ARCHEWORKS & ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE D’ARCHITECTURE DE SAINT-ETIENNE PRESENT
ARCHITECTURE
AS A
POLITICAL
PRACTICE
A YEARLY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM ON THE
APPLICATION OF ARCHITECTURAL THINKING TO
THE REFORM OF THE WORLD ORDER
2016 SESSION : LABOR
CHICAGO, USA / OCTOBER 2016
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
INTENT
“In short, the true courage is to admit that the light at the end of the tunnel is most
likely the headlights of another train approaching us from the opposite direction.”
Architecture is an occupation of mankind usually associated with
the « production of buildings ». But, the ongoing accumulation
of massive and complex problems on the surface of the earth
requires to reconsider this assumption. It is fairly recent indeed
that architecture has been narrowed down to the sole production
of buildings. Vitruvius dedicated books to the design of machines,
Palladio reformed the art of war through the use of architectural
thought processes and Rem Koolhaas’ AMO was recently
commissioned to the study an alternative future for the European
Community. We will here work under the assumption that
Architecture is a discipline which can be applied to any complex
problem within the construction of reality.
KUROKAWA - INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, 1974
2016 marks the 130th anniversary of the Haymarket Riots in
Chicago. What was then a struggle for the 8-hour day is now a
claim for «livable wages» in the United States and the repeal of the
many «labor laws» in France.
The question of labor’s rights and role hasn’t been solved and we
seem to be presently very far from it. People organizing for social
progress and civil rights are facing state and corporate violence in
an intensity that is, at the very minimum, alarming. For those less
optimistic, one could say that history is back. This «history» to
which the daunting meaning of the word violence is inseparable.
The problems will have to be acknowledged before we become
the witness to the election of one of the many rising neo-fascist
political parties in the west and/or the complete destruction of the
European Union.
To begin the conversation, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure
d’Architecture de Saint-Etienne (ENSASE) and Archeworks
have partnered to host an international symposium that brings
architects, philosophers, scholars, critical theorists, economists
and social scientists to Chicago in order to question the role and
focus of the inaugural event : LABOR.
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
PROCLAMATION 182 - EIGHT HOUR WORK DAY FOR EMPLOYEES
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES - MAY 19, 1869
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM
This program articulates several fields of research :
1/ Pedagogy - Research / Training.
15 to 20 French students from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure
d’Architecture de Saint-Etienne will spend 2 weeks in Chicago
in the school of Archeworks in the first semester of master. This
studio is entitled “Architecture as a Political Practice”
2/ Scientific Activity
An internationnal symposium will be held on the 28th and 29th
of October 2016. Distinguished scholars from India (Indian
Institute of Management), the United States (Georgia Institute of
Technology) and France (two faculty from the EnsapBx and two
faculty from the Ensase). The symposium is based on a partnership
between “Transformation” the research laboratory of the Ensase
and Archeworks based in Chicago.
3/ Publication
The symposium will be the purpose of a publication presentation
articles from part of the invited speakers as well as from the work
of the students. This publication will occur in January 2017. The
students will be active participants of a seminar with the invited
guests. They will be producing the publicaiton as well.
4/ Exhibition of the Research / Training work produced
The sum of the production will be presented at the Internationnal
Design Biennial of Saint-Etienne in March 2017 in a 2000 sq/ft
space in the main site of this event. The students will be producing
the exhibition layout.
5/ Annual internationnal fundamental research in architecture
plateform
This program is meant to be perpetuated every year. The several
schools involved are willing to join forces and bring their students
in Chicago during the 2017 edition. Additionnal sponsors are
joining the program this year to witness the process an potentially
invest in it.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this program is opening
new fields of opportunities for architects on crucial issues
regarding the major issues of our contemporary world.
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
DESCRIPTION DU PROGRAMME
Ce programme articule diverses modalités de recherche :
1/ Pedagogie et Formation/recherche:
15 à 20 étudiants de l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architcture
de Saint-Etienne résiderons durant 2 semaines à Chicago à l’école
Archeworks durant leur premier semestre de master. Cet atelier
enseigné en anglais est intitulé “Architecture as a political practice”
2/ Activité scientifique:
un colloque international est organisé les 28 et 29 octobre 2016s. Des
chercheurs renommés d’Inde (Indian Institute of Management),
des Etats Unis d’Amérique (Georgia Institute of Technology) et de
France (deux chercheurs de l’Ensap de Bordeaux ainsi que deux
chercheurs de L’Ensa de Saint-Etienne). Le colloque est basé sur
un partenariat entre le laboratoire “Transformation” de l’Ensase et
Archeworks à Chicago.
3/ Publication et valorisation:
Le colloque sera l’objet d’une publication présentant les actes du
colloque, des contributions d’autres collaborateurs et les travaux
des étudiants. Cette publicaiton est prevue pour fin janvier 2017.
Les étudiants prendront une part active au séminaire avec les
enseignants invités. Ils produiront par ailleurs la publication.
4/ Diffusion et divulgation de la formation/recherche:
La somme des productions sera exposée à la Biennale
Internationnale de Saint-Etienne en mars 2017 dans un espace
de 200 m2 du site principal de cette manifestation. Les étudiants
participeront à la construction de cette installation.
5) Programme scientifique pluriannuel:
Ce programme est pensé comme un programme annuel de
recherche. Les diverses écoles invités ont manifesté leur intérêt
de prendre une part plus active dès l’année prochaine en faisant
participer leurs étudiants. Divers sponsons ont annoncé leur
venure cette année dans le but de s’informer et eventuellement
d’investir l’année prochaine.
Enfin, ce programme ouvre de nouveaux horizons d’implications
des architectes sur des problèmes majeurs du monde contemporain.
KUROKAWA - INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, 1974
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ANDREW BALSTER
XAVIER WRONA
MANUEL BELLO MARCANO
ARCHITECT -
ARCHITECT
SOCIOLOGIST
Executive Director of Archevorks
ENSA Saint-Etienne
ENSA Saint-Etienne
PROGRAM CO-DIRECTOR
PROGRAM CO-DIRECTOR
SCIENTIFIC COORDINATOR
Andrew is a Chicago-based leader operating in the fields of
Xavier Wrona is the founder of the architecture office “Est-ce
Manuel Bello-Marcano is a French-Venezuelian architect,
architecture, urbanism, public policy, sociology, and academia.
ainsi”, a structure working to refocus the architectural practice
sociologist and theorist. He’s a Lecturer at Ecole Nationale
Working closely with influential leaders in the public and private
on its political consequences and its possible participation in
Supérieure d’Architecture de Saint-Étienne (France) where
sector, ranging from architects and planners to government
the reform of “vivre ensemble.” (living together). Est-ce ainsi
he teaches architectural theory, Philosophy, social sciences
officials and social activists, he creates research platforms with
articulates a critical reading of the figure of the architect throughout
and research seminaries. His research and writings are about
universities to explore many forms of cultural production. In
history to the production of inordinately minimum architectures
the relationship between architecture, urban imaginary and
practice, Andrew has worked on projects that are broad in typology
with a particular attention to the means of production of the built
animality. He has worked with the municipality of Caracas
and scale - ranging from small civic centers to super-tall towers to
environment.
(Chacao) and was an associate of the architecture office PROA
entire urban districts. Andrew was a Senior Designer at Skidmore,
Architect DPLG, Xavier Wrona is a graduate of the Ecole
(A.K.A PLAN 1 estudio - Venezuela). He holds a Master degree
Owings & Merrill (SOM) in Chicago on several award-winning
Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette and of
in Philosophy (DPEA – Paris La Villette) with a dissertation
projects located all over the globe. He received an MScAAD
the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. He taught
entitled “Anthropozoologie de l’enfermement: l’imaginaire
and an MArch w/distinction from the University of Edinburgh
from 2002-2010 for the Franco-American studio for the Georgia
spatial à l’épreuve de l’animalité”. He holds a Master degree in
in the UK. Andrew joined Archeworks as Executive Director in
Tech Paris Program at the ENSAPLV in Paris, at the ENSAPBX
Sociology of contemporary societies and a PHD in human and
February 2015.
in Bordeaux and is now associate professor at the Ecole Nationale
social sciences from the University Descartes-Sorbonne with a
Supérieure d’Architecture de Saint-Etienne, France. Est-ce ainsi
thesis entitled: “Les illuminations Profanes. Une étude sur les
was awarded the Young Architects and Landscape Architects
formes de la perception urbaine contemporaine”. He’s a member
prize by the french Ministry of Culture in 2010. He produced the
of the Centre d’Etudes sur l’Actuel et le Quotidien (CEAQ) and
architectural theory exhibition “Georges Bataille, Architecture,
an associate member of the laboratory GERPHAU (architecture
Chicago an World Order : an essay in General Economy” as
and philosophy). He currently is the director of « Transformations
well as the architectural TV show “After the revolution” in the
» (ENSASE) a research group that works on post-industrials and
Southside of Chicago in 2015. He currently is a PhD student at the
rural territories. He has published in several reviews as Les Cahiers
Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris.
Européens de l’Imaginaire (CNRS editions), Sociétés (De Boeck
éditions) and le Philotope.
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
LIBERO ANDREOTTI,
OLIVIER CHADOIN
KENT FITZSIMONS,
NAVDEEP MATHUR
ARCHITECT AND HISTORIAN
SOCIOLOGIST
ARCHITECT, DOCTOR OF ARCHITECTURE
POLITICAL SCIENTIST AND ECONOMIST
Georgia Tech College of Architecture, USA
ENSAP Bordeaux, France
ENSAP Bordeaux, France
Indian Institute of Management, India
Professor Andreotti is an architect, critic, and historian
Olivier Chadoin Olivier Chadoin is a sociologist and research
J. Kent Fitzsimons is associate professor at the Ecole Nationale
Navdeep Mathur is a faculty member at the Indian Institute
of
European avant-garde movements between the two World
professor at the ENSAP Bordeaux. His work focuses on the
Supérieure d’Architecture et de Paysage de Bordeaux, where he
of Management’s Public Systems Group. His research is on
Wars and after. He writes on architecture and politics during
city and architecture and their production systems. It includes
teaches architectural design, architecture theory, and research
the political foundations of urban planning and governance,
Fascism and the post-war movements on the 1960s, especially
the world of architectural and urban production and its agents
seminars. He is director of the PAVE research laboratory (Profession
citizenship, state-making and infrastructure related conflict. He is
the Internationale Situationniste. A native of Italy and two-time
as a specific production field and architecture as a material and
Architecture Ville Environnement), which studies architectural
one of the founding former editors of Critical Policy Studies, and
Fulbright scholar, from 1994 to 2011 he was Director of Georgia
symbolic event took in games and challenges of the social world
and urban phenomena from the perspective of the social sciences.
teaches courses on critical policy studies, interpretive methods,
Tech’s Paris Program at the Ecole d’Architecture de Paris-La
whose symbolic domination is a dimension. He is a member of
Kent Fitzsimons’s research considers social and political aspects
participatory theatre, and corporate social Irresponsibility.
Villette in Paris, France. Andreotti’s books include Spielraum:
editorial boards « Espaces et Sociétés », « Revue Française des
of architectural knowledge as manifested in the built environment.
Navdeep holds a Ph.D. Public Policy and Administration from
Benjamin et L’Architecture (Paris, Editions La Villette 2011), Le
méthodes visuelles », Editions de La Villette and RAMAU.
He has published in particular on how notions of lived experience
Rutgers University, an M. A. in Global Political Economy, Dept.
Grand Jeu a Venir: Ecrits situationnistes sur la ville (Paris, Editions
He has published La cité refuge de l’armée du salut de Le Corbusier
employed in architectural design relate to social phenomena,
of Politics, University of Hull, UK and a B.A. in Economics,
la Villette 2007), Situationists: Art, Politics, Urbanism, with Xavier
et Pierre Janneret, avec G. Ragot, Ed. du patrimoine, 2016 ; Etre
with a focus on body-based issues such as life phases, gender, and
Khalsa College, Delhi University.. He has published “On the
Costa, based on the exhibition he curated at the MACBA in 1996
architecte : les vertus de l’indétermination - de la sociologie d’une
impairment. At the urban scale, he is interested in spatial practices
Sabarmati Riverfront: Urban Planning as Totalitarian Governance
(Barcelona, ACTAR 1996), and Theory of the Derive and Other
profession à la sociologie du travail professionnel, PULim, Coll.
and their representation in public policy; a recent study focused on
in Ahmedabad, Gujarat” Economic and Political Weekly 2012,
Situationist Writings on the City (Barcelona, ACTAR 1996). Most
« sociologie », 2007; La ville des individus – Sociologie, urbanisme
urban mobility in light of the energy transition. Kent Fitzsimons
with Chris Skelcher. “Evaluating Democratic Performance:
recently, along with Peggy Deamer, David Cunningham, Erick
et architecture, propos croisés, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2004 ; Activités
holds a professional architecture degree from McGill University
Methodologies for Assessing the Relationship between Network
Swyngedouw, and Joan Ockman, he co-authored Can Architecture
d’architectes en Europe : nouvelles pratiques, Dir. Avec T. Evette,
(Montreal, 1996) and earned Master and Doctor of Architecture
Governance and Citizens” Public Administration Review, ‘Urban
be an Emancipatory Project? Dialogues on Architecture and the
Paris, Ed. de la Villette, 2003 ; Du politique à l’œuvre - Systèmes
degrees at Rice University (Houston, 2000, 2006).
Revitalization and Participatory Governance: Methodology for
Left, edited by Nadir Lahiji (London: Zerobooks 2015). Professor
et acteurs des grands projets urbains et architecturaux, avec P.
a Discursive Policy Analysis’. Policy and Society. 2007, with
Andreotti’s essays and projects have appeared in October, Grey
Godier et G.Tapie, He regularly publishes in scientific journals
Kuldeep Mathur. 2007. ‘Policy Analysis in India: Research Bases
Room, Lotus International, Japan Architect, and JAE. He is
and edited volumes.
and Discursive Practices.’, in Handbook of Public Policy Analysis.
working on a book with Nadir Lahiji entitled The Architecture of
Taylor & Francis, with Mike Smith, and Chris Skelcher. 2006.
Phantasmagoria, forthcoming in 2016.
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS
Archeworks is a design school, research lab and thinktank based in Chicago.
Since its foundation in 1994, Archeworks began as a
multidisciplinary design school with a social agenda,
offering a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Interest
Design that is action-oriented, simultaneously tactical
and
spontaneous,
community-building
and
self-
sustaining. Our alumni have gone on as entrepreneurs
to start social impact businesses, receive advanced
degrees in design and policy, lead communities and
cities forward and exhibit their work throughout the
world.
In 2015, Archeworks launched Chicago Complex,
an operation that creates a satellite campus for over
10 national and international universities, which
brought over 500 students to Chicago to date. This
academic consortium for advanced urban studies
utilizes the Chicago metropolitan area as a laboratory
for contemporary cultural production and definition.
Students
from
diverse
areas,
nationalities
and
backgrounds bring a balanced and unbiased dialogue
around some of Chicago’s most pressing social
dilemmas, often exposing latent challenges and finding
promising solutions.
Internally, Archeworks conducts and oversees research
in many capacities. This multidisciplinary research
think-tank engages areas beyond design that influence
the social climate that we design within: education,
policy, media, technology, waste streams, energy. This
team deepens the focus, precision and impact potential
for our projects.
KUROKAWA - INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, 1974
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
INTERNATIONNAL DESIGN BIENNIAL OF SAINT-
technical and organisational inventions that exploits
ETIENNE
an entire part of humanity, leading to suffering as
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
well as hope. However, it also reveals nonstandard
productive capacities that fascinate, deviate and absorb
This is the presentation of the coming biennial in Saint-
our imaginations. From the design of an interface
Etienne in which the produced work will be exhibited
meant for the management of a shared service to the
in March 2017
active participation in citizen groups, designers take up
ideological perspectives that are going to sustainably
contribute to the elaboration of our environment.
WORKING PROMESSE
- Future existences. The questions that are going to
shifting work paradigms
stir up the Biennale Internationale Design SaintEtienne 2017 will provide an opportunity to explore
March, 9th 2017 - April, 9th 2017
the experimental forms of work through its tools of
production but also its fictional and futurist dimensions:
The Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne 2017
will we still need to work? At what rhythms? Alone or
will present a state of the art and a great experiment, a
collectively, in networks or in atomized ways? Will we
giant laboratory, entitled Working Promesse focused on
be under surveillance? What value will we have? Will
the shifting work paradigms.
there be gender, race or aptitude segregations? What
Work is one of the major preoccupations of our society.
issues will technology resolve? Who will be in charge of
For us all, work provides both income and status, it
it? What will we gain from it? How will we experience
promises emancipation and a future. At the heart of
it?
political and economic concerns, offshoot of the dream
of a generalized full-employment, at the beginning
of this 21st century work, it undergoing an entire
transformation.
From digital labor to the sharing economy, the world
of work is being reconfigured; it is inventing new
organisations, new services but also new throes and
new hopes. Designers, companies and the entire SaintEtienne territory will gather in 2017 around this topic
in order to confront different perspectives, ideologies,
innovations and desires. And it is with the participation
of the public that we will work towards this promise..
Central to the issue of work mutations, the Biennial will
investigate the three following themes :
- Digital Labor The confrontation of digital tools with
various crises (environmental, economic and terroris)
that successively shake our social structures, is leading
to multiple disruptions in our societies;
- Share utopie ? Work is an exceptional space for
KUROKAWA - INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, 1974
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
PUBLICATION
This is the third year the studio “Architecture as a
Political Practice” is held at the Ensase. Each year, a
publication was produced by the students. This year,
this publication will rich a higher level of scientific
standards with the arrival of a scientific coordinator in
this studio.
This publication will no more be limited to students
work. It will count articles from the distinguished
scholars which will be joining this year’s event. The main
2 FIRST ISSUES OF THE MASTERS STUDIO “ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE” - 2014 / 2015
intention of this studio and publication is to investigate
the possibility of “research in architecture”. How can an
architecture project be of scientific standards at work in
the research realm. How can the research investigations
be made a project in architectural terms. The work of
OMA’S Project Japan, 2011
OMA and more specifically AMO, will act as a main
reference in this inquiry.
This publication will not be self published but will
for the first time be distributed through a university
publisher.
OMA’S Harvard’s MUTATIONS, 2001
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
OMA’S Harvard guide to shopping, GSD, 2012
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
PROGRAM PROSPECTIVES
This years programs is a first steps towards the constrution
of a long term multi-disciplinay fundamental research
program of internationnal scope. In its first session this
program will valready articulate :
The most prestigious business school in India
The Indian Institute of management, ranked first in
India’s Business schools is part of this program. They
plan on birnging PhD students next year this program.
The second most prestigious technical campus
worldwide
The Georgia Institute of Technology is the second’s best
Engineer’s campus worldwide. It’s architecture program
is ranked in the top 20 programs in the United States.
Two schools in the France and their research labs.
“Transformations” from the Ensase as well as “PAVE”
from the EnsapBx in Bordeaux are involved in this
program. Two faculty from each school, architects
as well as sociologists, will be joining this year. SaintEtienne is with Archworkds at the initiative of this
program and the EnsapBx is currently working on
bringing master’s students next year.
Universities in Japan, Italy and spain are currently being
contacted to later join this plateform.
PROCLAMATION 182 - EIGHT HOUR WORK DAY FOR EMPLOYEES
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES - MAY 19, 1869
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016
KUROKAWA - INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING, 1974
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE : LABOR
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE :
AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LABOR. CHICAGO, USA / OCTOBER 2016
ARCHEWORKS & ENSASE
ARCHITECTURE AS A POLITICAL PRACTICE :
AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON LABOR. CHICAGO, USA / OCTOBER 2016
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
THIS INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVE NEEDS FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
ORGANIZING TEAM
SPONSOR’S GENEROSITY:
STRENGTHENS
EXCHANGES
FRANCO-AMERICAN
CULTURAL
PROPELS A LONG LASTING INTELLECTUAL FRIENDSHIP
AND A TRANSATLANTIC PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATE THAT
HAS ADVANCED BOTH CULTURES FOR CENTURIES
WELCOMES FRENCH UNIVERSITIES TO CHICAGO TO
LEARN ABOUT ITS THE CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE
PARTICIPANTS
SHOWCASES CHICAGO’S IMPORTANCE IN CULTURAL
THEORY AND ITS INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE AT MAJOR
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES
HOSTS DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS FROM ALL AROUND TO
GATHER AND ARTICULATE FIELDS OF KNOWLEDGE AND
RESEARCH THAT ARE TOO OFTEN WORKING SEPARATELY
EMPOWERS A NEW GENERATION OF ARCHITECTS WITH
A SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE OF
ARCHITECTURE
SPONSOR INFORMATION
Andrew Balster
Archeworks
625 North Kingsbury
Chicago, IL 60657
United States
001-312-316-0523
[email protected]
www.archeworks.org
Xavier Wrona
ENSASE
1, Rue Buisson
42000 Saint-Etienne
+33 4 77 42 35 42
[email protected]
CHICAGO, USA — OCTOBER 2016