Affordable Housing Activation Forum

The Cities We Dream of
2022-04-20 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Madrid, Spain
La compañía impulsará la repercusión internacional del debate en torno al acceso a una vivienda digna y adecuada a través de la organización de 7 eventos AHA en los Roca Gallery de Madrid, Barcelona, Lisboa, Londres, Shanghai y Beijing. Dentro de estas actividades se enmarca la sesión ‘The Cities We Need Dream Of’ en Roca Madrid Gallery, en la que se reflexionará sobre parámetros y procesos que condicionan el diseño urbano y la planificación de las ciudades, así como prácticas actuales y posibles, debatiendo particularmente sobre el papel que juegan en ello tanto el sector público como agentes privados e intermediarios, y las potenciales alianzas entre los mismos.
El objetivo de esta sesión, además de recopilar conocimientos y experiencias, es encontrar posibles puntos de encuentro entre el sector público y el sector privado para lograr un desarrollo urbano mejor y más equitativo que promueva soluciones a través del diseño.
Link de acceso:
https://youtu.be/8UNBEGQpSPs
Ponentes:

Ángel Luis Fernández, Profesor-Investigador de ESNE. Director del Urban Thinkers Campus – UN-Habitat 2017. Gerente del Instituto para la Conservación de la Ciudad, de la Fundación Centro Internacional para la Conservación del Patrimonio-CICOP.
Daniel del Pozo, Head of Idealista/Data.
Stefan Junestrand, Doctor Arquitecto y director general del Grupo Tecma Red.
Verónica Meléndez, Doctora Arquitecta y moderadora de la sesión.

La mayor parte de la población vive en ciudades y las previsiones apuntan a un crecimiento notable en las próximas décadas. Mientras tanto, el tejido urbano de muchos territorios seguirá adaptándose a medida que surjan otras ciudades o expansiones. Esta es una oportunidad para pensar en la ciudad que queremos, que sea inclusiva y asequible para todos y que permita principios mínimos de equidad.
Tanto entidades públicas como privadas se implican en esta difícil misión, junto a expertos en vivienda y territorio. Durante la sesión abordaremos precisamente las complejidades de esta conjunción y buscaremos referentes y medidas actuales para reflexionar sobre el papel específico de los agentes al frente del diseño de las ciudades.
Programa: 20 de abril de 2022.
19.00h – 21.00h:

Presentación del evento: Roca Madrid Gallery
Presentación del tema, sesión y ponentes
Mesa redonda. Moderada por el comisario del evento
PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS

Roca, Madrid

How to improve housing affordability through public-private partnerships
2022-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 | COAM Madrid, España, Madrid
La Asociación de Propietarios de Vivienda en Alquiler (ASVAL) ha organizado una mesa redonda el próximo 20 de abril con expertos en el sector inmobiliario -del ámbito público y privado- para analizar la colaboración entre las Administraciones Públicas y el sector privado como vía para favorecer la accesibilidad a la vivienda.
Bajo el título “Cómo mejorar la accesibilidad a la vivienda a través de la colaboración público-privada”, la mesa redonda contará con la participación de José María García (Viceconsejero de Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio de la Comunidad de Madrid), Eduard Mendiluce (CEO de Aliseda Inmobiliaria y Anticipa Real Estate), Carolina Roca (Vicepresidenta de ASPRIMA), Francisco Pérez (Consejero delegado de Culmia) y Emmanuelle Cause (Secretaria General de la International Union of Property Owners (UIPI)). La sesión será moderada por Joan Clos, presidente de ASVAL y ex alcalde de Barcelona.
Este acto se encuadra dentro del Affordable Housing Activation (AHA), el primer movimiento global para mejorar el acceso a la vivienda, que celebrará posteriormente un foro en Madrid del 18 al 20 de mayo de 2022. Este evento está organizado por ONU-Habitat, el Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana, la Comunidad de Madrid y el Ayuntamiento de Madrid, entre otras instituciones.
La mesa redonda organizada por ASVAL se celebrará el próximo 20 de abril de 2022, a las 18:00, en la sede del Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid. La sesión tendrá un formato de asistencia híbrido, con posibilidad de seguir la mesa tanto de manera presencial como vía streaming en directo.
“Estamos comprometidos con la mejora del mercado del alquiler y de la accesibilidad a la vivienda. Creemos firmemente en la colaboración público-privada como vía eficaz para alcanzar estos objetivos, como se ha demostrado en otros países en los que se ha aplicado. Este evento confirma nuestro compromiso y buscará acercar posturas, compartir impresiones y difundir los beneficios de esta herramienta”, explica Joan Clos.
Link de acceso:
https://youtu.be/MRA1730-6lU
Ponentes:

Eduard Mendiluce – CEO ALISEDA Inmobiliaria y CEO ANTICIPA REAL ESTATE
Paco Pérez – CEO CULMIA
Jose María García – Viceconsejero de vivienda y ordenación del territorio de la Comunidad de Madrid
Carolina Roca – Vicepresidenta ASPRIMA
Moderador: Joan Clos, Presidente ASVAL

Proyectaremos una grabación con un mensaje de Emmanuelle Causse – Secretaria General de International Union of Property Owners (UIPI)
Programa:

18:00 – El moderador, Joan Clos, presidente de ASVAL, toma la palabra. Presenta el acto, introduce a los ponentes.
18:05 – El moderador, da paso al mensaje en video de la secretaria general de la International Union of Property Owners, Mme Emmanuelle Causse.
18:10 – El moderador da la palabra al Viceconsejero de Vivienda de la Comunidad de Madrid, José Mª García.
18:15 – El moderador da la palabra al CEO de Aliseda Inmobiliaria y CEO de Anticipa Real Estate, Eduard Mendiluce.
18:20 – El moderador da la palabra a la vicepresidenta de ASPRIMA, Carolina Roca.
18:25 – El moderador da la palabra al presidente de CULMIA, Francisco Pérez.
18:30 – El moderador lanza una pregunta para abrir el debate entre los ponentes.
18:45 – El moderador pregunta si alguien del público quiere hacer alguna pregunta.
19:00 – El moderador da por concluido el acto e invita a los asistentes a una copa de vino.

Holistic Renovation of Modernism Housing Districts
2022-04-11 23:00 - 23:30 | Lituania
Livestream on Facebook
The event “Holistic renovation for modernism housing” is a joint event of the International Union of Architects (Region 1 and Region 2). The event is initiated by the Architects Association of Lithuania and Baltic Architects Unions Association (BAUA). The partners of the event are Madrid Forum 2022 and Architects Council of Europe (ACE). The event is a side event of the Madrid Forum 2022 “Affordable housing”.
The Aims
To discuss the most relevant topics, to highlight the challenges, to share the experience and to present the best European practices of holistic renovation of modernism housing.
The event consists of:
1. An international online conference on 11th of April 2022. 2. An exhibition and a book (online pdf), featuring analytical texts and the selection of best examples of holistic renovation of the modernism housing from different countries. The exhibition to be exhibited in Madrid, 16th-30th of May 2022, during the Madrid Forum “Affordable housing” https://affordablehousingactivation.org/
Why?
The topic “Holistic renovation for modernism housing districts” is a Baltic response to New European Bauhaus (NEB) program call. However, we strongly believe that this topic is relevant to all the countries that have a vast legacy of the post-war period – huge districts (“micro-rayons”) of modernism, prefabricated housing stock. Post-soviet countries have to deal with the same problems and challenges, and other European countries are also considering the future of modernist housing.
The prefabricated housing, built some 50-70 years ago, is worn out, not energy efficient and not attractive to the inhabitants anymore. Additionally, to the poor physical state, this type of housing doesn’t correspond to the current needs and way of life of people, and often is perceived as dull, grey and visually not appealing.
Today, there are several different governmental renovation programs implemented by different countries, but usually it all ends with insulation and energy efficiency. With the series of events and activities, we are trying to rise a movement, to create a model / methodology and (in future stages) to implement a pilot project of something more: with improvement of each flat, common indoor and outdoor spaces, at the same time keeping the visual quality and architectural unity of the whole quarter. And, of course, the renovation process should include the inhabitants.
Additionally, we’d search for chances for new financial and legal tools that would allow participation of different stakeholders (private and public) in renovation. Last, but not least, the renovation should not exclude the most vulnerable social groups (that usually dwell in such a housing); it should create an attractive living environment for everyone.
Program
Morning session. Research

10:00 – 10:05 Welcome
10:05 – 10:30 Rūta Leitanaitė (President of Architects Association of Lithuania, LT)
10:30 – 11:00 Dangija Smilga, Niklavs Paegle (Ēter architects, LV)
11:00 – 11:30 Paolo Mazzoleni (IT)
11:30 – 12:00 Olena Oliynyk (D. Arch., prof., vice-president of National Union of Architects of Ukraine); Arkady Peker (assoc. prof., Kyiv National University of Building and Architecture) (UKR)
12:00 – 12:30 Christophe Hutin (Christophe Hutin Architecture, FR)
12:30 – 13:00 Xander Vermeulen Windsant (principal of XVW architectuur, Amsterdam, NL)

You can find the record of the conference here:
https://fb.watch/co8O1C9x6d/
Afternoon session. Good practice

14:00-14:30 Stefan Lowe (Senior Executive Architect, City Architects Division, Dublin City Council)
14:30-15:00 Christopher Ketil Dehn Carlsen (co-founder, partner, architect, Tegnestuen LOKAL)
15:00-15:30 Mona Schalin (Kati Salonen Mona Schalin Architects, FI)
15:30-16:00 Lukas Kordik (Gut Gut, SK)
16:00-16:30 Lydia Kallipoliti, PhD (Architect/ Engineer/ Scholar. Assistant Professor of Architecture, The Cooper Union, New York; Principal of ANAcycle thinktank, GR/ USA)
16:30-17:00 Olga Venetsianou (Architect PhD, YAP Architects / Adjunct Professor, University of West Attica, GR)
17:00-17:30 Marine de la Guerrande (Architect, founder of THINK TANK architecture, Paris, FR).

You can find the record of the conference here:
https://fb.watch/co8JrSJi5E/
Streaming links

https://youtu.be/UkAOyl6W3Vo

https://youtu.be/asfCBbEmbTE

https://youtu.be/g8HZcFop1lc

Scaling-up financing for Sustainable Urban Infrastructure – Experiences from the UNECE Region
2022-04-07 23:00 - 23:30
Designing and financing well planned urbanization is an investment in our present and future that enables progress towards achieving the SDGs. In the UNECE region, the urban population is increasing, and many cities are expanding rapidly. Many cities have been unable to develop the required supporting infrastructure to keep pace with sustainable, climate resilient urban growth. As a result, the potential for urbanisation to unlock further economic development, social progress and sustainability for cities is partially lost.
Cities face common challenges to scale-up sustainable urban infrastructure delivery, from inadequate enabling environments and policy frameworks, human and financial capacity constraints and low creditworthiness, among others. As cities delay progress on key infrastructure projects such as sanitation, public transport, affordable housing and green spaces, among others, urban quality of life and the environment are impacted. At present, there is an estimated annual financing gap of USD 1.8-2.4 trillion for low-emission and climate-resilient infrastructure globally. Most of the financing gap needs to be filled in urban areas, which is problematic since cities have also been hard-hit by COVID-19 and urgently need to deliver key social and economic benefits to recover from the pandemic.
Cities need to accelerate in the development of bankable, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure projects. Going forward, it will be essential to optimise the use of traditional funding sources, as well as non- traditional mechanisms. In this context, Project Preparation Facilities (PPFs), have proven successful in mobilizing financing for low-carbon projects from both public and private sources, as well as in delivering social, economic, environmental and governance co-benefits.
The UN Development Account funded project on innovative financing for sustainable smart cities that is led by UNECE supports the cities in prioritising key urban infrastructure needs and priorities, while also providing tangible support in the preparation of projects. With a view to supporting countries in achieving SDG 11 and other urban related SDGs, this side event to the Forum of Mayors will support sharing lessons learned and disseminate best practices generated within the project and beyond.
The side event includes two panel discussions where the first panel seeks to showcase tangible experiences and approaches to successful urban infrastructure projects in the UNECE region, specifically from the perspective of PPFs. The second panel brings together a range of key stakeholders, from city departments, city networks, international organisations and experts, to discuss common challenges and opportunities from their own perspectives.
Link to the recorded event:
https://t.co/8B2lIzXqVi
Registration link:
https://indico.un.org/event/1000573/
Streaming link:
https://media.un.org/en/webtv

#Housing2030, effective policies for affordable housing in the UNECE region. A side event at the II Forum of Mayors 2022
2022-04-06 23:00 - 23:30 | Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Switzerland
The challenges of housing affordability and sustainability are affecting cities, especially those which are densely populated. Closure of commercial services in urban areas in light of the crisis has led to a decrease in economic activities in cities, thus putting pressure on businesses and their profitability which directly translates into inability of businesses to sustain the workforce.
Housing sustainability challenges and approaches to addressing them differ from country to country. Given the diverse national and local contexts of the housing sector, and the diverse legal frameworks and living traditions within the UNECE region, there is no one solution that fits all. Sharing and exchanging experiences and good practices allows the formulation of viable solutions and policies appropriate for specific national and local contexts.
The side event will present the report of the study “Housing2030: Effective policies for affordable housing in the UNECE region” which have been developed by the UNECE in cooperation with Housing Europe, UN-Habitat and other partners. The #Housing2030 studyand an online platform were launched on 6 October 2021 at the UNECE Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management.
The II Forum of Mayor’s side event will support the regional exchange of experiences and good practices in countries of the UNECE region and beyond on promoting access to decent, adequate, affordable and healthy housing as part of the countries’ responses to, and recovery plans for the COVID-19 pandemic (this will include the topics of “greening” cities and housing, using architectural and urban planning solutions and innovations to promote better quality of life, etc).
Link to the recorded event:
https://t.co/4uvHLj8RNh
Registration link:
https://indico.un.org/event/1000573/
Streaming link:
https://media.un.org/en/webtv

Localizing the SDGs: Voluntary Local Reviews in the UNECE region. Experiences and good practices
2022-04-05 23:00 - 23:30 | Palacio de las Naciones Unidas, Ginebra, Suiza
The latter’s growing role in implementation of the 2030 Agenda has led to increased global attention on localizing SDGs and preparing Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs).
Cities play an important role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many cities across the UNECE region have documented their actions towards the SDGs by developing VLRs, which provide an assessment of their progress towards achieving the SDGs and are a potentially important tool to support socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on those practical experiences of cities on their VLRs development, in 2021, UNECE elaborated Guidelines for the Development of Voluntary Local Reviews in the UNECE region which were endorsed by the Committee on Housing, Urban Development and Land Management at its 82nd session, (Geneva, 6-8 October 2021). The aim of these Guidelines is to support local and regional governments in the UNECE region in promoting shared value creation for local communities like cities and rural human settlements for developing VLRs reports.
At the beginning of 2022 the Guidelines were updated and the side event participants will be invited to share their proposals for further updates of the Guidelines.
Further, UNECE in cooperation with its centres of excellence in Trondheim, Norway, and Geneva, Switzerland, developed an online training programme on the VLRs and organized subregional workshops. The training programme is being constantly improved and the side event will provide a good opportunity to obtain feedback to the training modules which were created.
Finally, this side event will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences and practices between cities in the UNECE region on the VLR development and international organizations and experts who support local governments in the VLR development.
The side event organized jointly by UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 2022and the II Forum of Mayors 2022. The side event is co-organized by the UNECE Commite on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management and the University of Geneva in cooperation with UN-Habitat.
Link to the recorded event:
https://t.co/UqXaj59y38
Registration link:
https://indico.un.org/event/1000573/
Streaming link:
https://media.un.org/en/webtv

WEBINAR – GREAT GREEN WALL
2022-03-26 08:00 - 17:00
This was part of a series of webinars that explore opportunities and approaches to design that respond to climate change and the making of culture-sensitive productive rural settlements that take into account the need for affordable shelter, resilient dwelling and sustainable liveability in twenty-first-century rurality.
The event was moderated by Ashraf M. Salama (Egypt), professor of Architecture and Director of Research and of the Cluster of Architecture and Urbanism in the Global South, Department of Architecture, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
It included the presentations from global experts:

Cordelia Olatokunbo Osasona (Nigeria): architect and architectural historian with degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where she was the first woman graduate, the first woman professor, and later Vice-Dean of the OAU’s Environmental Design and Management Faculty (EDM). PowerPoint
David A. Garcia (Spain/Denmark): a practicing architect and educator. Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Art Academy School of Architecture (KADK),

Hanaa Dahy (Egypt /Germany): practicing architect, professor and researcher. Founder of Stuttgart University’s BioMat department, she also founded ArchIDA (Research Center for Architecture in Stuttgart)

Borong Lin (China): Professor and Deputy Dean of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University. PowerPoint
Nikolaos P. Tsinikas (Greece): Professor Emeritus at the School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) in Greece. PowerPoint

Anna Heringer (Germany): an architect and honorary professor of the UNESCO Chair of Earthen Architecture, Building Cultures, and Sustainable Development. PowerPoint | Ted Talk

Read the speakers’ bios
Download the flyer for the event
Streaming Link

https://youtu.be/AwxFpSQzMKo

Synopsis of the Presentations
Cordelia Osasona – The Past in Our Future: Transformed Culture, Transforming Builtscape
The presentation provides a general overview of the treasured socio-cultural issues that have tended to condition how (and what) we build, including religion, norms and values, social stratification and occupation, followed by an examination of present realities in terms of globalisation: cultural and environmental (global warming). It explores proposals for present-day adjustments and future sustainability (in terms of orientations with respect to space-use, materials and actual building practice).
David Garcia – Architecture and Extreme Environments
In a time when environments are increasingly under threat, extremes are becoming more the norm than the exception. This lecture argues for a change in mindset, methodology and approach to architectural design, based on local specificity, understanding of culture, challenges and potentials through collaboration and innovation, as part of a holistic approach. It tries to argue the importance of education as an integral part of the architectural discipline. It is through education that the potential and sensibilities of future architects are nurtured, and the discussion broadened in our rapidly transforming world. Education is the seed of change, and in architecture this change is urgent.
Hanaa Dahby – Bio-based Materials and their potential for African Architectural Transformation
The lecture focuses on futuristic sustainable architecture, achieved through implementing local materials, especially bio-based ones, and embedding smart approaches like digital fabrication technologies integration with computational design methods. In addition, multidisciplinary work, automation technologies and other factors will showcase how current and future-oriented techniques could have a direct effect on smart sustainable architecture of the future based on available technologies and local materials. In that context, African local architecture could be re-established based on local identities, aided by widespread new local technologies, to further serve the environment and African communities.
Borong Lin – New Strategies for Sustainable Buildings in Extreme Hot Environments
In the extremely hot environment, some new strategies could be considered in sustainable building design and technological innovation, including the novel design of shading and ventilation, research and application of radiant cooling materials, development of thermal adaptation theory and new technologies, independent temperature and humidity control strategies, and solar-driven high-efficiency zero-carbon air conditioning systems. Several domestic sustainable building cases in extreme thermal environment in China are introduced as examples.
Nikolaos P. Tsinikas – Nature & Architecture
The concept of the presentation is a detailed view of nature as a source of inspiration for architectural design and architectural technology. Form follows function is a term used in zoology showing that any living organism must adapt to the environment to survive. The distribution of loads in structural elements, such as beams, arches, domes, act just like in bones, trees, webs. To enhance the strength of architectural structures, we can consider how assembly connections, compound structures, multicore cables and multilayer structures are made in living organisms. Most of the tools and mechanisms that man made can be found in nature. To conclude, some examples of camouflage, stealth, voronoi patterns, exoskeletons, bone structures, living creatures at the bottom of the sea, architects of nature and microorganisms will be shown.
Anna Heringer – Architecture is a tool to improve lives.
Anna Heringer’s vision and motivation for her work is to explore and use architecture as a medium to strengthen cultural and individual confidence, to support local economies and to foster the ecological balance. For Heringer, “joyful living” is a creative and active process, by which she manifests her deep interest in the sustainable of society and the built environment. Sustainability is a synonym for beauty: a building that is harmonious in its design, structure, technique and use of materials, as well as with the location, the environment, the user and, the socio-cultural context. All of which define its sustainable and aesthetic value.

Legislative action for the promotion of adequate and affordable housing
2022-03-18 23:00 - 23:30
Facing the barriers to the generation of affordable housing, the central message of this session will be action-oriented and to propose or describe urban legislation solutions and tools that enhance the development of appropriate legal frameworks for sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities.
Legal frameworks at national and local level play an essential role in the development of the housing sector in general and affordable housing. Urban housing legislation must be defined and implemented from various dimensions and elements such as environment, employment, access to services, mobility, safety, security, education, culture, poverty, marginalisation, citizen participation, gender equality and human rights. Effective and equitable legal frameworks must be advocated to support the implementation of sustainable urban and territorial development at all levels.
This event will provide a relevant and often absent discussion on the lack of legal mechanisms that assist/oblige both public and private institutions to create adequate and affordable housing. The outcome of the event will be a series of concrete legislative proposals that can be implemented in national and local frameworks.
The event will be co-organised by OnCities2030 and the College of Town Planning Jurisprudence (CJUR International). Experts in sustainable urban development, with a multidisciplinary approach, will be invited to reflect on and present actions needed to consolidate sustainable urban transformation in international, national and local legal frameworks.
The format of the event will be based on OnCities2030’s “intelligence unit” methodology in which a number of people are invited to work collaboratively on an action-oriented proposal.

Identification and Estimation of Energy Ratings and Physical Risks of Property Portfolios
2022-03-14 08:00 - 17:00 | Madrid, España
To deal with it, each Financial Entity must be able to identify the energy rating and the physical risks associated with its portfolio of financed properties.
Therefore, a tool capable of: the following is needed

Provide real energy certifications (4.5 million).
Make a reliable estimate of the rest (22 million).
Identify the physical risks that affect real estate (46 million).
That it provides sufficient coverage against the expectations of the supervisor (European Central Bank).

In 2021, the Spanish banking associations unanimously choose the solution provided by ST to face this challenge, being the solution adopted by the Spanish financial system, recognized by the European Mortgage Federation as the most advanced in the EU, counting on the favorable audit of the first level consultancy Mazars. In Spain, 47 entities have already participated in the project.
Youtube Link:
https://youtu.be/3QUXMUszTWU

Presentation of the Guide on gender and residential architecture "Designing the spaces of everyday life. Gender criteria for the design and public procurement of housing".
2022-02-16 23:00 - 23:30 | Centro del Carmen de Cultura Contemporánea, Valencia, Spain
This book arises as a response to a concern of the Valencian regional administration for the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in its housing policies and especially in its public procurement processes.
The text is the outcome of solid research carried out by its authors at the UNESCO Gender Chair at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. The result provides recommendations to facilitate decision-making in the design of spaces that enhance the value of the informal care sphere, as well as a detailed analysis of international examples of good practice. The event aims to show that the integration of these issues is not a complex matter, but requires conscious reflection, which is facilitated through this document.
This book is a clear example of how knowledge transfer can improve the quality of public housing policies.
The application of the principles set out has allowed for the strengthening of the exemplary role of the administration, fostering the contracting of gender-sensitive housing through three pilot projects which are already underway and which, as demonstrators, seek to be replicated by the private sector.
The availability of European funds implies a new way of boosting the housing and construction sector, and without a doubt, this cannot be unrelated to the incorporation of the gender perspective in a conscious manner.
The event will bring together the main agents of the sector in the territory to share and debate with them the challenge of contributing to a more inclusive architecture.

The Anna Heringer “Essential Beauty” exhibition, curated by Luis Fernández-Galiano and organised by Fundación ICO, opens at the Museo ICO on Wednesday 9 February
2022-02-09 23:30 - 2022-05-08 23:30 | Museo ICO, Madrid, Spain
https://affordablehousingactivation.org/web/app/uploads/2022/03/ANNA-HERINGER-1.mp4

The exhibition, organised by the ICO Foundation and curated by Luis Fernández-Galiano, can be visited from 9 February to 8 May 2022.
Anna Heringer (Rosenheim, Germany, 1977), a visionary and multi-award-winning architect with work on three continents, is committed to the use of local materials and techniques to offer a better future. Her work is based on the exploration and use of architecture as a means to support local economies and promote ecological balance.
For her: “Sustainability is synonymous with beauty, and what defines the aesthetic and sustainable value of a building is that it is in harmony with its design, structure, technique and use of materials, as well as in relation to its location, the environment, the user and the socio-cultural context”. The visit proposes a journey through the work and philosophy of Anna Heringer, who is deeply interested in the sustainable development of our society and the built environment.
She focuses her work on the use of local materials and techniques to create buildings that are characteristic of the place where they are located. These concepts are reflected in the exhibition; in addition, the presentation of the projects is supported by textiles made by Bangladeshi women who reproduce the floor plans and elevations of their buildings. The exhibition is completed with texts (such as the Laufen Manifesto, promoted by the architect herself), photographs, drawings and maquettes that trace a route through the principal projects undertaken by Anna Heringer since 2006.
In all her works she applies one of the most important lessons learned in Rudrapur, the rural village in Bangladesh where she built her first project – the METI Rural School, Aga Khan Award 2007 – and where, today, she continues to work and collaborate in initiatives for local progress: that the most successful development strategy consists of relying on existing and readily available resources and making the most of them, rather than relying on external systems.
This leads it to involve local communities in the construction of all its projects, not only as a way of ensuring that they meet the needs for which they were designed, but also as a means of providing training in traditional construction techniques to enable the future personal and professional development of its members. Not forgetting that this type of involvement develops a sense of belonging in the community that guarantees the proper and lasting conservation of the buildings. This way of working is embodied in his maxim “Form follows love” which, in contrast to Louis Sullivan’s famous “Form follows function”, exemplifies the revolutionary nature of his conception of architecture.
Moreover, with projects such as the RoSana Centre guesthouse – winner of a New European Bauhaus Award in 2021 – in Germany, or the ecotourism project at Cortijo La Donaira in Ronda, Spain – both developed in collaboration with Martin Rauch – he has demonstrated that building with earth, a fundamental element in all his architecture, is perfectly viable in today’s Europe.
