DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
The future of cities is a critical issue to todays’ lifestyle. Now that more than half of the world’s population is urban, cities have transformations and decreasing the quality of life. Like living organisms, cities change: they grow and shrink, they flourish and decline.
The European Federation for Landscape Architecture (EFLA) and the Estonian Landscape Architects’ Union (ELAU) invites to participate in EFLA Regional Congress “Mind the Gap. Landscapes for a New Era” (Nov. 2-4, Tallinn, Estonia). Over 90 speakers and an audience of 400 professionals are expected from all over the globe.
The aim of this congress is for academics, professionals and practitioners to share knowledge about how city space is created by the intertwining of various spheres. From such interaction with city environments, gaps in urban structure and urban life will appear and by exploring and understanding them, we are better prepared to create appropriate and unique environments in our cities – quality of life/quality of living.
New lives need new landscapes and new landscapes create new lives. How will our landscapes look like if we do not find solutions for our gaps? What will our future landscapes look like if we ignore the gaps which affect our environments and lives? Should we begin from the small or large gaps and in what direction will one or the other push us?
This congress will provide the opportunity for landscape architects, students and other professionals of related fields to exchange points of view and share experience and solutions to achieve new landscapes, to improve our quality of life, and to define new ways of living.
The official work language of the congress is English.
Who should attend?
Landscape Architects, Architects, City Planners, Urban Designers, Environmental Designers, Engineers, Designers, Geographers, Academics and Researchers, Sustainability Practitioners, Social Planners, Historians, Artists, Futurists, Philosophers and Psychologists, Place Makers, Politicians, Policy Makers, City Governance Personnel, Public Health Administrators, National Resources Administrators, Coastal Resource Managers, Planning Professionals, Elected Representatives, Mayors and Non-Government Agencies, Community and Industry Groups, Students and Active Citizens.
INFO AND REGISTRATION
For further information about the congress please access http://www.efla2011.com/ or contact us through .
Regarding registration issues, we would like to remind that our entire congress fees (International or Baltic guests and students fees) include:
– Three (3) days of congress participation (keynote speeches, parallel sessions and discussions)
– Three (3) lunches during the congress
– Coffee-breaks in the morning and afternoon breaks.
– Congress Kit, including the congress program and proceedings
– Welcome Cocktail Party (November 2) and Farewell party (November 4), together with opening of exhibitions
– Technical visits: excursions to the most interesting places in Tallinn city and surroundings accompanied by local professionals
– Evening entertainment events: EFLA Club afterparty, Film evenings and much more.
There are available students’ fees with attractive price as well as special discounts for group registration over 10 people.
To register, please access www.efla2011.com/registration.html or contact
SESSION TOPICS
Day 1: Gaps in Urban Landscapes – New Landscapes
– Forgotten places: landscape, culture and identity
– Eco-city: sustainable design and solutions
– Water as a key-element: waterscapes / water management / water fronts
– Dynamic landscapes
– Living systems: contemporary trends and innovative technologies in Landscape Architecture
Day 2: Gaps in Urban Life – New Lives
– Landscapes of transformation: design for everyone
– Different places for different faces: multi-diversity in urban context
– Transforming communities: social learning and community engagement
– Changing disciplines, changing landscapes: communication as a gap
– From teaching to practice: new research and methodologies in Landscape Architecture
– Reading in between the gaps: philosophy and landscape
– Healthy cities, healthy lives: legislation, policies and effective governance
Day 3: Quality of life / Quality of living
– Temporary landscapes and art intervention
– Critical and creative thinking
– Environment and behaviour: improving quality of life
– Regional planning, infrastructures performance and mobility
The structure of the congress will be based in three (3) days themes, with plenary sessions by the six (6) keynote speakers and 16 parallel sessions with more than 90 speakers from all over the world.
Included in the congress program with your registration, will be technical visits to introduce you to the built and natural environments in Estonia. A welcome cocktail party, gala dinner and farewell party are also included in the congress program, tied up with exhibitions, student competition and exhibition fair. All these combined of course with the wonders of the Estonian culture and traditions. Pre and Post tours are also planned for those who wish to further explore the country.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Mary Bowman (Gustafson Porter Ltd – UK)
Maria Ignatieva (SLU – Sweden)
Jan Gehl (Gehl Architects – Denmark)
Elías Torres Tur (Martínez Lapeña-Torres Arquitectos – Spain)
Tilman Latz (Latz + Partner – Germany)
Sulev Nurme (Artes Terrae/TUT – Estonia)