AIA CONTINENTAL EUROPE MARCH 2024 ‘MINI CONFERENCE’ / Bologna

Given the success of AIA Continental Europe’s two 2023 Conferences – Sicily in the Spring and Chinon in the Fall – it was disappointing to discover AIA CE had nothing planned for Spring 2024.  It looked like waiting for the Sofia Conference in October was going to be a wearisome experience…

But AIA CE is a chapter with multiple, regional sections, and the Italian Section - with a plethora of enticing cities just awaiting a chance to show off - came to the rescue with its own ‘Mini Conference’ this March.  It was only two days, promised only 10 HSW continuing education units and signed up only 25 architects, but due precisely to this smaller scale and relaxed atmosphere, it was a learning experience packed with a great deal of FUN. 

Bologna was once described as the ‘City of Towers’.  Alas – the towers have been falling by the wayside, and first impressions found instead that Bologna was a ‘City of Porticos’.  Or should that be ‘City of Extended Porticos’, or maybe ‘City of Colonnades’, or even ‘City of Arcades’?  Let us not quibble; the citizens of Bologna call them porticos without hesitation, and even UNESCO celebrates the term. They are everywhere.

Also, the citizens of Bologna being practical people without a local source of marble paved their porticos with cheap, durable terrazzo.  However, for some reason no one refers to Bologna as the ‘City of Terrazzo’.  Along with the porticos, terrazzo is everywhere, and the combination works exceedingly well.

To its enthusiastic visitors – including those not burdened with an architectural perspective - Bologna is unequivocally the ‘City of Food’, and the Mini Conference organisers capitalised on this; first, with a ‘Historical Walking & Food Tour’ ending in a ‘Wine & Food Tasting’ and, second, with a sponsored luncheon/lecture the next day in one of Bologna’s most popular seafood restaurants. 

As excellent as the food was, the Mini Conference was not without serious content.  The event organiser, Morgan Danner AIA, described her work in expeditionary construction based at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAFAC) in Naples.    

To paraphrase her, expeditionary construction is, ‘construction that is for expeditious purposes in assisting military operations or emergency response teams in forward deployed environments; environments usually remote or austere in location, or have been disrupted by war, crises, manmade or natural disasters, or undergoing civil unrest’.

Whereas one might expect military operations to require cost effective design, superior logistics and expedited construction, Danner’s emphasis on applying the same criteria to disaster relief and emergency responses was a satisfying diversion that earned instant respect.  

Other speakers included Marc Di Domenico AIA speaking on behalf of one of the event sponsors, the Institute of Design International, established by Domenico in Florence.  AECOM, another event sponsor (and consultant to NAFAC), also spoke on how it approached sustainability issues in its projects. 

A highlight of the weekend was a tour entitled ‘The Red City with its Porticos and Stairs’, which reached parts of the city still undiscovered by the attendees.  Bologna, in addition to its towers, porticos, terrazzo and food, has been a historic ‘City of Learning’ and remains a university town complete with both modern and ancient libraries and laboratories as well as an impressive catalogue of scientific discoveries.  

While the façade of Bologna’s Basilica of San Petronio in the city’s main piazza remains strangely unfinished due to city and papal rivalries dating back centuries, architects have been proposing solutions for its completion since the Middle Ages. 

Their submittals are kept in a special room in the Basilica that was opened for the group’s architectural inspection.  Seeing a Palladio competition drawing was an extra special treat, although his plan was too faint to capture in the photograph.

If you are not aware of AIA CE’s conferences and regional events but are looking for a user-friendly way to earn continuing education units while indulging in a European city break, look them up on AIA CE’s website HERE.  These international conferences are a bargain, and AIA UK members are always welcomed.  

Written by L D King, AIA

All Photos by L D King, AIA (unless noted otherwise). Late change - the original ‘Leaning Tower of Bologna’ photo now replaced with one by Royce Lanier AIA. Other Bologna tower pictures offered as replacements are included in the slide show below.  Photos by Lorraine King AIA, Royce Lanier AIA, Sergio Danese AIA and Rada Doytcheva FAIA.

The 2nd and last wine / food tasting of the long weekend with lingering attendees.  Photo by the waiter!

Continental Europe’s 5-8 May 2017 Conference: Treasures of the French Riviera

Last October, the AIA Continental Chapter held its bi-annual conference in North Cyprus.  This May, it followed up the Mediterranean theme with a conference in the south of France – but, from the start, the country differences could not have been more evident.  Even the economy bus from Nice airport to Menton could not avoid the glamorous French coastline, teeming with residences and hotels of all sizes and styles from the merely functional to the Grimaldi inspired. Tourists thronged the streets of Monaco as it prepared for its upcoming Grand Prix.   The Mediterranean simply sparkled while millionaire yachts bobbed about and looked bemused by all the fuss. 

So what - amongst all this hustle and bustle - had Continental selected as its own particular take on “Treasures of the French Riviera”? Well, Menton itself for a start.  Nicknamed the "Pearl of France", it proved a quieter, gentler antidote to Monaco with  an historic old town reached by steep stairs and a long line of accessible beaches.  Its modern building of note - the Cocteau Museum (architect Rudy Ricciotti) – hosted the opening reception. 

Menton welcomes the AIA at the Cocteau Museum – Photo: Lorraine King, AIA

The first full day of the conference was devoted to Cap Modern and Eileen Gray’s modern Villa E-1027 (familiar to followers of the UK Chapter’s movie nights from its showing of “Price of Desire” last year).  Attendees were lectured on the history, significance and renovation works at Cap Modern and given a private tour of Villa E-1027 plus Le Corbusier’s nearby “cabanon”, work hut and holiday cottages.   Despite the cold and wet weather (that promise of the sparkling Mediterranean not having held up overnight) the site with its memories of past personalities could not help but intrigue.    

Instead of exploring wet balconies and roof tops, the bad weather encouraged a closer look at Gray’s surprising interiors, furniture and artwork – Photos: Lorraine King, AIA and Michael Lischer, FAIA

A ray of sunshine got through for Corbusier’s colorful holiday cottages – Photo: Michael Lischer, FAIA

As brilliant weather returned for the second day, the conference progressed to three extraordinary gardens of the Riviera – the Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden and the Serre de las Madone Gardens (landscape architect Laurence Johnston) both in Menton and the Hanbury Gardens across the border in Italy.  

The third day saw the departure from Menton and took the group to two further treasurers.  The Matisse Chapel was an unexpected delight – a little space of pure joy and light. The Fondation Maeght (architect Josep Louis Sert) housed an extensive modern art collection, but its prime charm was the building itself it its garden setting, including the renowned Labyrinth of Miró.

The Fondation Maeght and Labyrinth of Miró at– Photos: Lorraine King, AIA and Michael Lischer, FAIA

The list of personalities influencing the venues was long and strong – Architects Eileen Gray , Le Corbusier and Josep Louis Sert; English gardeners Sir Thomas Hanbury and Laurence Johnston; French artists and designers Jean Cocteau, Joan Miró and Henri Matisse – and gave the conference a feel for cultural as well as architectural treasures.

The Menton conference was organized by CE members Isabel Meinecke, Int’l Assoc AIA, and Ray Spano, AIA, with assistance from several other CE members.  There were 16-17 CEUs on offer, including 4-6 HSW units, enjoyed by the 5 AIA UK attendees.

The next CE Conference will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, 5 – 9 October 2017.  This conference will be a larger event held in conjunction with the International Region and attendance is expected to reach capacity early.  If you are interested in attending, you are advised to register as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Written by: Lorraine King, AIA

CONTINENTAL EUROPE CONFERENCE: Barcelona, the Compact City

Continental Europe’s long history of holding bi-annual conferences in different host cities started in Paris in 1996, when the International PIA and the CE Chapter met for a weekend series of tours, seminars and lectures interspersed with lunches, dinners and other networking opportunities. Thanks in large part to the event organiser – Françoise Vonier, the architectural journalist and “activist” – the Paris Conference was a tremendous success.

The second CE Chapter conference was held in 1997 in Barcelona, where that successful mix of edifying educational and amicable social events was perfected into a pattern that – with adaptations and variations - has held to this day. What better way is there to earn Continuing Education Units than by visiting in-depth a beautiful, historic city with good friends and local historians, planners and architects as cultural chaperones?

Over the 14-18 April 2016 weekend, the Continental Europe Chapter conference was again held in Barcelona - its forty-first conference since 1997. As well as catering to CE Chapter members, the opportunity to re-visit Barcelona and see how it has evolved was also taken up by multiple US-based friends of Continental Europe - including Robert Ivy FAIA, Chief Executive Officer, and Tom Vonier FAIA, President Elect, of AIA National.

Several UK Chapter members also attended and were able to strengthen bonds with Continental Europe. Lester Korsilius FAIA, International Region Secretary, and Robert Rhodes AIA, IR Zone Representative, were also able to liaise with the International Director, Steven Miller FAIA.

Past AIA UK Chapter Presidents - Lester Korsilius FAIA (with Heather Korsilius); Lorraine King AIA; Robert Rhodes AIA (with Maria Jose); and Liz Waters AIA - attend the Barcelona Conference

The programme included several overview lectures with tantalizing titles such as “A Sectional Palimpsest of Barcelona”, and “Architecture Remembrance and Transformation.” Architect Benedetta Tagilabue’s lecture - rather prosaically entitled as “Social Urban Regeneration” - was in fact a highly spirited account of her work with partner Enric Miralles, touching briefly on the Scottish Parliament, but – at its best - describing the background and rational for Barcelona’s Mercat de Santa Caterina, with its vegetable inspired roof colours.

Benedetta Tagilabue’s and Enrico Miralles’ Mercat de Santa Caterina

Other lectures were given by local Architects involved in specific projects in different parts of the city that were then followed by building or site tours. These lecture/tours included new-build projects at major developments in Plaça Gloiries and District 22@, plus small scale interventions in older neighbourhoods. After a technical explanation of the Barcelona Roca Gallery’s unique glass wall, a cocktail break was hosted by AIA Continental Europe sponsor, Laufen – which is also an AIA UK sponsor.

The Canopia Urbana at the Plaça Glories Flea Market (left) and the glass wall of the Barcelona Roca Gallery (right)

Historic preservation and renovation work were investigated at the Museu Maritim and Born Market. The recently renovated hospital complex of Sant Pau was the magnificent venue for the Saturday morning lectures, garden tour and lunch.

The Hospital Sant Pau

Special features of the Continental Europe Conferences are the sponsorship lectures and presentations, particularly those of local sponsors. The Collegi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya – the local architectural professional organisation - opened its archives for a special viewing of original Catalan architectural drawings. In her lecture “Places and Horizontal Surfaces of Barcelona”, architect Mariona Aguilera from Escofet, highlighted Barcelona’s unique paving tiles and her company’s current and historical work in architectural concrete and stone.

The Saturday night Gala Dinner is the highlight of any CE conference. This year’s dinner was held in Mies van der Rohe’s original - but relocated - Barcelona Pavilion from the 1929 World Exposition. The Pavilion has lost nothing of its modernist allure in the intervening 87 years and provided a spectacular backdrop for the AIA dinner.

Photo credit: AIA Gala Dinner at the Barcelona Pavilion, 16 Apr 2016, Rebecca Ryburn

Special reference should be made to the conference organiser, Sophia Gruzdys AIA NCARB (with help from Dominique Tomasov Blinder AIA and Thomas Valentine Groner). All in all, the conference generated a grand total of 18 CEUs along with many memories of good friends, brilliant weather and fantastic architecture.

The next CE conference – to which AIA UK Chapter members are granted reciprocal CE membership rates – will be held from 29 September to 2 October 2016 in Girne, North Cyprus.

Author: Lorraine King AIA