Throughout the world, cities are increasingly developing iconic buildings, museums, infrastructures or public spaces not only for their actual functions, but also for marketing and branding their respective city image, for attracting tourism and boosting media attention. In this process of urban transformation, star architects and multi-national design, engineering and planning firms are intricately involved not only in operationalizing political strategies but also in portending to make them socially meaningful.
The seminar series “Flagship Architecture, Multinational Design Firms and the Urban Transformation of European Cities” gathers at the Villa Vigoni in Menaggio, Italy, once a year for a period of three years, experts in architecture, urban planning, urban and economic geography. The objectives is to discuss the urban implications of this global trend and the specific effects over the European cities, with particular reference to medium sized cities in France, Italy and the German speaking countries in Europe.
The workshops are funded by Villa Vigoni, a bilateral association, which was founded by the German Federal Republic and the Italian Republic. Its aim is to foster the relationship between Italy and Germany in the fields of scientific research, higher education and culture.
The seminar series is a joint initiative by the TU Munich , Politecnico di Milano and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. It also encompasses scholars from Hamburg HafenCity University (HCU), Federico II University of Naples and University of Turin. The next workshop is scheduled in summer 2018.
The participants of the first workshop in the picture (from left to right) are: Francesca Cominelli (Paris 1 Pantéon-Sorbonne University), Sebastien Jacquot (Paris 1 Pantéon-Sorbonne University), Johannes Dreher (TU Munich), Mina Akhavan (Politecnico di Milano), Prof. Alain Thierstein (TU Munich), Laura Lieto (Università di Napoli Federico II), Nadia Alaily-Mattar (TU Munich), Davide Ponzini (Politecnico di Milano), Maria Gravari-Barbas (Paris 1 Pantéon-Sorbonne University) and Michele Nastasi (Università di Venezia Ca’ Foscari).
Queries: n.alaily-mattar(at)tum.de