arch-peace news and articles: arch-peace: Overview of the year that was 2009
President’s Report
26 November 2009
Dear members of Architects for Peace,
It has been a pleasure for me to lead another successful year of this young organisation. The value of Architects for Peace (Arch-peace) rests in the work undertaken by its teams on the many tasks that we pursue. Peace and social justice in the realm of the built environment are our guiding principles, but the agenda is not set and Arch-peace offers an umbrella under which to create the conditions for a better future. Architecture and the professions of the built environment are not devices for the production of heroes. Architecture and the professions of the built environment represent our chosen means to service society while adding dignity and meaning to all our lives. Projects that benefit most people—particularly those who need it the most—is what Arch-peace is interested in facilitating, promoting and learning from...
Find here: arch-peace: Overview of the year that was 2009
3.12.09
arch-peace news and articles: arch-peace: Overview of the year that was 2009
6.10.09
Hard data for urban scenarios: UN Human Development Report '09
As professionals of the built environment we are often confronted with questions and sometimes decisions regarding the future of our cities. Migration and uncontrolled flux of peoples across the globe—due to climate change, pollution, wars or poverty—are some of these ‘apocalyptic’ scenarios presented to us. These scenarios, usually used as topics for students’ projects (particularly in architecture), are frequently offered devoid of any form of tangible hard data.
Whether we have any input in determining the future of our cities or not is another question. However, a good grasp of what is really going on the ground can only assist our response.
The recently published UN "Human Development Report 2009" offers some insights on what is really happening around migration and it claims that:
Migration not infrequently gets a bad press. Negative stereotypes portraying migrants as ‘stealing our jobs’ or ‘scrounging off the taxpayer’ abound in sections of the media and public opinion, especially in times of recession. For others, the word ‘migrant’ may evoke images of people at their most vulnerable. This year’s Human Development Report, Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development, challenges such stereotypes. It seeks to broaden and rebalance perceptions of migration to reflect a more complex and highly variable realityAnd,
The report suggests that the policy response to migration can be wanting. Many governments institute increasingly repressive entry regimes, turn a blind eye to health and safety violations by employers, or fail to take a lead in educating the public on the benefits of immigration.
Find the UN Human Development Report 2009: here
post: Beatriz C. Maturana
20.9.09
S. Schwartz: Should universities provide a moral education?
It was refreshing to hear Vice Chancellor of Sydney’s Macquarie University Steven Schwartz on ABC BigIdeas, discussing issues of morality and ethics in higher education. Morality, ethics, judgment and other such notions have for long been avoided in our universities, most of which have followed with an almost evangelical fervour the line of relativism.
Schwartz argues that, in universities relativism has had many adverse consequences--often discussed as separated issues (e.g. reduction of scientific credibility by society, poor or unclear curricula, economic imperatives leading universities decisions...). Schwartz manages to articulate the links between them. For instance, market interests leading research and lack of public confidence in scientific knowledge—consequently in scientific methods. His proposition has wide implications not only in regards to the objectives and approach of universities to teaching, education and knowledge, but also implications for each disciplinary field within academia, within which similar questions can be posed.
In the field of architecture, the vacuum left by scientific knowledge appears to have been filled by an emphasis on phenomenological experiences and expressions of inner thoughts detached from contextual knowledge. Many of these concepts, that fill the architectural design studio ‘discourse’ such as, ‘play’, ‘fun’, ‘scenarios’, ‘climate change’,[1] ‘sustainability’, ‘creativity’, ‘imagination’ among many others, are never explained, contextualised, measured or questioned.
Below I will be following this discussion and also counter arguments to Schwartz's contention."From its earliest classical origins, education's real purpose was to build 'character' so graduates could take up their role in their society and contribute to the good of everyone. But is that still the case or have financial imperatives had their way? After all, this year's budget papers did say that universities are here to grow the knowledge-based economy, that they are key contributors to economic progress. Commercial transactions have their own ethical imperatives and these are not always consistent...".
"...Publications are the coin of the realm in university scientific careers.
Some scientists agree to pose as authors just so they can add another paper to their CVs.
Clearly, we live in another time and another place from Salk.
The central ethical premise of universities has changed fundamentally.
The discovery and dissemination of knowledge has been replaced by the desire to exploit it.
Just think, can anyone today imagine a university giving a valuable vaccine away?
Hardly likely.
In fact, the government encourages universities to do just the opposite—to patent our discoveries and capitalise on our intellectual property.
One famous university has just spent a large amount of money on lawyers trying to prove to a court that it owned the rights to a successful drug.
The university lost the case and paid out a fortune in legal fees.
Was the institution sorry it took the matter to court?
Far from it. As one senior staff member explained, had the claim been successful, the university would have made millions.
Please don’t get me wrong. (...)"
(ABC Radio, BigIdeas, 6.09.09, listen to this talk here)
Find a transcription of this talk here
For a counter argument and comments see Stephen Romei, editor of The Australian, here
Notes:
[1] Note that I am not questioning 'climate change', but the manner in which this critical issue is posed, often as an excuse to 'play' with ideas without any material context and/or knowledge framework (social, climatic, geographic, etc.)--measurable expressions of the material/physical context.
10.9.09
Melbourne's Bushfires: time to reflect new urban strategies
Melbourne's Bushfires: isn't it time to reflect new urban strategies?
Presentation at Process@Loop: Responses to Bushfire, May 4 2009. Loop Bar, 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne.
As harsh climate conditions with its disastrous consequences become more frequent, Australian authorities and politicians are now quick to name climate change as a contributing factor. In view of a future increasingly exposed to a harsher climate, calls for the review of emergency laws, the upgrading of fire evacuation plans and building regulations are been considered. However, are these expedient responses dealing with the complex issue of suburban and outer suburban living?
