The Final Conference of the project Revival of City Squares in Balkan Cities

The Final Conference of the project Revival of City Squares in Balkan Cities "Vibrant Squares was held on 12 October 2012 as one of the key events of the Tirana Architecture Week.

Polis_University in collaboration with Co-PLAN Institute for Habitat Development and the Tirana Municipality organized the First TIRANA ARCHITECTURE WEEK. In the frame of this event a series of activities, exhibitions, urban actions, workshop and a 4 days conference on Re-appropriation of the city are realized. In the frame of the program of conferences, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development in collaboration with POLIS University, EXPEDITIO and Kor-CSD organised the Regional conference on the transformation of City Squares, as one of the key events of the Tirana Architecture Week.

The conference aim was to share with the audience the results of the activities made during those two years of the project and to support a fertile debate on how to define city squares, as a fundamental element in the re-thinking of contemporary cities. The debate disclosed reasons behind the facts and brought innovative knowledge and tools for transforming city squares into attractive places for communities. The conference explored arts-based approaches to public engagement and animation of public space by bringing together interdisciplinary researchers, practitioners, and students to share comparative experiences, traditions, and insights. The conference focused on how to catalyze and support the participation of citizens for improving the sustainability of their local environment through artistic practices and approaches. Balkan cities were at the focus of the conference’s theme with particular attention to the involved cities in the project, Tirana, Durrës, Kotor and Skopje.

The Conference was attended by architects, urban planners, designers, artists and also representatives of local governments who shared their experiences, their knowledge and inspiration in the endeavour towards the conception of City Squares as a new vibrant centre for people and contemporary cities.

For more information see the conference website VIBRANT SQUARES, and the photos at the project Blog http://rcsbc.blogspot.com/2012/10/vibrant-squares-conferencephotos.html