International Seminar and Architecture and Urban Culture Award
Camerino - I - July 30th - August 3rd 2008

The aim of the Seminar is to examine the changes in the landscape that have taken place as a result of modern densely built-up areas, in order to identify architecture that is both desirable and sustainable. The interdisciplinary Seminar will be committed to reviewing and increasing the understanding of future goals in the fields of research and practice. With an open mind, it will compare the different approaches of the universities and the construction industry in order to examine critically the characteristics of research and practice, thus increasing our mutual understanding.

Objectives - Project themes

(…) Sono ore che avanzi e non ti è chiaro se sei già in mezzo alla città o ancora fuori.
(...) You’ve been travelling for hours yet don’t know if you’re still in the heart of the city or on the outskirts.
I. Calvino, 'Le città invisibili'

Urban sprawl dominates increasingly widespread sections around towns and cities. These merge into each other to create shapeless built-up areas that become dense or sparse for purely economic reasons or those based on available infrastructure. It is essential that in the future this process is oriented towards sustainable models. Values such as social equality and respect for local communities, as well as the protection of natural resources and agricultural land must be seriously considered. In addition we must take great care not to destroy our present system of diverse regions and their fragile ecological balance as well as protecting our unique and irreplaceable historical, architectural and archaeological heritage.

The proposed project themes are:
- Historical and archaeological remains, rural landscapes
- Fragmentation of the city and the rapid, widespread increase of new suburban construction
- Infrastructures, territorial networks and sustainable urban frameworks
Programme
The Seminar will include sessions with short programme reports, communications and interdisciplinary discussions, alternated with workshops, during which participants will be given the opportunity to illustrate their work and also to compare the different aspects of the proposed project themes.

During the Seminar, an exhibition of the work presented by the competition participants will be displayed. A catalogue will also be available.
Each participant will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the Seminar. The Camerino 2008 Awards will be conferred during the closing ceremony.
As always, the Seminar will include The Camerino Architecture Festival with art events, exhibitions and social events.
A monograph on the Seminar will be published in ARCHITETTURA&CITTA (Di Baio Editore).

Info: www.unicam.it/culturaurbana Contact: giovanni.marucci@unicam.it