Martin Strakoš: What and How to Build and What and How to Demolish

The Antiquarian and Club Fiducia invite you to a screening and lecture:

Martin Strakoš: Our Dilemma: What and How to Build and What and How to Demolish.

June 14, 2012, at 7:30 PM at the Antiquarian and Club Fiducia

Various forms of urbanization and de-urbanization are most often related to the depopulation of exhausted areas and the countryside, the decline of old and neglected cities or parts of them, or their transformation for new purposes. In developing countries, they are associated with rapid urbanization, the construction of basic infrastructure, and the radical reconstruction of entire settlements and peripheries. A variety of strategies are used to destroy existing or build new urban structures. Are we looking for these strategies, or have we lost sight of urban planning principles?

The lecture will take place before the film Urbanized. IMPORTANT: It will be held at the Minikinokavárna, and a ticket for the film must be purchased. The film will be screened immediately after the lecture.

Urbanized, the last part of Gary Hustwit’s documentary trilogy on design (following the films Helvetica and Objectified), features some of the most prominent architects, urban planners, strategists, and thinkers from around the world, including names like Sir Norman Foster, Oscar Niemeyer, Rem Koolhaas, Jan Gehl, Amanda Burden, Enrique Peñalosa, Alejandro Aravena, and others. The remarkable residents who have contributed to changes in their cities are not overlooked either. Who has the privilege to shape the form and face of our cities, and how do they do it? What impact does the appearance and concept of cities have on our lives? The documentary examines a wide range of urban projects in twelve cities across the globe, from initiatives that impact massive infrastructure to temporary interventions. Urbanized thus opens a global discussion about the future of our cities.