Urbanism Week 2011: SO, YOU ARE AN URBANIST?!
location: BK City
What does the profession of urbanist really entail? POLIS, a student society of the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture, is going to find out the answer to this question. For one week, from 26 to 30 September 2011, POLIS will be bringing together students, the newest generation of urbanists, and seasoned professionals during the Urbanism Week 2011 to ask them the question: SO, YOU ARE AN URBANIST?!
- Which changes has the urbanism profession experienced due to the integral approach to urban design?
- How is globalisation affecting the urbanist’s position?
- What does it mean for urbanism that more people around the world are living in cities than outside them?
- And how has the economic crisis affected the urbanist’s field of work?
The role of architects has changed dramatically. Property developers have had to put a hold on projects. And planners have had to become jacks-of-all-trades. The time has come to take a good hard look at urbanism and urbanists. What has changed in the profession, and, more importantly, what must change if urbanists are to remain critically important to the design and development of cities? During the Urbanism Week, students, academics, young designers and eminent urbanists will come together to share their knowledge of and experience in the profession with one another and to focus on the meaning of the profession.
Programme
The Urbanism Week 2011 will offer activities for professionals, starters and students. Lectures, workshops and discussions will be held. The Urbanism Week Symposium, specifically targeted to professionals, will take place on Thursday and Friday. Knowledge exchange is an important aspect of the programme, but there will also be time for meet and greets, networking and workshops.
The following people will be among the major speakers in the Urbanism Week 2011 programme:
- Edward Soja – University of California, Los Angeles;
- Adriaan Geuze – West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture;
- Alexander d’Hooghe – Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
- Markus Appenzeller – KCAP Architects and Planners;
- Hubert Habib – Grontmij;
- Alfredo Brillembourg – Urban Think-Tank;
- René Boomkens – University of Groningen.
POLIS | Platform for Urbanism
Polis Platform for Urbanism (POLIS) is the student society for urbanism students in the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture and persons involved and interested in the urban landscape. Since it was established in 1989, Polis has been the platform for knowledge exchange between students, researchers and professionals, by researching and holding exhibitions on contemporary urbanist themes. With the Urbanism Week, POLIS will clearly make a name for itself once more as a podium for reflection and debate!
More information
The Urbanism Week 2011 will take place in BK City at TU Delft's Faculty of Architecture from 26 to 30 September 2011.
POLIS believes that the Urbanism Week 2011 should be accessible to a wide public. At the same time, Dutch universities and, consequently, student societies as well are being faced with dwindling financing from the government. POLIS is therefore requesting a small contribution from students, just €15 for a week ticket. Professionals pay €120 per ticket (or five tickets for €500), entitling them to attend lectures and discussions and to enjoy beverages, snacks and a buffet. The Urbanism Week 2011 publication will also automatically be sent to them at home.
Buy your tickets now through: www.urbanismweek.nl.
Financing for the Urbanism Week 2011 is being made possible by TU Delft, The Netherlands Architecture Fund (NfA) and Grontmij.
