Inventory of Urbanism
Conference
Friday, October 8 – Saturday, October 9, 2010, Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture
Organized in cooperation with Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture
Juhani Pallasmaa: Twelve Themes in My Work, Thought and Form
Lecture and Discussion
Friday, October 8, 2010, 18.00–19.00, Betlehem Chapel
Organized in cooperation with Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture
Moderator: Matúš Dulla
Participant: Juhani Pallasmaa
12 Hours of the Future: a Marathon of Ideas, Conjectures, Propositions
Marathon of Ideas
Saturday, October 9, 2010,10.00–22.00, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Organized in cooperation with DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Topics:
Paradigm Shift
Challenges of Society in Transition
An Economic Model in Crisis
Environmental Challenges
Democracy – Exhausted or Imperiled?
Reflections of Science and Technology
The Battle for Public Space and New Media
Paths to Preserving Human Dignity
The World We Live In
Panel
Monday, October 11, 2010, 10.15–11.45, Žofín Palace, Forum Hall
Keynote Speech: Roger Scruton
Moderator: Karel Kovanda
Panelists: Zygmunt Bauman, Karel Schwarzenberg, Richard Sennett
The places and spaces we exist in crucially affect how we live and who we are. The environment which the next generations will inherit is in decline. It is suffering from climate change, from the effects of globalization and overpopulation, from chaotic urbanization driven by profit motivated corporations, both public and private, from the waste of energy resources and from traffic growth. Do we need to devise a less brutal growth strategy? How can we find a new balance of spiritual and material values in human pursuits? Who and what are responsible for the state of the world today? How can we increase respect for harmony and beauty in our environment? What is our relationship with the place where we live in today´s world given the effects of globalization? Is the concept of modernity, with its openness, dynamism and mobility, compatible with the idea of a place as a home? What is the role of architecture in forming mankind´s culture?
The Future of Freedom and Democracy
Panel
Monday, October 11, 2010, 12.00–13.30, Žofín Palace, Forum Hall
Keynote Speech: Fareed Zakaria
Moderator: Jacques Rupnik
Panelists: Shirin Ebadi, Saskia Sassen, Colin Crouch, Grigory Yavlinsky, Alison Smale
The huge wave of optimism and expectation that followed the end of the Cold War did not prove justified. Liberal democracy has not spread throughout the world and the post-1989 euphoria petered out. Instead, we have witnessed the rise of economically successful authoritarian states which have evaded global attention despite their consistent abuse of human rights. According to the 2010 edition of Freedom in the World by Freedom House “…2009 marked the fourth consecutive year in which global freedom suffered a decline – the longest consecutive period of setbacks for freedom in the nearly 40-year history of the report.” Can democracy function in societies that are deeply polarized, both socially and culturally? What is the relationship between democracy and civil society? Is representative democracy the only form of democracy? Are there any ways to reduce the continuing tension between security and civil liberties in liberal democracies? What initiatives should be taken to meet the challenge of authoritarianism? How can we renew and increase the support for dissidents in authoritarian countries and dictatorships? Is the current “fatigue with democracy” in liberal democracies a temporary phenomenon or are we facing an era of “cynical democracy”?
The World We Want to Live In: The Asian Perspective
Panel
Monday, October 11, 2010, 14.30–16.00, Žofín Palace, Forum Hall
Opening Remarks: Yohei Sasakawa
Keynote Speech: Dewi Fortuna Anwar
Moderator: Surendra Munshi
Panelists: Martin Davidson, Keizo Takemi, Daud Khattak, Tain-Jy Chen
Asia is among the most dynamic economic regions in the world. Economic development brings many positive social consequences, but also countless problems. Traditional social structures crumble, urbanization accelerates and the environmental impacts are considerable. In some places, economic development and its positive impact on political freedom is in question. Development across Asia is very uneven, with parts of Central Asia and the Middle East left behind or driven by internal conflicts. What are the consequences of the rapid economic development in Asia? Where are the limits of growth? What will be the future of democracy in Asia? Where do Asians see themselves on the global stage in 10 ears? In 100 years?
The Poorest Countries – Do We Care? Visegrad 4 Countries as Re-emerging Donors
Conference
Monday, October 11, 2010, 14.30–18.00, Žofín Palace, Knight´s Hall
Organized in cooperation with People in Need
Opening Remarks: Šimon Pánek
Panel 1: The Development Cooperation of V4 Countries
Daniel Hanšpach, Beata Bublewicz, Zuzana Hlavičková, Júlia László, Janina Ochojska
Panel 2: What Is the Added Value of the V4 Countries as Donors?
Šimon Pánek, Briggite Luggin, Dániel Izsák, Mary Alice Onyura
Members of Parliament, representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Experts on development policies from the Visegrad countries (V4) will discuss the challenges and opportunities encountered by V4 countries in their official development assistance programs. The panelists will reflect on the role of V4 countries as re-emerging donors, their contribution to poverty reduction and their added value.
12 Hours of the Future: Epilogue
Discussion
Monday, October 11, 2010, 15.30–17.00, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Organized in cooperation with DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Participant: Zygmunt Bauman
Leading representatives in various fields will present their view of today’s most pressing challenges. Their presentations will provide the basis for articulating questions which will be posed to Zygmunt Bauman in a closing debate.
Planetary Environmental Boundaries
Panel
Monday, October 11, 2010, 16.15–17.45, Žofín Palace, Forum Hall
Keynote Speech: George Monbiot
Moderator: Bedřich Moldan
Panelists: Stefan Behnisch, Ladislav Miko, Peter Thum
Despite all the talk of sustainable development, green economic growth, and decoupling of economic performance from its environmental impact, the pressure on global ecosystems continues to increase. It is suggested that “planetary boundaries” associated with the planet´s biophysical subsystems or processes define the safe operating space for humanity. To cross these thresholds means a risk of abrupt changes with potentially catastrophic consequences. These boundaries include levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, resources of freshwater, land use, or biodiversity and other ecosystem services. How should these boundaries be determined? How can they be translated into concrete policies? Provided that the boundaries are set and widely accepted, what would be the consequences for traditional patterns of production and consumption, for patterns of land use and urbanization, for transport and mobility? What is the role of protecting nature and biological diversity on our human-dominated planet? Are there any relevant messages that could be derived from the experiences of the current International Year of Biodiversity? In order to be effective environmental measures could be harsh. What could be the consequences to individual lives and freedoms, as we know them today?
Poverty and Social Exclusion: Challenges for Developed and Developing Countries
Panel
Monday, October 11, 2010, 16.15–17.45, Žofín Palace, Conference Hall
Moderator: Jan Urban
Panelists: Olusegun Obasanjo, Ján Kubiš, Tain-Jy Chen, Salil Shetty, Beatrice Mtetwa
Some world regions, such as Europe, North America, or Oceania, are already highly urbanized. Others like Asia, Africa, and Latin America are in the middle of an unprecedented period of rapid and intensive urbanization. The types of poverty and social exclusion in these two world regions differ. According to some studies, the level of poverty in the world is slowly decreasing whilst at the same time the social gap between the developed and highly urbanized world and the rest of the planet is widening. Is the number of people globally who are living in absolute or relative poverty increasing or decreasing? What are the basic characteristics of poverty and exclusion in respective macro-regions of the world? Does urbanization increase or decrease the extent of poverty in the developing world? What can be considered the main causes of the new social polarization in the so-called western world? Why is the extent of social exclusion in this macro-region on the increase? How is it interconnected with migration? Can – from the long term perspective – urbanization be a remedy for the polarization of society in the developing world? There are countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa under going rapid urbanization. Over the next decades, will these countries be threatened with dangerous political destabilization, such as appeared in Europe following the urbanization of the 19th century and which led to the rise of totalitarian régimes and the worst wars in the history of mankind?
Lecture by Stefan Behnisch: New Aspects and Innovation in Architecture
Lecture and Discussion
Monday, October 11, 2010,18.30–19.30, Betlehem Chapel
Organized in cooperation with Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture
Moderator: Zdeněk Zavřel
Participant: Stefan Behnisch
Today, sustainability is a somewhat undefined if generally widely agreed and acknowledged concept. It means many different things in many different fields of our societies. In architecture, we face manifold changes. Whilst most people focus on the quantitative aspects of sustainable design, the qualitative aspects are crucial for the success of future-oriented concepts. This development has generated a need for innovation, both technical and architectural. A fruitful collaboration between committed architects and engineers will help create a new understanding and perception – spatially and formally – of our built environment.
Saving Biodiversity – Saving the Future of the Mankind
Workshop and Panel Discussion
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 9.00–13.15, Academy of Sciences, Hall 2
Organized in cooperation with Academy of Sciences
Moderator: Jan Kirschner
Panelists: George Monbiot, Bedřich Moldan, Ladislav Miko
The discussion forum organized by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic will demonstrate the nearly infinite scope of biodiversity. Research conducted in various institutes of the Academy of Sciences will be presented, with emphasis on theoretical problems (endogenous sources of biodiversity, evolution of biodiversity) as well as practical goals of biodiversity monitoring and management.
Aesthetics: The Search for Harmony and Beauty
Panel
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 11.00–12.30, Žofín Palace
Keynote Speech: Juhani Pallasmaa
Moderator: Adam Gebrian
Panelists: Willem Jan Neutelings, Gábor Demszky, Fumihiko Maki
Urbanism should be concerned with the character, function and form of public space. But in contemporary liberal society we often witness the process in which the ideals of freedom, individualism and free competition are becoming synonymous with predatory manners and disdain for the concerns of others and protection of personal interests. Towns are being filled with lifeless buildings and society is paying a high price. The countryside is losing its diversity and charm, the habitability and harmony of settlements is decreasing, and levels of satisfaction and happiness are on the wane. What could be the consequences of weakening our ties with the places where we live? Which values should we emphasize to renew a sense of responsibility for the state of the countryside and its settlements? Should beauty and aesthetics be the main objectives of architecture and urbanism? How can economic tools be used to support effective urbanization? Which examples of rural and urban development could serve as sources of inspiration?
What Are the Limits of Urbanization?
Panel
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 13.15–14.45, Žofín Palace
Keynote Speech: Richard Burdett
Moderator: Jiří Musil
Panelists: Willem Jan Neutelings, Lieven De Cauter, Deyan Sudjic, Elia Zenghelis
In the 21st century, the transformation of the world´s big civilizations from rural societies to urban societies will be complete. The vast majority of populations will live in towns and townships. Their quality of life will depend on the kind of social, cultural, economic and material environments that exist there. Despite some substantial differences between western urbanization and the rapid urbanization of East Asia and Latin America and the hyper-urbanization in parts of Asia and Africa, there are universal features of the new urban environments which up to 80% of the world’s population will inhabit. These include: a high concentration of people, institutions and infrastructure in towns, the growth in social and cultural differentiation of inhabitants, growing social polarization of urban areas, leading to growing numbers of people living in both slums and residential areas. It will also result in changes in ways of life, relationships and communication. Despite all these profound changes, it is evident that the survival of mankind will depend on whether we succeed in creating habitable towns and urban regions that meet people’s basic needs. How to reduce violence and prevent social and ethnic conflicts in everyday life in an urbanized world? How not to eliminate the conditions for individual creativity and freedom that are necessary for progress while at the same time maintaining the social cohesion necessary for survival? How to prevent the decay of public space in towns? How to renew the balance between the spontaneous development of towns and regions and urban planning in order to form integrated governance in towns?
Urban Sprawl Proliferation in the Landscape: Seeking Solutions
Panel Discussion
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 15.15–16.45, Academy of Sciences, Hall 2
Organized in cooperation with the Society for Sustainable Living
Moderator: Jiří Dlouhý
Panelists: Gábor Demszky, Alena Salašová, Martin Stránský
Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled spread of a city or its suburbs into the countryside. Continuous and rapid urban sprawl threatens Europe’s environmental, social and economic balance. Among many others, the European Environment Agency (EEA) report, “Urban sprawl in Europe – the ignored challenge”, shows that many environmental (and not only environmental) problems in Europe are caused by rapidly expanding urban areas. Sprawling cities demand more energy supply, require greater transport infrastructure and consume larger amounts of land. This damages the natural environment and increases greenhouse gas emissions. Among the consequences are climate change and increased air and noise pollution. As a result, urban sprawl has a direct impact on the quality of life of people living in and around cities. Causes of urban sprawl and opportunities for improvement will be discussed.
Lecture by Fumihiko Maki: Modernity and the Construction of Scenery
Lecture and Discussion
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 17.30–18.30, Nostic Palace Stables
Organized in cooperation with the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture
Moderator: Ladislav Lábus
Participant: Fumihiko Maki
