit is Culture“
November 15, 2013
9 a.m. – 7 p.m.: Symposium: „AFRITECTURE – Exchanging Knowledge“
The main conference language will be English.
Registration is required and binding:
Tel. +49 – (0)89 289 28353
E-mail: archmus@lrz.tum.de
Location:
Ernst von Siemens-Auditorium
in der Pinakothek der Moderne
Barer Straße 40, 80333 München
1. Panel: Hands on Architecture
In order to prove the long-term benefit of architecture by addressing a specific requirement of a given community, built examples are necessary. The speakers of the first panel discussions from South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Austria will introduce in their presentations how they developed carefully planed and executed building projects in Africa through the close observation of local conditions and participation of the actual beneficiaries of the projects. The questions inevitably arising from this methodology, like the roles of the architect, owner and the final user in the planning and execution of a project, as well as how these projects could be transferred onto a large scale implementation will form the basis of the discussions.
- Luyanda Mpahlwa (South Africa) – “Design for Social Change”
- Baerbel Mueller (Austria) – “...and it becomes something else”
- Jimmy Kilonzi (Kenya) – “The Skills Centre - Nairobi; reflections on the experiences of international exchange in construction”
Respondent: Killian Doherty (Rwanda)
2. Panel: Expanding Urbanism
The rapid rate of urbanization in Africa creates a new set of social, economic and political conditions. In terms of African urbanism, the current dynamics, particular realities and individual ‘liveworlds’ that define these urban centers must be considered. Today the majority of African urbanites already live in informality and often self-built environments. How do we engage with these informal structures that emerge spontaneously and function effectively outside the city planning and formal architecture modes? What creative ideas materialize to shape the unique, hybrid and often informalised modernities that have become so spatially apparent on the continent? Clearly, more research and a practice-based approach are needed to implement successful strategies that engage with the diverse conditions in African cities. In this panel, three different case studies will be presented in the context of African urbanization, followed by discussions on the varied approaches taken by practitioners.
- Thorsten Deckler (South Africa) –“Leaving Architecture Behind”
- Angela Mingas (Angola) – “Multiple dimensions of Musseques”
- Koku Konu (Nigeria) – “My Lagos”
Respondent: Naeem Abbas Biviji (Kenya)
3. Panel: Learning from Africa
The third panel “Learning from Africa” will focus on the transferability of examples and findings encountered in African contemporary architecture, the reach and limitations, their applicability and level of relevance. How to encourage a profession to engage with even more complexity will be another subject addressed. Architects can offer society visualizations of complex situations and find creative tools to enable communication between all stakeholders in order to create socially relevant architecture. Are there lessons to be learned for architects and decision makers in Europe? How could projects funded by donations or government subsidies in some of the poorest areas in the world offer valuable insights to some of its richest?
- Nabeel Hamdi, (England) – “Practice in the Mess of Informality“
- Alen Jasarevic, (Germany) – “The Islamic forum in Penzberg – a Route description“
- Alexander Hagner (Austria) - “Learning by Doing”
Respondent: Doung Anwar Jahangeer (South Africa)
Other participants:
- Jean Jacques Kotto (Cameroon)
- Bisrat Kifle Woldeyessus (Ethiopia)
- Comlan Ambroise Adjamagbo (Togo)
- Günther Klix (Tanzania)
- Issa Diabaté (Ivory Coast)
- Susanne Hofmann (Germany)