The World Around - In Focus: Precarity
The New York-based architecture platform The World Around brings its celebrated line-up of the most compelling voices from architecture's "now, near, and next" to Rotterdam.
11 June 2022 11:00 - 17:00
In collaboration with Het Nieuwe Instituut, In Focus: Precarity will present leading practitioners who use design as a healing practice at sites of precarity and crisis.
With contributions by AAU Anastas | Afaina De Jong | Alexander Shevchenko | Alfred Marasigan | Anupama Kundoo | Assemble | Bangkok Project Studio | Hsieh Ying-Chun | Karrabing Film Collective | Lina Ghotmeh | Manuel Herz | Mass Design Group | Philippe Rahm | Rotor, and others.
During the day-long event at Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, leading international practitioners and thinkers including Hsieh Ying-Chun, Lina Ghotmeh and Assemble lead a compelling exploration of design's role in dealing with crises.
The conference, a collaboration between Het Nieuwe Instituut (HNI) and global architecture and design platform The World Around (TWA), brings together experts in architecture and related fields to examine the role of architects and designers in rebuilding after disasters, healing from trauma, and coping with ongoing conflicts. Whether retracing the long-term urban regeneration efforts following a devastating earthquake or understanding the ever-evolving repercussions of working in an active warzone, the talks will consider a broad spectrum of precarious scenarios across the globe, and offer hope that solutions exist to some of the most important challenges of our time.
SESSION 1 | 11:00 - 13:00 | Karrabing Film Collective, Assemble, AAU Anastas, Anupama Kundoo, AFARAI, Alfred Marasigan
SESSION 2 | 14:00 - 15:30 | Rotor, Bangkok Project Studio, Philippe Rahm, Lina Ghotmeh, Rosario Hevia, Etta Madete Mukuba
SESSION 3 | 16:00 - 17:00 | ReStart Ukraine, Manuel Herz, Hsieh Ying-Chun, MASS Design Group
Het Nieuwe Instituut general and artistic director Aric Chen says: "After our collaboration with The World Around earlier this year, at the Guggenheim in New York, we're thrilled to bring Beatrice Galilee and her team's line-up of the most consequential and inspiring people and ideas in architecture back to Rotterdam. We hope it's just the beginning of many more exciting discussions, debates, and gatherings to come.''
In Focus: Precarity will be live-streamed for free in its entirety by Het Nieuwe Instituut. Registration for the online event is now open and tickets are also on sale for those who prefer to attend the conference in person.
The event forms part of Het Nieuwe Instituut's Weekend of Architecture: Now, Near, Next, which will also include a party co-hosted by PIN-UP and Volume magazines, the Hans Day: Future Criticism conference and Revisiting the NAi, a discussion with HNI director Aric Chen and others. Meanwhile HNI is acting as the main venue for Rotterdam Architecture Month throughout June, hosting both its main exhibition and the extraordinary MVRDV-designed pink Podium, a rooftop platform hosting talks, concerts, performances and other events until 16 August.
In Focus: Precarity also coincides with the opening of applications for The World Around's inaugural Young Climate Prize, a mentorship programme for under-25s engaged in climate mitigation work.
The World Around executive director Beatrice Galilee adds: "We could not have a better and more thoughtful partner than Aric Chen and his team at the HNI. Together we hope to elevate a dialogue on the precarious nature of some of our greatest challenges and inspire a new generation. We are thrilled to launch applications for our first-ever prize focused on young people on the same day."