Parallax – 2009 National Architecture Conference
A line-up of leading international designers and thinkers is assembling for Australia’s foremost architecture conference in April, 2009.
Parallax is this year’s Australian Institute of Architects national conference, under the creative direction of TERROIR directors Gerard Reinmuth (Sydney), Richard Blythe (Melbourne) and Scott Balmforth (Hobart).
TERROIR’s provocative program invites the profession to take a ‘parallax’ view of the conditions in which it practices, heartily fuelled by contributions from leading international designers, philosophers and cultural commentators.
Confirmed conference guest, the controversial public intellectual Slovoj Žižek (Slovenia/UK), uses parallax to refer to situations where the same thing, when viewed from two different perspectives, presents itself in two completely irreconcilable ways.
“Žižek’s confronting assertions will make us think much harder about what we are willing to believe and accept. His interrogative perspective will stir our thoughts about the choices we make as practitioners and how we determine what becomes privileged in our selections,” said Reinmuth on behalf of the creative team.
Other confirmed guests are: Aaron Betsky (USA), Tatiana Bilbao (Mexico), Sou Fujimoto (Japan), Bijoy Jain (India), Jeff Kipnis (USA) and Peter Wilson (Australia/UK/Germany).
Describing their program as the “writers festival of architecture”, the creative directors have designed six main thematic sessions – Studio, Politics, Media, Young Guns, Collaboration and The Cosmopolitan. Each is built around two key speakers exploring a specific issue, followed by a facilitated panel for extended discussion and debate. The Parallax format promises free flowing discussion with regular crossovers during the event.
“The best conferences build momentum as they unfold over a few days, as key topics emerge in response to the particular cocktail of speakers present and the opportunities they are given to unpack these topics over an extended period,” said Reinmuth.
In the 12 workshop sessions a keynote guest will discuss issues of particular local relevance of contemporary practice in conversation with an Australian speaker.
Early bird registrations: March 2nd, 2009
Parallax – 2009 National Architecture Conference 30 April – 2 May, Melbourne architecture.com.au/parallax
More info on Žižek – http://www.ff.uni-lj.si/oddelki/filo/english/staff/zizeka.htm Žižek’s Facebook page: – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Slavoj-Zizek/8406557479