Alvar Aalto, through the eyes of Shigeru Ban

Are you planning to visit London?? If you are, then you are lucky to find a very interesting exhibition at the Barbican Center.
There is no need to introduce Alvar Aalto, but maybe you do not know that Shigeru Ban in one of the most important architects in the world. He is japanese and his works are very innovative about the use of materials. He was one of the first in using recycling in architecture.
The exhibition faces again the work of Alvar Aalto but through the personal experience of another architect, who belongs to another generation and was born in a different culture.

The exhibition will be open from 22 February till 13 May at the Barbican Centre of London.

More info: http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=4341

Urban Probes: Encountering our Emerging Urban Athmospheres

Part of the Urban Athmospheres research program, Urban Probes is a project from Intel Research Berkley described as:

-A lightweight, provocative, intervention methodology designed to rapidly deconstruct urban situations, reveal new opportunities for technology in urban spaces, and guide future long term research in urban computing.

Urban Probes draw large inspiration from the work of several leading researchers in developing technology probes and domestic probes. Such probes combine the social science goal of collecting information about the use and the users of the technology in a real world setting, the engineering goal of field-testing the technology, and the design goal of inspiring users and designers to imagine new kinds of technology to support their needs and desires.

Urban Probes complements these bodies of work by addressing similar themes with respect to urban life. As technology moves from office to home to street, we want to avoid bringing along with it 'workplace' values such as efficiency and productivity at the expense of other possibilities. Urban Probes provide methods that aid researchers in gathering fragmentary glimpses into the rich texture of people's daily urban street life... - taken from the original website

Culture and City - call for papers

EUROPEAN FELLOWSHIPS FOR
TRAINING IN URBAN STUDIES
ISSUE 2007:

CULTURE AND CITY
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The importance of the European city for the process of European integration lies to a great deal in the cultural heritage it provides for present urban residents and future generations. On the basis of this strong backbone of identity, cultural heritage as well as cultural expression will generate a place where economic, social and political changes can be collectively faced.

The workshop and the conference will develop scientific research on:
- Culture as a factor for urban regeneration
- Culture as a strategy for social cohesion
- Culture and the creation of innovative milieus

The role of culture has been recognized by cities in order to boost economic development by subsidies to cultural events and investment in cultural buildings. In which way can culture provide a sustainable urban development in ways that attract visitors and enterprise and at the same time enhance citizens’ identity and everyday life? In what ways can cultural and urban regeneration support social cohesion?

VENUE: Karlskrona, Sweden

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION 1st of April 2007
WORKSHOP: 29th June – 6th July 2007
CONFERENCE: 16th – 18th November 2007

For further information about the programme and application procedure, please visit: www.urban-future.net