Symposium: Critical Care

Modern architecture and city planning have essentially been determined by the idea of the world as Tabula Rasa. The consequences of the future planned by Modernists determine our living conditions today. How can a Radical Care perspective change architecture and urbanism?

Capitalism has resulted in a new era on earth: the Anthropocene period, also called the Capitalocene period. “Our job is to make the Anthropocene as short/thin as possible and to cultivate with each other in every way imaginable”, writes the philosopher Donna Haraway. A Care Perspective in architecture and urbanism aims to do exactly this. Care begins in the midst of things. Concrete actions and redefining the relationships between economy, ecology and labour together are key. Internationally active architects, urbanists, activists and researchers present examples from different local contexts in Asia, the Caribbean, the USA and Europe.

Programme

Curators: Angelika Fitz, Elke Krasny

A cooperation by the Az W and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna/akbild

13:00 Welcome address

Angelika Fitz, Director of the Az W

Andrea B. Braidt, Vice-Rector for Art and Research at akbild, Vienna

13:15–14:30 On Critical Care

Angelika Fitz, curator, Director of the Az W

Elke Krasny, curator, Professor at akbild, Vienna

14:30–15:00 Caring Architecture

Joan C. Tronto, Professor emerita at University of Minnesota and City University New York — video lecture

15:00–17:00

Marta Serra Permanyer and Elena Albareda Fernández, CÍCLICA, Barcelona; Jan de Vylder, architecten de vylder vinck taillieu, Gent; Hélène Frichot, Professor, School of Architecture, KTH Stockholm

17:30–19:00

Gabu Heindl, GABU Heindl Architecture, Vienna, & visiting professor, University of Sheffield; María E. Hernández Torrales, Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust, San Juan, Puerto Rico

19:00 Keynote

Katherine Gibson, Professor at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, Sydney