Debates

Versus: debates on urban utopias

• What: debates
• When: 8.10 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., 9.10 at 2 p.m.
• Where: Auditorium backroom (conference center, level 0)

(…) you have to be l’enfant terrible, do the so-called utopian projects, in order to awaken and build up social awareness today, so that they become reality tomorrow. Oskar Hansen

Utopian urban visions are by definition impossible do implement. However, they work perfectly as theoretical exercises in designing the future. Is it better to live underground or high in the sky? Will we find shelter under a glass dome or in an open, still adapting to change, urban organism? Is it economically better to live in dense developments of megacities or in suburban garden-cities?

Versus is the kind of discussion where participants are divided in two groups (for and against the presented concept) and try to persuade each other to their points. During the festival, we will judge utopian urban visions presented by Martyna Obarska – a cultural expert and specialist in the area of urban studies. We will see whether the utopian urban visions hide answers for the challenges of the future. Hosts of the meeting, Joanna Jeśman and Wiktor Gajewski, will take care of the “teeth” and the culture of discussion.

Meetings Schedule:

• 08.10, 2 p.m. - Underground or in the clouds?
  Stefan Müller's Terra X versus The Line from Saudi Arabia
• 08.10, 6 p.m. - Under a dome or in a plant-city?
  Climatically controlled housing teams of Ryszard Semka and Jacek Popko versus Jan Głuszak Dagarama’s utopias.
• 09.10, 2 p.m. - Together or by yourself?
  Megastructure Marine City Kiyonori Kikutake versus Broadacre City by Frank Lloyd Wright