Circular Strategies Symposium: Aftermath, Reconstruction of Environments

The fifth Circular Strategies Symposium addresses the timely, critical theme of post-disaster contexts: Aftermath. Reconstruction of Environments.

Disasters, whether natural or manmade, leave a devastating trail of destruction in their wake, disrupting communities, livelihoods and ecosystems. In the aftermath of such events, the role of architects in addressing these challenges is essential not only in terms of restoring physical structures, but also in terms of fostering resilience and rebuilding communities. When a lack of economic and/or material resources is evident, a shift towards regenerative systems that minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency is required. The concept of circularity emerges as a respectful solution, offering a transformative approach to post-disaster architecture.

The symposium will deliver a multidisciplinary perspective on key themes, such as designing with immediate responses in mind, from temporary to permanent rebuilding, large-scale territorial planning, materials and approaches, aimed at transforming the narrative from despair to resilience.

Thursday, October 10, 6pm
Introduction: Petra Gruber, Institute of Architecture, University of Applied Arts Vienna
Keynote “Ruins and Regeneration: The Near and Far Future of Disaster Recovery” by Eric J. Cesal.

Friday, October 11, 9am-6:30pm
The symposium will be organized around four conversation topics: “On the ground”, “From temporary to permanent”, “Large-scale reconstruction”, and “Material and approaches”. The conversations will be moderated by Anja Jonkhans, Lukas Allner, and Carmen Maria Egger.

Guest lectures and panelists: Patrick Coulombel (Emergency Architects Foundation, France), Cyrille Hanappe (ENSA Paris Belleville, France), Sandra d’Urzo (Red Cross, Switzerland), Natalie Mossin and Ingeborg Hau (Royal Danish Academy, Denmark), Hsieh Ying Chun (Atelier-3, Taiwan), Vitalina Hoshovska (Balbek Bureau, Ukraine), Michaela Bachmann (IIASA, Austria), Kees Christiaanse (ETH Zurich, KCAP, the Netherlands), Lilet Breddels (Archis, Architecture of Peace, Ro3kvit, the Netherlands), Adam Przywara (University of Fribourg, Switzerland), Mattia di Carlo (3XN GXN, Denmark).

During the event, a full-scale installation, Branch Formations, by Daniela Kröhnert and Lukas Allner, will be on display in the main atrium (Conceptual Joining—an arts-based research project led by Christoph Kaltenbrunner and funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)).

Organized by Petra Gruber and Camille Breuil, Department of Building Construction, I oA, University of Applied Arts Vienna.