Call for Papers: Failed Architecture Workshop in Budapest

Date: November 14-17, 2013 

Location: Kossuth Lajos utca 14-16. 

The workshop is held in English 

http://lakatlan.kek.org.hu/en/events/fa/ 

Failed Architecture aims to open up perspectives on urban failure and dubious architecture, from what it’s perceived to be, what is actually happening and how it’s represented to the public. FA believes that there is a demand for more holistic, 360-degree observations that lay bare the downsides of urban development and architecture instead of just looking at the physical results produced by architects. Next to an ongoing online exploration and live lectures and debates, FA conducts research workshops on site. These have been carried out in a variety of cities, amongst which Berlin, Nottingham, Sofia, Tallinn, Porto, Copenhagen and Belgrade. 

The aim of the workshop is to understand the context and path-dependency of a particular building, neighbourhood or urban phenomenon, which is considered to be problematic. Together with a group of participants, FA performs a multiple-day research that breaks down the history of the specific case. By analyzing different layers that influence it – the built environment, the social context, the economics, the reputation and the politics – a physical timeline is created. The timeline shows the history of the case from various, interconnected angles. 

The participants conduct the research with FA’s guidance, the input of local experts and their own investigations. This includes lectures, desk and archival research, interviews and field analysis. The timeline is the basis for further discussion about the challenges and constraints, but most of all the potential of the alleged problem. 

In Budapest, the Failed Architecture Workshop will address the Skála Metró building and its environment at Nyugati Square. The building, once the most modern department store of the city, has been witnessing the transformation of commerce and shopping habits, the changing significance of neighborhoods, the decline of building technologies and types. The workshop inaugurates the 6-month series organized by Lakatlan Budapest (KÉK) presenting Dutch approaches to Vacancy. 

REGISTRATION 

For participants until October 31, 2013 

Would you like to participate at the Budapest edition of Failed Architecture’s traveling workshop? We’re looking for designers, activist, researchers and students in relevant fields engaged with the questions of the built environment (architecture, urbanism, design, art, sociology, economy, psychology, media, etc.) to join the 4-day international workshop. 

Subscription until October 31, 2013 with CV at lakatlan@kek.org.hu and by filling the registration form

CFP: Urban Popcultures Conference

10th May –12th May 2014, Lisbon, Portugal

This inter- and multi-disciplinary conference aims to examine, explore and critically engage with issues related to urban life. The project will promote the ongoing analysis of the varied creative trends and alternative cultural movements that comprise urban popcultures and subcultures. In particular the conference will encourage equally theoretical and practical debates which surround the cultural and political contexts within which alternative urban subcultures are flourishing.

Presentations, papers, performances, reports, work-in-progress, workshops and pre-formed panels are invited on issues related to any of the following themes:

1. Urban Space and the Landscape of the City

Urban Aesthetics and Architecture, Creative Re-imagining and Revitalization of the City. The Metropolis and Inner City Life: Urban Boredom vs. Creativity.

2. The City as Creative Subject/Object

Urban Life and Urban Subculture Considered in Music, Art, Film and Videogames. Urban Fashion and Style. Urban Visual Styles, Street Art, Graffiti and Tagging. City Festivals.

3. Urban Codes

Alternative Popular Culture and Ideology, Politics of Alternative Popcultures, Alternative Ethics of the City. Urban Religion and Religious Expressions. The Language and Urban Slang. The Avantgarde and Urban Codes.

4. Alternative Music Cultures

Histories, Representations, Discourses and Independent Scenes. Popular Music Theory. Cultural and Social Aspects of Clubbing and Scenes. Being Alternative as a “religion”: Sub-cultures of Indie Rock and Post-Punk, Hip Hop, Rap, Electronica, Dark Wave Scenes – Post-Gothic.

5. Queer Theory and Urban Alternative Cultures

Gendered Music and Fashion. The Role of the City in Gendered Freedom and Libertine Lifestyles.

Pride Parades and Festivals.

6. City making the Fashion Styles

Identity Creation. Style and Branding. Politics of Cool. Pretties, Freaks and Uglies.

7. Visions of Alternative Sound Cultures in Massmedia

The Role of Internet Radio. The Visual Aspects of Alternative Entertainment. The Evolution of Music Television. Urban Alternative Styles and Extreme Sports.

8. Urban Alternative Cultures and Online World

Urban Identity and Global/Glocal Membership. Globalisation/Localisation and Access to the Alternative Music and Clubbing Experience. Current Models of Music Distribution. Music Piracy – Copyright/Copyleft/Creative Commons. The Role of Internet and Prosumer in the Transformation of Music Industry.

In order to support and encourage interdisciplinarity engagement, it is our intention to create the possibility of starting dialogues between the parallel events running during this conference. Delegates are welcome to attend up to two sessions in each of the concurrent conferences. We also propose to produce cross-over sessions between two and possibly all three groups – and we welcome proposals which deal with the relationship between Teenagers, visual culture, and/or urban popcultures, subcultures and/or storytelling.

What to send

300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 6th December 2013 If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Friday 14th March 2014. 300 word abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to both Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word or RTF formats with the following information and in this order:

a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in programme, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract, f) up to 10 keywords.

E-mails should be entitled: Urban Popcultures 4 Abstract Submission.

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using footnotes and any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! We suggest, then, to look for an alternative electronic route or resend.

Organising Chairs

Daniel Riha: rihad@inter-disciplinary.net

Rob Fisher: up4@inter-disciplinary.net

The conference is part of the ‘Critical Issues’ programme of research projects. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative and exciting. All papers accepted for and presented at this conference are eligible for publication in an ISBN eBook. Selected papers may be invited to go forward for development into a themed ISBN hard copy volume.

Please note: Inter-Disciplinary.Net is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence.

http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/critical-issues/cyber/urban-popcultures/call-for-papers/