E16 Living Cities

Metabolism

How can we address climate change and man-made social, economic, environmental, and cultural inequalities? EUROPAN16 deals with the topic “Living Cities” and calls for a new planning paradigm determined to develop integrative strategies for a caring coexistence. The question of inclusive and resource-conscious planning concepts will be negotiated. "Balancing" and "repairing" solutions are sought to respond to the local, regional, and territorial effects of an escalating, multi-layered global crisis. EUROPAN is particularly interested in the interaction between social and ecological, between cultural and political influences. The right to the city and the question of social inclusion can no longer be conducted outside the debate on the Anthropocene "footprint" and the premises deriving from it. 

Synergetic potentials will be explored based on urban planning and architectural issues. The translation into urban processes and projects is the task of EUROPAN16. We are grateful to all partners, actors and organizations for being prepared to enter a sphere of productive uncertainty with EUROPAN — the only starting point for honest and responsible innovation, Together we are very much looking for ground-breaking ideas and pilot projects on our three sites in Graz, Klagenfurt & Linz. 

Expert’s input from the Intersession Forum, Jan2021:

Elke Krasny
Throughout history architecture has always been entangled in the production of capitalism and thus part of the system that has led to the current state of the planet.

“[…] architecture has a very specific responsibility to find new ways of producing, using materials and finding ways to make sure that the environment will no longer be destroyed by architecture.” Elke Krasny comprehends the notion of care as a “new lense to understand the practice of architecture”.

Ute Schneider
Trying to find a common ground and develop holistic solutions is the complex and critical challenge we face. “We will probably achieve quite big steps if we really work multidisciplinary and integrative […] but we always have to be aware that we are part of natural systems […] if we want to save ourselves, we have to save these natural systems.”