russian version

TRANSMITTING ARCHITECTURE
XXIII WORLD CONGRESS OF ARCHITECTURE
20.06 – 3.07 2008 TORINO

The Manifesto of 2008 World Congress of Architecture UIA Torino 2008

For a new model of development reconciling with nature and protecting it for a new alliance.

For a post consumer society focusing on the primary values of mankind.

To redefine the boundaries of modern times in order to re-establish the harmony with the cycles of nature.

For an architecture embodying nature, defending and enhancing biodiversity in every domain: beauty, values and politics.

This is the message contained in the appeal made by the Manifesto of the Congress collecting and briefly mentioning the debates developed throughout these three days of Congress.

The relentless rush towards an unlimited economic growth which characterized modern society in the last sixty years led to dramatic consequences: demographic explosion; urban sprawling turning into galaxies with blurred contours; uncontrolled increase of pollution;

extreme rush in the globalization of both markets and the urban system; consumption of natural resources beyond the ability to create them; progressive depletion of energy sources with a consequent world conflict for their control.

In all the above mentioned, architecture made the huge mistake of an incredible self reference attitude - sometimes - magnifying features belonging to the society of consumers and of ’star architects’.

All these phenomena can though be corrected and governed in order to guarantee a right and nature respectful level of growth also to developing countries.

The emergency involving the environment, energy sources and urbanism reached a break point and it is not possible to put off the general concern about our planet leading to achieve some very crucial targets. These latter are aimed at: adopting new models able to acknowledge the limits of the development and conceiving it as the combination of economy and ecology; moving from a hyper to a post consumerist vision which combines sobriety with the fulfilment of needs; using a global oriented approach to problems, linking knowledge and experience; firmly choosing renewable energy sources and their development, addressing our efforts on waste recycling and pollution control measures. This is not a Utopian programme but a realist strategy which has nowadays become even compulsory.
Why do architects have to deal with these issues? Because this profession is deeply connected with the territorial transformation processes and because architects can play, along with other professionals, decisive roles in the complexity of knowledge and know-how to be used.

And nobody has to deny its own responsibilities. As Barry Commoner maintained, "If you have to make peace with the Planet, you’ll have to start".

UFFICIO STAMPA:
MAILANDER, MARCELLA L.ATERZA M +39 335 7559154
SlLVIA AlPARONE M +39 338 3211790
ADDETTO STAMPA - PlERLUIGI MUTTI M +39 339 2737441