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Villa Medici new urban block, Val d’Europe, Paris, France
Architecture: Tagliaventi Associati-Arcas Paris, Bologna, Italy, 2004-2010 .. for: Disney Resort Paris - Promogim Île-de-France
 
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"Urban Lovers"
NEWS-LETTER
by
A Vision of Europe
in collaboration with
CIVICARCH - University of Ferrara
  
2010 / VI
Christmas Edition
 
Wishing You a Very Happy New Year !
 
THE PROJECT OF THE MONTH

Drawing by ©Tagliaventi Associati, all rights reserved

CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL
D'ARCHITECTURE
POUR LE PROJET DU
CENTRE SPIRITUEL ET CULTUREL
ORTHODOXE RUSSE
QUAI BRANLY PARIS

 2010, December

Tagliaventi & Associati

 team:
Gabriele Tagliaventi
Alessandro Bucci
 David Napolitano
Francesco Finetti
Flavia Sangiorgi

Drawing by ©Tagliaventi Associati, all rights reserved

Drawing by ©Tagliaventi Associati, all rights reserved

Drawing by ©Tagliaventi Associati, all rights reserved
 
THE POSTCARD OF THE MONTH
Greetings from Prague, Czech Republic
by A Vision of Europe
 
THE URBAN STADIUM
OF THE MONTH
Yankee Stadium (New York, USA)
Capacity: 52325 | Tenants: New York Yankees (MLB)
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com
Learn more about Eco-Compact Stadiums
WWW.ECOCOMPACTCITY.ORG
 
LIVING AT JURASSIC PARK
image source: www.gizmoweb.org

ARCHISTAR'S INNOVATIVE ROOFS AGAINST NATURE
0 - 2
the roof at Beaubourg Metz collapses again
www.liberation.fr

 
THE MONSTER OF THE MONTH
ABOUT RMJM, OR THE FALL OF GODS
The monstrous project of building a 403 meters skyscraper in the centre of St. Petersburg, Russia, has been dismissed by a presidential ukaz ( http://rt.com/politics/gazprom-skyscraper-moved-petersburg ).
According to Guardian, company in charge of realizing the Okhta Centre, the Scotland-based multinational RMJM, is sailing in troubled waters. Newspaper points out the relation of this company with fake financial economy and its crisis. As news dates back to one month ago (http://www.guardian.co.uk), one may wonder what a relation between Medvedev's decision to stop the project in St. Petersburg (excellent political choice indeed in front of Russian and international public, and a real image plus) and RMJM business decline.
Anyway, Russia's president decision to match protests against the tower held by population, intellectuals, and the very UNESCO (who threatened to cancel St. Petersburg from the list of World Heritage), is an important signal for all the other Countries where skyscrapers building is on the way. '80 and '90 keynesian-like investment for enormously expensive and energivorous towers, imposing hyper- and finally anti-human geometry over the cities (Baudrillard would have spoke about Political Economy of the Sign), is not but the dangerous tail of global financial crisis, the latter instrument of financial power to abuse politics inside the very space of communities. It's not a secret that huge and useless buildings, far from being just a crazy play, are nothing but "power laundering", realized by wasting money, environment, and society.
Scholars belonging to New Urbanism, Gruppo Salingaros, and the International Society of Biourbanism, warned against this kind of buildings with several studies and writings, from a scientific point of view. Vain, huge towers, like every out-of-human-scale gigantic architecture, affect not only economics in a very harmful way (as one can see in Dubai and in Greece), but society as such, its health, and its very political freedom. There's a reason to rejoice, together with St. Petersburg's people and the most important Russian intellectuals, at the decision of halting the Okhta Centre construction, and to wish Russian leadership accountability about this sensitive matter to be followed by other leaders in the World.
by Stefano Serafini | grupposalingaros.net
 
THE VIRUS OF THE MONTH

Space Invaders (Type A)

Space Invaders (Type B)
Readers are invited to vote and suggest ideas. Many are the possibilities.
The editing committee is confident that an interesting set of candidatures will emerge.
NEW URBANISM CHECK-LIST:
Walkability: 0 | Connectivity: 0 | Mixed-Use & Diversity: 0 | Mixed Housing: 0
Quality Architecture & Urban Design: 0 | Neighborhood Structure: 0 | Density: 0
Smart Transportation: 0 | Sustainability: 0 | Quality of Life: 0
 
SURPRISE UNDERWEAR
OF THE MONTH
what you would never want to discover
under a city's beautiful appearance
77, Cooper Square ......>>.....go ahead ......>>.....straight on until ......>>.....41, Cooper Square (New York City)
YESTERDAY...
=>
...TODAY
DON'T LOOK THIS VIDEO!
www.youtube.com

WHAT AN IDIOT,
MOM TOLD YOU
THAT THE WORLD
IS ALL GOOD ??
 
THE DEMOLITION OF THE MONTH
Tours Mondor, Argenteuil, France
2010, December 12
 
THE BOOK OF THE MONTH



Sprawl Repair Manual
edited by Galina Tachieva
www.sprawlrepair.com

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Island Press (September 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597267325
ISBN-13: 978-1597267328
Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 0.9 inches
www.amazon.com
BEFORE AFTER
 
THE CONFERENCE OF THE MONTH

LA COSTRUZIONE
E LA RISTRUTTURAZIONE
DI IMPIANTI SPORTIVI E STADI


Feltrinelli Bologna 14.01.2011
Piazza di Porta Ravegnana 1
h 17.30

Il futuro dello Stadio di Bologna


con la partecipazione di:

Xavier Jacobelli
Maurizio Cevenini
Daniele Corticelli
Amelia Frascaroli
Gianluca Galletti
Virginio Merola
Enzo Raisi


introducono:

Daniela Memmo
Gabriele Tagliaventi


conclude:

Chiara Alvisi



Verrà presentata la pubblicazione che include
il progetto per la Nuova Città dello Sport
attorno allo Stadio Dall'Ara
a cura di A Vision of Europe
sotto la direzione di Gabriele Tagliaventi con
Alessandro Bucci, Francesco Finetti

DIBATTITO CONCLUSIVO

* * *
GREEN CITIES 2011
27 February – 2 March, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre - Victoria, Australia | greencities.org.au

2nd PLACE BRANDING CONFERENCE
Bogotá Colombia, January 20-22, 2011 | http://www.inpolis.de

EURA CONFERENCE 2011 - CITIES WITHOUT LIMITS
Copenhagen 23rd - 25th of June 2011 | http://eura2011.org

MONTREAL 2011 ECOCITY WORLD SUMMIT
August 22-26 - Palais des congrès de Montréal, Canada | http://www.ecocity2011.com

4th INTERNATIONAL URBAN DESIGN CONFERENCE
2011 September 22-23 - Marriot Resort and Spa on the Gold Coast, Queensland | urbandesignaustralia.com.au
 
THE EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH
Claude Monet (1840-1926)
September 22 2010 - January 24 2011
Les Galeries nationales du Grand Palais
www.monet2010.com

Opening every day from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, until 2:00 pm on Tuesdays and 8:00 pm on Thursdays. During holidays (from October 23 to November 7 and from December 18 to January 2), opening every day from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm (included Tuesdays). Closing at 6 pm on December 24 and 31. Closed on December 25.
An exhibition of great wealth tracing back the artistic development of one of the most illustrious fathers of impressionism: Claude Monet.
Monet, the most celebrated representative of the Impressionist movement, painted for more than sixty years: landscapes (On the Bank of the Seine, Étretat, Belle-Île…), figures, still lifes (Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe). These masterpieces, rarely loaned by the Orsay Museum, form a unique ensemble within the exhibition, alongside other paintings from major foreign collections. In 1890, Monet acquired his now famous property at Giverny. His art moved on, especially with the large format Water Lilies series. He invented his own personal path, reconciling a deep attachment to nature with evocations of his own poetic universe.
Organised by the Réunion des musées nationaux and the Orsay Museum, the "Claude Monet 1840-1926" exhibition is the first monograph devoted to the artist since the major retrospective in 1980. Its international commissioners have set out to present the whole of his career, in the light of the most recent research. Bringing together 200 paintings, it will feature exclusive loans from countries all over the world including Australia, Brazil, USA, the Netherlands, and Russia. (source: www.grandpalais.fr/en)
 
THE ADVERTISING OF THE MONTH






The Municipality of Paris
tells us
that

THE SUSTAINABLE LIFE
is
THE URBAN LIFE
 
THE MOVIE OF THE MONTH
 
THE CLIP OF THE MONTH
A quoi ca sert l'amour | Watch & Listen
 
MASTERPIECES
OF 20th CENTURY ARCHITECTURE

image source: www.panoramio.com .photo by Stejfan
Thun Railway Station
Thun, Swiss, 1920-1923
Karl Moser, Robert Curjel
More info available at: The Other Modern, edited by G.Tagliaventi, Dogma Editions
Drawing by CIVICARCH-University of Ferrara, All rights reserved - ©AVOE-CIVICARCH
 
MASTERPIECES
OF 20th CENTURY URBANISM

image source: www.aerial-photography-new-york-city.com
Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, USA
How to beautifully take profit of a grid
 
NEWS AGENCY
A Vision of Europe & Gruppo Salìngaros
together against slab-urbia
Sub-Urbia corresponds to most the peripheral areas built in the second half of the past century in the US.
It reads as an inhabited environment with low level of density and poor formal qualities, with ensembles of single family houses.
It reads as an underdeveloped environment with low standards of security and social life, while plenty of motorways and highways. It is based upon the presence of a few huge shopping malls.

examples of slab-urbia pattern in Italy: Corviale, Rome (left), Le Vele, Naples (right)
BACK TO CITY LIFE / RITORNO ALLA CITTA'
Rome, 1-2 December 2010
A Workshop on the future of the Roman periphery was held in Rome on 1-2 December, with the participation of Léon Krier, Peter Calthorpe, Nikos Salingaros, Galina Tachieva, Paolo Portoghesi, and others. This was a sequel to the earlier Workshop also held in Rome on 8-9 April 2010. The Gruppo Salìngaros played a central role this time around, as Salingaros, speaking via Videoconference, presented the two distinct projects by Ettore Mazzola and Gabriele Tagliaventi for rebuilding the Corviale Monster, and a new project by Pietro Pagliardini and collaborators for restructuring the Case Rosse region. Mazzola, Pagliardini, and Stefano Serafini (President of the Gruppo) attended the Workshop together with Alessia Cerqua, Antonio Caperna, Alessandro Pierattini, Saveria Pisano, Paolo Vecchio and Massimo Locci, and were recognized by the Hon. Teodoro Buontempo in his presentation.
Summing up the Workshop, Gabriele Tagliaventi declared: "Finally, it seems that the time has come for Italy to demolish the horrible suburbs constructed on the basis of the marvelous totalitarian ideologies of the past century, and to build new compact Eco-cities. The Workshop organized by the Roman City Government entitled 'Return to the City' seems to inaugurate a new season for Italian architecture. And this idea now seems shared by almost all participants of the Workshop".
Pietro Pagliardini summed up the situation: "Beyond the quality of each project presented here, it is impossible not to discern a cultural re-orientation in confronting the city and urbanism in general. Almost all participants declared their attention for certain themes such as place, context, the need to turn to adaptive design, and to integrate the diverse components of the city. This is a fact, an objective reality, not an abstruse interpretation and even less a vague hope. Up until a short time ago, this would have been unthinkable."
Stefano Serafini wrote: "The proposal of the Gruppo Salìngaros arises from the realization that the transition we are now living, driven by the economic crisis, the oil and water crises, is only a warning. It is essential to move towards a structural sustainability, comprised of ethical, social, economic, and political elements. After two years of innovative and multidisciplinary opposition to the model that generated an urbanism destructive of social relations and quality of life, the Gruppo Salìngaros was present here with the fervent hope that our proposals for a humble, functional architecture - an architecture of life - will be heard."
Finally, a word from Nikos Salingaros: "That a fundamental paradigm shift has occurred in Italian urban thinking on the highest, i.e. political, level is evident from the changing composition of the two successive Workshops held by the Mayor of Rome. The image-based fashionable Starchitects that dominated the first workshop are gone; instead we see a realistic orientation towards urbanists who really know how to build an adaptive, living city. The impractical image-based proposals of the first Workshop are replaced by projects of human-scaled urban fabric. Unfortunately, the press still has to catch up with the revolution that's going on."

Other recent activities of Gruppo Salingaros
The Gruppo Salìngaros (www.grupposalingaros.net) has been born as a group of friends in 2008. It is composed by scholars, architects and engineers interested in the works of professor Nikos A. Salìngaros. In a few months it became an international network with connections to several European countries, US, and Russian Federation. It does not only edit scientific works, but also realizes public conferences at very high academician and political level, and cultural dissemination through most important Italian newspapers, strongly fighting for a human-scale urbanism. Especially, it defends the heritage of Italian historical cities against dangerous greediness and destructive architectural ideology. Its professionalism is grounded on deep Architectural expertise and interdisciplinary skills in the fields of Art, Social Sciences, Law, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Epistemology, Law, Topology and Ecology.
The Gruppo Salingaros has been strongly present in the Italian panorama during last months, affording several subjects related to Urbanism, Architecture and Biophilia. Members of the Gruppo offered several interviews to national newspaper, radio, tv and on Internet. Down here a list of main public events.

Rome
- Open seminar Urban and Biophilic Networks (June 18th), with the participation of Ing. Claudio Lanzi, Prof. Alessia Cerqua, Prof. Antonio Caperna, Dr. Stefano Serafini, Prof. Alessando Pierattini, Prof. Ettore M. Mazzola, Dr. Giuseppe Nenna, organized by Gruppo Salìngaros, Simmetria, Università di Roma Tre, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Ditaubi;
- Conference by dr. Stefano Serafini and discussion on "biophilic" vs. "pathogenic" architecture (July 4th), organized by the Democratic Party (P.D.) circle "Piazza Epiro";
- Presentation of Alessandro Pierattini's book "Manuale del Restauro Archeologico di Ercolano" (Nov. 3rd), organized by the Accademia di Archeologia, Lettere e Belle Arti;
- Ciclomappando, (Nov. 13th) a public space reconnaissance and p2p mapping event, organized by Gruppo Salìngaros, International Society of Biourbanism, UNESCO, UNESCO Italian National Commission, directed by Alessia Cerqua and Saveria Pisano;

Naples
- Conference on New Urban Models between Science and Ethics by Antonio Caperna, Nikos Salingaros and Stefano Serafini, organized by San Gennaro Vesuviano City Council, Vesuviana Fare Centre.
- Confererence on Biourbanism, Urban Sustainability and Italy's Natural Park Heritage (Dec. 18th) by Antonio Caperna and Stefano Serafini, organized by Angri City Council, Movimento Naturalista Italiano.

Ascoli Piceno
Regenerating Italian slab and sub urbia. Biophilia, architecture and local commerce, (November 4th), symposium by Alessandro Bucci, Ettore M. Mazzola, Pietro Pagliardini, Nikos Salingaros, Stefano Serafini organized by CRIVEO, Confcommercio Ascoli Piceno, Camera di Commercio Ascoli Piceno, Libreria Rinascita.

Bologna
19th Europa Symposium: Bioenergy, Bioeconomy, Bioarchitecture (Oct. 30th), chairman Stefano Serafini, organized by Bioarchitettura, Ecofficina, SAIE Fare in Bologna

Sabaudia
The city square… and above. Restoration or Restyling? (October 24th) conference with Stefano Serafini organized by Sabaudia per Sabaudia, Il Nuovo, Puntiamo su Sabaudia, Studium Musicum.

Latina
Presentation of Ettore Mazzola's book "The Sustainable City is Possible" (Dec. 15th)

Ferrara
From Sub and Slab Urbia to the Eco Garden City.
U.S. and European Case Studies (October 20th) open seminar with Gabriele Tagliaventi, Ettore M. Mazzola, Teodoro Buontempo, Leonardo Schippa, Stefano Serafini, Alessandro Bucci, organized by the University of Ferrara, Faculty of Engineering, Civicarch, A Vision of Europe, International Society of Biourbanism, Ecocompactcity, Gruppo Salingaros.

THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF BIOURBANISM
It is worth of note the foundation of the International Society of Biourbanism (www.biourbanism.org), a multidisciplinary research centre, putting together competences from Physics, Biology, Engineering, Philosophy, Mathematics, Logic, Sociology, Ecology and Humanities under the new common paradigm of Complexity. Spread by Gruppo Salingaros, ISB has its own biannual peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Biourbanism) with a high profile scientific board, including scientists from several universities of the World.
ISB has already organized a first seminar in Rome: Mathematical analysis of complex gas and liquid flows, and possible use in analyzing urban traffic flows, directed by Sergey N. Kharlamov, professor of Mechanics and Mathematics at the Tomsk State University, and director of the Laboratory for Oil-and-Gas Hydrodynamics and Heat Exchange at Tomsk Polytechnic (Russia). Other seminars and conferences will follow, focusing on the possible contribution to Urban issues by Logic (prof. Piero Pagliani), Biology (prof. Alessandro Giuliani), Linguistics (prof. Svetlana Gural), etc.

 
URBAN RESISTANCE
A.V.O.E. ALERT
demolition of convent from 1506 and a construction of a concrete cube in Abrantes !
A new 20M€ museum is going to be built in the city of Abrantes close the Tagus river.
The mayor of the city of Abrantes autorise and approved the demolition of part of XVI century convent.
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION: www.gopetition.com ...Thank you for all your help !
 
SUGGESTED ARTICLES & LINKS

Il tempo delle demolizioni è arrivato. Anche la periferia italiana può uscire dal tunnel brutalista | Leggi (ita)

Notre Dame awards classical Driehaus Prize to Robert A.M. Stern
New York architect brought classicism into the mainstream | Read the article

Brand on New Urbanism and squatter communities | http://newurbannetwork.com

Urban Decay
Masonic Temple, Hammond, Ind. Cornerstone was laid in 1907; demolished in 2009 | Look at the image library

The long-lasting damage of le Corbusier's planning theories
Exporting (sub)urbanism: Kuala Lumpur and the communist world | Read

London planners must embrace civilised living | http://www.thisislondon.co.uk

The Long Emergency, The Novel, Part II | The Witch of Hebron: A World Made by Hand Novel

The Postitive City | http://www.lemoniteur.fr

CNN: America's suburban sprawl elevated to aerial art | http://edition.cnn.com

Earls Court, London: Terry Farrell is the man with the master plan | thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle

Nickname buildings march across London’s skyline | http://www.thisislondon.co.uk

Betaville, Digital Tool to Revolutionize Public Planning. Urban Planning Meets Online Gaming | Read

Call for Entries: 2011 Philippe Rotthier European Prize for Architecture | Read

Tehran Shut Down By Air Pollution | www.npr.org | latimesblogs.latimes.com | siteresources.worldbank.org

Motorcycles Account for 30% of Air Pollution in Tehran | http://www.payvand.com

Robin Hood Gardens, London: We couldn't make the same mistake again, could we?
Yes we could | http://www.guardian.co.uk

Nazi praise sparks Swiss rethink of Le Corbusier | http://abcnews.go.com

 
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A Vision of Europe - Via Cesare Battisti, 17 / 40123 Bologna
Ph. +39 051 233717 / ++39 0532 974915
avoe@libero.it - civicarch@unife.it
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