Youth Space & Urban Transformation
An AIA Europe Conference on Architecture and Urbanism
Pristina, Kosovo | April 5th - 8th, 2018
Friday, 6th April 2018
City Officials Speak
Officials from the Mayor's Office and the Ministry of Spatial Planning will speak about the past, present, and future of Pristina, and the importance of committing to sustainable development and quality public spaces in the city with the largest youth population in Europe.
Youth Initiatives For Urban Change: Panel Discussion and Site Visit
Speakers from the Kosovo Architecture Foundation will discuss alternative approaches to urban design and regeneration of public spaces through programs directly involving the city's youth. They will also lead a site tour of the Kosovo National Library, for which they helped secure the recent Getty Foundation "Keeping It Modern" Grant.
Young International Offices Focus New Lens on Pristina
In recent years, a number of international firms with ties to Kosovo have been contributing to the dialogue about rebuilding Pristina, bringing not only international knowledge and expertise but also fresh ideas for solving urban issues through quality design. The London-based practice 4M Group designed the Kosovan Pavillion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale and will present their current work in and outside of Pristina.
Saturday, 7th April 2018
Building Democracy
: Educating Youth Through Heritage
Cultural Heritage without Borders Kosovo (CHwB), an independent non-governmental organization dedicated to rescuing and preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage affected by conflict or disasters, will discuss its work and recents efforts to make Heritage part of the teaching curricula in Kosovo. CHwB sees its work as a vital contribution to building democracy and supporting human rights.
Building For Youth: A Model School
With support from the World Bank, Kosovo has built a model school, for a model education environment. The building uses recyclable materials and houses over 1,000 elementary school students. The local architecture firm Urban Plus will present the project and lead a guided tour of the project.
Building Landmarks: A City Walking Tour
Conference Participants will be led on a city walking tour of Pristina City Center focusing on diverse architectural landmarks - including Modernist and Ottoman Era Buildings. They will also visit the Kosovo Ethnological Museum and its compound.
Building Bridges: A New Generation of Leadership
No city in Europe has changed as much in the past 25 years as Tirana, the capital of Kosovo's neighboring country Albania. Its 38 year-old Mayor Erion Veliaj is changing it further through forward-thinking green initiatives, mobilizing citizens and youth organizations to help. Mayor Veliaj will discuss Tirana's successes and how the region can work together for a sustainable future.
Sunday, 8th April 2018
The Power of Young Professionals
The Kosovan practice ANARCH is responsible for the re-purpose, re-use and transformation of a socialist-era factory building into a contemporary studio and office space for National TV Studio KlanKosova. KlanKosova is a newly founded TV Studio, mainly comprised of young professionals, that by using a non-traditional approach, managed in a short time to make it the best national TV in Kosovo, breaking old stereotypes about traditional National TV.
Monday, 9th April 2018 – Optional Monday Extension
Tours of Heritage Buildings and Prizren Castle
The Monday Program is an optional add on extension (separate registration required) offering a tour of Prizren Castle and other historical sites. The tour will focus on the recent restoration of the Prizren Castle that was undertaken by the Archaeological Institute of Kosovo and Cultural Heritage without Borders, with funding from the Ministry of Culture and the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.
