With the arrival of vaccines’ distribution, a crucial momentum is here to rethink how we make our cities once COVID-19 is under control. Assuming, the pre-Covid trend of radical densification continuous, how could Spatial Projects and the perspective of Media-Architecture offer new ways to deal with an increased set of social challenges (inclusivity, diversity, unemployment) and ecological resilience?
This Livecast is part of the Media Architecture Biennale 2020/2021, Future Implied. It brings together a group of thinkers and do-ers who can help carve out new perspectives and radical solutions for the monumental endeavours that await our Cities. Media Architecture is operated as a medium to address contemporary challenges and lay the groundwork for the future of urban communities’ well-being.
This Livecast takes on the concept of restorative environments, a concept borrowed from environmental psychology. This concept might offer a rich nucleus built on the biological notion that each organism needs to recharge regularly – physically, socially, mentally and physiologically. What if we consider our cities as restorative environments – and Media Architecture as a medium? What possible futures could be provoked?
Speakers
Frank Suurenbroek
Dr. Frank Suurenbroek is a Professor of Spatial Urban Transformation at the Faculty of Technology at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). His Chair is embedded in two interdisciplinary Research Programs, i.e. Urban Technology and Urban Governance & Social Innovation. Frank is a member of the Executive Committee of the international Media–Architecture Biennale, to be held in Amsterdam in July 2021 (www.mab20.org), which is related to an earlier project on Responsive Public Spaces . Frank is also responsible for the multidisciplinary Inclusive Area Development research track.
Indira van ’t Klooster
Indira van ’t Klooster is director of ARCAM: the center for architecture, urban development and landscape design in Amsterdam. She previously was director of the Dudok Architecture Center and editor-in-chief of the European architecture magazine A10 new European architecture. In Pakhuis de Zwijger she presents the architecture talk show Architecture Now every two months, about current themes in architecture. She wrote several architecture books, including
Reactivate! Vernieuwers van de Nederlandse architectuur
Maria Aiolova
Maria Aiolova is an educator, designer, and community builder in New York City. She is an innovator in ecological design, smart cities, and sustainable urban infrastructure.
She was the inaugural Leader of Arup University in the Americas where she directed learning, research, foresight, and innovation. Maria served as the Academic Director of Global Programs at CIEE, where she created semester-long programs on Future Cities in Berlin, Barcelona, Prague, Shanghai, and Cape Town. She is an inventor, who holds 18 technology patents. Maria has won a number of honours includin Woman of the Decade in Science and Design Leadership at the Women Economic Forum 2020 in Cairo, Egypt, AIA New York Resilient Urban Design Award, Victor J. Papanek Social Design Award, and Zumtobel Group Award for Sustainability.
Maria’s most recent book Design with Life: Biotech Architecture and Resilient Cities was published by Actar Publishers in 2019.
Ben Hooker
Ben Hooker is a multimedia designer, artist, and educator who exhibits and teaches internationally. He is Professor in Art Center College of Design’s Media Design Practices graduate program. In his role as MFA Director, he curates and oversees the department’s practice-led interdisciplinary design curriculum, where students use critical making in a studio context to explore the impact of emerging ideas from science, technology, and culture. Additionally, he co-directs the recently formed Post-Geographic City working group.
He collaborates extensively with other designers as well as scientists to participate in a range of creative communities, from practice-led research, defining new design arenas within the academy and the design community, to public art and creative consultancy.
Before relocating to Los Angeles he was Visiting Faculty at Intel Research, where he worked as a researcher and designer-in-residence on projects about both urban and domestic computing. Prior to that, he was a Research Fellow in the School of Architecture and Design at the Royal College of Art and Final-Year Tutor in the Graphic Design BA program at Central Saint Martins College, London.
Usman Haque
Usman Haque is founding partner and creative director of Umbrellium, developing urban technologies that support citizen empowerment and high-impact engagement in cities, and Thingful.net, a search engine for the Internet of Things. Earlier, he launched IoT data and community platform Pachube.com, acquired by LogMeIn in 2011. Trained as an architect, Usman has created dozens of interactive environments, responsive systems and mass-participation platforms throughout the world. His skills include the design and engineering of both physical spaces and the software and systems that bring them to life. He has also taught at the Bartlett School of Architecture, including the Interactive Architecture Workshop (until 2005) and, with Adam Greenfield, RC12 Urban Design cluster, “Participatory systems for networked urban environments”. He received the 2008 Design of the Year Award (interactive) from the Design Museum, UK, a 2009 World Technology Award (art), the Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence prize and the Asia Digital Art Award Grand Prize.
This Livecast is organized by Pakhuis de Zwijger and The Media Architecture Biennale 20.
The Media Architecture Biennale 20 (MAB20), originally planned for the fall of 2020, will take place on June 28th – July 2nd, 2021 in an online format. All of the major events such as workshops, keynotes, awards and paper sessions will be accessible online from locations throughout the world. MAB is an international forum exploring media architecture, urban interaction design, and urban informatics. It brings together architects, artists, designers, academics, policymakers, and industry stakeholders from around the globe. Together, they explore the design and role of media in the built environment and its implications for urban communities and ecosystems.
For more information about our Calls, Meetups and Pre-Events, visit: www.mab20.org
