Architectural Criticism between Public Debate and Autonomous Discipline

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JANUARY 18th-19th, 2016 – First international workshop – Rennes

ARGUMENT

This first workshop will focus on the relationship of architectural criticism with “public opinion” and on the opposite side, its relation to architecture as an “autonomous” discipline.

To what extent does architectural criticism share common questions, protagonists and medias with the public sphere, with the public debate? Or conversely, has it an exclusive relation to the professional or the academic sphere? In this case, does architectural criticism tend to become an autonomous discourse, if autonomous exclusively refers to architectural theories/ histories? Does it refer to extra-disciplinary concepts? The various nature and degree of such an autonomy will be examined in different historical, institutional and cultural contexts: to what extent is architectural criticism autonomous from social uses of architecture, from the architectural design and its economic production?

PROGRAM

MONDAY, JANUARY 18th > Université Rennes 2, Salle B 332, 9.30-18.30
Mapping.Crit.Arch: Architectural criticism XXth and XXIst centuries, a cartography ANR Project ANR-14-CE31-0019-01

9.45 Introduction (Hélène Jannière, Université Rennes 2, Coordinator of the Mapping.Crit.Arch ANR Research Project)

Emerging Forms of Criticism
10.00 Carlo MENON, The Bartlett School of Architecture, London, Four magazines on Architectural Criticism 2005-2010: a Perspective from 2015
10.30 Marcela Garcia MARTINEZ, University of Geneva, Architectural centers: Mediation is the new Criticism
11.00 Coffee break

Boundaries of Criticism
11.15 Dirk VAN DE VIJVER, Associate professor, Department of History of Art, Utrecht University, Mapping the reception of Victor Horta: the blurring boundaries of architectural criticism, theory and history
11.45 Rute FIGUEIREDO, gta/D-ARCH/ETH Zurich, Director of the Site of Discourse Research Project (Lisbon University), Fixing boundaries. Architecture and criticism at the onset of the 20th century
12.15 Discussion

13.00 Lunch

Architectural Journalism and Campaigns
14.30 Jim NJOO, Associate Professor, École d’architecture de Paris-La Villette, TU Delft Department of Architecture, Dialogic Criticism Cedric Price’s Design Columns 1975-1999
15.00 Erdem ERTEN, Associate Professor, Izmir Institute of Technology Department of Architecture, Mobilizing the Nation via Architectural Criticism : The Architectural Review “Outrage” and “Counterattack”
15.30 Coffee break

Controversies and Public Debate. Mobilizing the Public
15.45 Leah HSIAO, Department of Art History, University of York, The Battle of the Pyramid: architectural criticism on I.M Pei’s Louvre Pyramid
16.15 Kristen GAGNON, Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism, Carleton University, Architecture Criticism vs. the Public : ‘Mirvish+Gehry Toronto’ A Case Study
16.45 Discussion

17.30 Rute Figueiredo, gta/D-ARCH/ETH Zurich, Presentation of the Site of Discourse Research Project (Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Instituto de História da Arte)

18.00 Conclusion

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19th > Archives de la critique d’art, 9.30-13.00
Twentieth Century American Art and Architecture Criticism. New Paradigms and Cultural Transfers.
Terra Foundation for American Art

9.30 Presentation of Les Archives de la Critique d’art by Jean-Marc POINSOT (President) and Nathalie BOULOUCH (Director)

10.30 Lecture: Martin HARTUNG, gta/D-ARCH/ETH Zurich, Columbia University, Architectural Criticism on the Art Market: An American Debate, 1975-1985

11.15 Coffee Break

11.30 Lecture: Louis MARTIN, Professor, Department of Art History, Université du Québec à Montréal, Uqam. American Debates around the Autonomy of Critique in Architecture, 1990-2004

12.15 Discussion

TRANSPORT

MONDAY, JANUARY 18th
Université Rennes 2, Building B (see map of the campus), B 332, 3rd floor.
+From the train station: Metro direction “Kennedy”, stop “Villejean-Université”

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19th
Archives de la critique d’art
4 allée Marie Berhaut, Bât. B
35000 Rennes, France
http://www.archivesdelacritiquedart.org/informations_pratiques/adresse.html

Metro + bus
+ From the train station : Direction Kennedy, stop Anatole France + bus Line C2 – Direction Saint-Grégoire – Stop: Lycée Mendès France

Bus
+ From the train station and République Line C2 – Direction Saint-Grégoire – Stop: Lycée Mendès France
+ From City center Line 12 – Direction Grand Quartier – Stop: Lycée Mendès France
+ From Villejean – Université Rennes 2 Line 14 – Direction Beaulieu Atalante– Stop: Lycée Mendès France

INFO

Go to the official workshop page
Download the program