ThinkArchitecture - networked cultures

networked cultures is a research project which brings together art, architectural and urban practices that reflect on the changing cartography of spatial realities in Europe.

Looking at contested spaces across Europe, networked cultures aims to achieve two distinct outcomes: One is a series of critical frameworks around the architectures of cultural networks (concluding with a symposium and a publication), and the other is a database of creative spatial practices, which challenge cultural, social and geographical boundaries by using network strategies.

This project is supported by the EU under the Sixth Framework Programme. It is lead by Professor Peter Mörtenböck who is Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths College, London University. Project co-ordinator is Professor Irit Rogoff.

Networks are the defining characteristics of twenty-first-century spatial co-existence. Along with information and communication technologies they have widely changed our cultural forms and expressions of co-existence, cohabitation and dialogue over recent years. As electronic and physical space becomes further intertwined, new spatial articulations of competing cultural narratives, cultural rifts, conflicts and clashes begin to surface. In view of the emergence of contested spaces across Europe networked cultures aims to conceptualise and to put into practice sustainable models of networking between different communities and cultures to develop more inclusive civil societies.

networked cultures investigates spatial practices of experimental or innovative character (including contemporary art and architectural practices) which allow for multi-inhabitation of territories and narratives across cultural, social or geographic boundaries. Practices of such character are invited to list their projects in a digital database which will bring together complementary expertise existing in different initiatives and organisations of the entire EU region and will instigate collaborations between these groups or individuals. This growing and participatory archive is expected to empower cross-cultural initiatives, to help political decision-makers and municipal or governmental administrations to devise strategies against emerging spatial conflicts and to spread an understanding of autonomy as a collective phenomenon.

More information about this research will be available on the project website from autumn 2005. In case you require detailed information before this date, please contact Peter Mörtenböck.

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► upcoming events

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3.-10. July 2005
”UIA 2005 – XXII. World Congress of Architecture”, Istanbul
Cities: Grand Bazaar of Architectures
http://www.uia2005istanbul.org/

Chatroom hosted by Peter Mörtenböck and Helge Mooshammer:

“Architectures of Co-Existence”

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13.-16. June 2006
Fourth International Conference
”Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilizations”, Moscow

Panel: Networked Cultures – Negotiating Cultural Difference in Contested Spaces
Convenor: Prof. Peter Mörtenböck

Call for Papers

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