A group of local and international urban planners, academics, architects and politicians will gather together to share how they are designing effective solutions to preserve the future of our cities. Among them, Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma, founder of Kengo Kuma and Associates, will explore the relationship between nature and man-made environment through the lens of Japanese architecture.

The evolving discussions recognise the significant role architecture and urban planning play in moulding the interaction of people with the place they live in. Over the course of two days, four different themes encompassing education in architecture, people displacement, the implementation of technological advancements and the integration of nature in architecture will be addressed and discussed in a series of insightful panels.

On the 24th of November, the first session titled Emerging Pedagogies will look at the educational sphere in architecture and design to see how it is developing to respond to present needs, questioning whether a more holistic approach is needed to nurture the architects of tomorrow. The panel Addressing Displacements will follow, highlighting the present issue of migration and displacement of people due to various factors among climate change, natural hazards, political conflicts, economic circumstances, and more. The panel will investigate how architectural solutions can create a sense of community and surpass the challenges of displacement.

The following day, the 25th of November, invited speakers will explore how Digital Building Technologies are changing the way the built environment is seen and developed. Industry leaders will share about innovative approaches and the possibilities that new sustainable materials are offering. The final session of the forum titled Rewilding Architecture will see a conversation between Kengo Kuma, Botond Bognar, and Balazs Bognar focusing on Japanese architecture and its philosophy. Kuma’s approach towards architecture and the interaction between man-made and natural environments will be explored looking at the role of the city in the context of the larger ecosystem.

For more details on the programme you can discover more on the dedicated website of Shaping the City at the following link shapingthecity.org/venice-2023.

For more information you can contact our team at shapingthecity@ecc-italy.eu