The Continental Europe Chapter kicked off 2018 activities with their Spring Conference in Pristina, Kosovo last April. Whereas most AIA Europe Conferences are held in popular destinations like Budapest (Fall 2018) and Copenhagen (Spring 2019), this one brought members to a lesser-known and travelled part of Southeast Europe. The four-day program explored architecture and urbanism in the capital of Europe’s newest and youngest country which has only recently transformed from a communist background into a democratic civil society. This transformation-in-process was the theme of the conference, as told by Pristina’s large and highly engaged youth population (the average age of the city is 25).
In connection with the conference theme “Youth Space and Urban Transformation,” AIA Europe also hosted a concurrent student design competition together with the local University. AIA members acted as jurors for the competition and exchanged with the local students who took part many in the conference sessions and activities. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees about this exchange confirmed AIA Europe’s unique potential for creating impactful intercultural dialogue through the conferences. Click here for conference photo slideshow.
The Chapter plans to welcome some of the Pristina students to the upcoming Fall Conference in Budapest, Hungary, September 27th - 30th. The theme, “Culture Along the Danube,” will explore the cultural projects that have developed in Budapest in recent decades, from “high culture” venues like the MÜPA performing arts facility to the “Ruin Pub Culture” of the VII City District. Visit the AIA Europe Website for conference program and registration information.
Amongst the many tours and lectures presented in Budapest, attendees will also hear from the 2018 AIA Europe Scholarship Recipient, Amanda Bryant. From Louisville, KY, USA, Amanda is a graduate student at Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands where she is doing her master thesis on The Effects of Automobile Dependence on U.S. Cities. She will present her research on the differences between the U.S. and European approaches to urbanism and aims to draw connections in order to improve the built environment at both the street and city level.
The AIA Europe Scholarship is a 5,000 Euro cash stipend awarded competitively to an architecture student from the United States, for study at an accredited Master's Program in Continental Europe. The Scholarship program was launched in 2015 with the purpose of supporting the future generation of architects who aim to think and work across borders.
Tiffany Melancon; AIA
