What Next? Where? is an in-person and online event. It will share some of the ideas and excitement of the July 2023 Union of International Architects Congress (UIA23). With a focus on six SDGs themes, ‘Leave No One Behind: Sustainable Futures’ promoted the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, in design practice and education. As a follow-up to UIA23, and through the eyes of students and young practitioners, ‘What Next, Where?’ hopes to generate direct action in support of the SDGs, climate justice and sustainable urbanization.
As the northern summer comes to an end, natural disasters such as floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, and extreme heat have affected millions of people worldwide. In July, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a dire prediction: “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.” With seven years to go to fulfill the 2030 Agenda, only 15% of the SDGs targets are on track. Therefore, action is more urgent than ever before. UNESCO’s Knowledge Driven Actions report, recommends that Higher Education Institutions adopt the SDGs in curricula and research.
Over 6,000 people participated in UIA23 in Copenhagen, where speakers from diverse disciplines debated challenging design and environmental issues and proposed innovative solutions. “Next Gen” sessions at the Congress featured students and activists from around the world who passionately argued the urgency of creative and inclusive action in education and practice. Twenty universities developed projects on the Congress themes for the Global Student Summit held at UIA23. In the Science Track, over 260 academics, researchers, students, and practitioners presented papers and projects related to the six themes. An important resource going forward, six proceedings volumes will be launched in October (Springer).
The Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization awarded three scholarships to college students based in New York, enabling them to attend UIA World Congress 2023. RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity) sent a youth delegation to showcase their work at UIA23 and gain insights from Copenhagen’s best sustainability practices.
Building on the success of the UIA23 Congress and as part of the UN Habitat Urban October events, UIA23’s Pernille Maria Bärnheim will present the significance of this global event for education and practice, and CSU scholarship recipients will reflect on the inspiring messages of UIA23. To help stimulate the ‘What Next, Where?’ conversation, Global Student Summit participants and young practitioners from the USA, Brazil, and Australia will share their research and design projects, showcasing the creative and intellectual capital they bring to advancing the SDGs and promoting change. Please join the conversation!
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Program
6:00 Welcome, Rick Bell, CSU President and CBIPS and Adam Lubinsky, GSAPP
6:10 “UIA23: Significance and Lessons”, Pernille Maria Bärnheim, UIA23 & Royal Danish Academy
6:30 Presenters, Online and in-Person (see below)
7:30 What Next? Where? Online and in-Person Audience discussion
7:50 What Next? Where? Wrap-up: Anna Rubbo and Pernille Maria Bärnheim
8:00 Close and thanks
Presenters:
CSU student scholars: Amhara Hernandez, Hunter College; Kaitlin Reese and Mohammad Azham Quraishi, Columbia University.
RISE: Natasha Herman, Marco Panday, Adam Lubinsky, WXY
Global Student Summit: Rachel Strompf, RISD, USA; Gabriele de Oliveira Pinto, Federal University Rio de Janiero Brazil.
Cave Urban: Jed Long, Australia. Paul Pholeros Foundation: Victoria King, Australia.
Event Hosts Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization • Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP)
Event Co-Sponsors • UIA World Congress of Architects 2023, Denmark • Columbia University Climate School, Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD) • Columbia University, SEAS, Center for Buildings, Infrastructure and Public Space (CBIPS)• Columbia University, SIPA, Urban and Social Policy (USP) • Columbia University, SIPA, Economic and Political Development (EPD) • Hunter College, Urban Policy & Planning • Pratt Institute School of Architecture• The City College of New York, The Bernard & Anne Spitzer School of Architecture
Event Conveners Anna Rubbo, CSUD, CSU; Adam Lubinsky, GSAPP, WXY