Beyond EVE: Organisations

Rob Kitchin: Navigating Smart Cities

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 16:51:50 +0200

The vision of the smart city promises efficient administration, improved quality of life for its residents, and a major contribution to sustainability. But what are the logics and ideals behind these promises and expectations? What are the perils when urban planning is determined by technology and data?

In his lecture, Rob Kitchin addresses a number of political and normative questions related to smart cities. He discusses the ethical values and principles that determine the desirable urban environment we want to create and live in. Therefore, his presentation explores how these measures ensure equal access to technology and decision-making, foster social justice and agency among all citizens. It also examines how these concerns are conceived and operationalised within smart cities around the world. How do these models and visions vary internationally, for example, between Asian and European countries? The final part of the talk will explore the ‘right to the smart city’ and ‘decentering the smart city’. How can these notions be used to create cities that truly prioritise human needs?

German Architecture Museum

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 14:18:53 +0200

DAM – national center for architectural debate DAM is not just one of the many museums in the City of Frankfurt, is it also the “German Architecture Museum”, with a national claim. Nowadays all our European neighbours have their own national centers that address the country’s building culture. DAM is today increasingly taking up the challenge this entails, and it is something Heinrich Klotz had in mind when he founded the museum, and not only with its exhibitions, but also with conventions, symposia, and lectures, is fostering the debate on current and future architectural and urban design issues. DAM also continues to focus on current topics relating to Frankfurt. The “Pecha Kucha Night”, a series of events based on the successful idea as realized in Tokyo, is regularly held at locations outside the DAM and provides a relaxed interdisciplinary platform for the young community inspired by architecture and design.

Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF)

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 12:52:20 +0100

The Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) is the center for digitalization research in Berlin. Since its opening on April 3, 2017, scientists have been conducting research in the core areas of

● Digital Infrastructure, Methods, and Algorithms

and in the innovation areas of

● Digital Health

● Digital Society

● Digital Industry and Services.

The ECDF is a project based on a large-scale public-private partnership (PPP) between more than 30 companies, organizations, all four Berlin universities, the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and more than ten research institutions from Berlin science.

The ECDF has a planned duration of six years. With 38.5 million euros in funding, the project aims to create more links in the field of digitization in Berlin, try out new forms of cooperation, concentrate on innovative interdisciplinary cutting-edge research and attract excellently trained young scientific talent. The ECDF was approved by the Einstein Foundation Berlin in September 2016 after an elaborate review.

Bundesarchitektenkammer e.V.

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 16:54:42 +0100

The BAK - Federal Chamber of German Architects is the governing body of the 16 Federal State Chambers of Architects in Germany. It represents the interests of about 134.000 architects in politics and the public on a national and international level. Although both architect and building order regulations are a matter of individual federal state legislation, many important political decisions pertaining to the profession are made in Berlin or Brussels.

Like lawyers, medical practitioners or pharmacists, architects belong to the group of liberal professions, whose occupational titles are protected by law. Only those professionals registered with the chamber of architects in his or her federal state are allowed to call themselves architect, landscape architect, interior architect or urban planner. Even though the admission rules vary slightly between the individual federal states, the chamber system guarantees that all professionals maintain a high level of professional training. This safeguards the quality of architectural and planning services in Germany so esteemed also abroad.

Amongst other things, the professional policy activities of the BAK focuses on professional training, competition and public procurement law, yet include also questions of standardisation and the development of the "Honorarordnung für Architekten und Ingenieure" (HOAI - German Fee Scales for Architects and Engineers). The HOAI constitutes a well-proven, transparent and reliable negotiation basis for fees for all those involved. It ensures that competition in planning services is based on quality and not on price, so that architects can work for the benefit of the awarding authorities and individuals, the users and the public.

The "Deutsche Architektenblatt" is the monthly member magazine of the BAK and the Federal State Chambers of Architects. It distinguished itself as a magazine with which architects can identify as regards their work in general, their questions, professional challenges and successes.

Association of German Cities

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 14:20:01 +0100

The Association of German Cities is the voice of cities and the national local-authority association of cities which are not belonging to a county as well as of most cities and towns within counties. As a community of solidarity of cities it represents the idea of local self-government to Federal Government, Federal States (Bundesländer), European Union, governmental and non-governmental organisations. The work and services of the Association of German Cities are primarily geared to the needs and interests of the direct member cities and their citizens. 2030 Agenda: Building Sustainability at the Local Level The German Association of cities initiated for its members the resolution: "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Building Sustainability at the Local Level". Members Cities are invited to sign up a commitment for a sustainable agenda and initiate activities and measures for sustainability. This could be measures like awareness raising, new strategies in politics and administration, reductions of CO2 emissions or strengthening global partnerships.

Institute of building physics

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:38:38 +0100

The primary focus of the Fraunhofer IBP’s work is on research, development, testing, demonstration and consulting in the various specialist areas of building physics. These include areas such as noise control and sound insulation measures in buildings, the optimization of acoustics in indoor spaces, and solutions for improving energy efficiency and optimizing lighting technology.They also include issues related to climate control and the indoor environment, hygiene and health protection, building material emissions, weatherproofing and protection against heat and moisture, preservation of building structures and the conservation of historical monuments. The institute employs life cycle engineering methods to analyze the potential environmental, social and technical impacts of products, services and processes. This enables us to evaluate and make lasting improvements towards sustainability and to foster innovation processes. Our portfolio of building science services also includes building chemistry, building biology and hygiene, as well as cutting-edge work in the field of concrete technology. The “Systems Integration in Efficient Buildings” research team, which is affiliated with the Department of Indoor Environment and based at our Nuremberg branch, works on integrated solutions for buildings. Its goal is to provide maximum comfort, health benefits and age-appropriate housing while keeping costs reasonable and minimizing the use of energy. The Fraunhofer IBP works together with industry partners to help develop and launch novel and environmentally- friendly building materials, components and systems.

Our clients predominantly comprise building companies, mechanical engineering firms, plant manufacturers, contractors, developers, architects, planners and licensing authorities, as well as private and public-sector institutions engaged in construction research. The application of building science expertise to related areas of specialization has expanded our circle of partners to include companies from the automotive and aviation industries. We carry out complex building physics studies at our efficient and well-equipped laboratories and test centers and at our outdoor testing site in Holzkirchen, which to the best of our knowledge is the largest facility of its kind. Modern laboratory measuring techniques and computational methods help researchers develop and optimize building products for practical applications. We also carry out experiments in environmental test chambers, simulation facilities and existing buildings to assess components and overall systems for new buildings and renovation projects based on the principles of building physics.

The Fraunhofer IBP has been approved by the German building inspection authorities as a testing, monitoring and certification center for building materials and building techniques in Germany and the rest of Europe. Four of the institute’s test laboratories have been granted flexible accreditation by the German accreditation body Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS) in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. This entitles them to develop new test methods and to modify existing methods.

Hochschule RheinMain - IMPACT RheinMain

Hochschule RheinMain - IMPACT RheinMain — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:22:19 +0100

With its application IMPACT RheinMain, the Rhine-Main University of Applied Sciences has been selected for funding in the first round of the federal-state initiative "Innovative Hochschule". Among the recipients are 35 universities of applied sciences, a college of art and music, and twelve universities and colleges of education. The "Innovative University" federal-state initiative - a kind of excellence initiative for universities of applied sciences - is intended to support universities in their efforts to further distinguish themselves in the areas of transfer and innovation and to intensify their strategic role in the regional innovation system. The strategy for transferring scientific findings into practice is essentially based on the three profile-building research priorities of the Rhine-Main University of Applied Sciences: professionalism in social work, smart systems for people and technology and engineering 4.0 and their interfaces "Smart Energy", "Smart Home" and "Smart Mobility". The university pays particular attention to interdisciplinary cooperation between the individual disciplines. The aim of the IMPACT RheinMain project is to initiate and implement innovative projects from the fields with cooperation partners from industry and civil society.

Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:20:06 +0100

The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) is a departmental research institution under the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI). It advises the Federal Government with sectoral scientific consultation in the political fields of spatial planning, urban development, housing and building. Research and development as well as knowledge-based services are core tasks of the BBSR. The scientists: - prepare analyses, expert reports, (governmental/departmental) reports and statements, - accompany technical policy measures and programmes and develop them further, - supervise the research programmes and initiatives of the BMI, - promote professional exchange in networks and committees, - communicate scientific findings through publications, events and websites, - maintain data and information bases for analyses and forecasts A Scientific Advisory Board supports the quality assurance of the Research Institute. The scientific exchange with universities and scientific organizations is further intensified, among other things through an internship program, courses and joint conferences. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Archiprix-International

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 14:44:46 +0100

Archiprix International is a biennial competition. With each edition Archiprix International presents a new generation of the world's best architects, urbanists and landscape architects together with their graduation projects. The formula is simple. All university-level training colleges around the world are invited to take part by selecting and submitting their one and only best graduation project. We send invitation letter to all 1700 registered universities in spring of the even years. Individual graduates cannot apply themselves, only graduation projects finished in the last two years selected by a university as their best graduation project are accepted. Archiprix International presents the submitted projects on her website, in a book, exhibitions and films. It forms the largest presentation of graduation work and offers unrivalled insight into current trends in design education globally and architecture generally.

London School of Economics - LSE Cities

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 14:42:46 +0100

LSE Cities is an international centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science that carries out research, graduate and executive education and outreach activities in London and abroad. It studies how people and cities interact in a rapidly urbanising world, focusing on how the physical form and design of cities impacts on society, culture and the environment. LSE Cities hosts a wide range of international conferences, public lecture series, seminars and awards that span the core of our research goals, and work to consolidate a growing network of urban experts. Public lecture series at LSE LSE Cities hosts a series of provocative and insightful public lectures, attracting the world’s leading urban academics, practitioners and politicians to discuss urban best practice, policy, and cutting edge theoretical and methodological debates. Videos and podcasts from LSE Cities public lectures are freely available online.

Royal Society Te Apārangi

Royal Society Te Apārangi — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 14:42:11 +0100

We support New Zealanders to explore, discover and share knowledge. To prepare for our biggest challenges, we need evidence based information that will help us to understand the issues and make good decisions on what to do. This is why exploring and creating knowledge, sharing that knowledge and celebrating it has been, and always will be, critical to a thriving New Zealand. We do this through public outreach, education, and by supporting the research community. We also provide advice and information to government and the public on issues of public concern. We celebrate those at the top of their fields with medals, awards and prizes; and provide standards of ethics and professional behaviour which our members have to abide by. Our experts are brought together to make transparent, effective decisions about who gets research funding and access to learning opportunities. They also help us provide evidence based independent advice to the public and government. We are an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation. People can join us as friends, affiliated members, professional members or be elected as Fellows or Companions.

ETH CASE Centre for Research on Architecture, Society & the Built Environment

ETH CASE Centre for Research on Architecture, Society & the Built Environment — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 14:32:43 +0100

As a core area of living, housing is subject to the interplay between social and technological transformations. This challenge is at the heart of our activities at the internationally positioned research centre ETH Wohnforum – ETH CASE (Centre for Research on Architecture, Society & the Built Environment). Our work focuses on the design of liveable housing environments, relying in the process on our many years of experience in the field of housing research in Switzerland and abroad. The results are practically relevant solution approaches to the design of liveable cities and to the development of good and affordable housing. The goal of our work is to formulate basic principles, strategies and application-orientated solution proposals on questions of housing, in particular concerning the quality and production of residential space in urban and agglomeration areas. We have a profound store of expert knowledge at our disposal in the social and cultural sciences, architectural and spatial research, as well as in the development of the methods and instruments with which to analyse and design human settlements.

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft - Institute for Open Communication Systems

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:33:21 +0100

20 billion – this is how many connected devices will be in private homes and businesses by the year 2020. This development will fundamentally change communication and interaction in all areas of life and work, from highly automated driving and new entertainment options to smart cities and the factory of tomorrow. Digitalization should ensure a higher quality of life, more sustainability and more security. To achieve this, devices have to be connected – but so does (almost) everything else: people, things, systems, processes and organizations. Innovative applications and business models usually come about through the intelligent integration of data from different sources and domains. An understanding of the different industry-specific and legal requirements is needed here, because there is not just one type of digital transformation. We have many years of experience in the fields of mobility, public safety, administration, e-health and media, with additional technical expertise in systems quality, network infrastructures and software-based systems. We view ourselves as a provider- and technology-independent mediator between industry, research and the public sector. We advise our customers in politics, administration and industry on their digitalization strategy and help them implement it. To do this, we provide test environments and develop prototypes that are secure, interoperable, and user-oriented.

Sustainable & Resilient Urban-Rural Partnerships

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 22:36:33 +0100

Regions are of critical importance to achieve the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda including the Sustainable Development Goals and the HABITAT III objectives. The traditional distinction between urban and rural is imprecise and obviously shapes conflicts hindering constructive approaches. Knowledge and policies can support sustainable and resilient urban-rural partnerships at various spatial levels for stronger regions. Innovative and comprehensive perspectives on common targets are needed together with strategies to put them into practice. It is important to understand the complexly structured continuum in-between the urban and the rural and unleash synergies by close interaction and mutual support. This perspective unfurls particular relevance concerning sustainable and resilient development pathways, including topics such as: 1 supporting equity in living conditions while accepting local particularities; 2 establishing multi-level, multi-actor and multi-sectoral regional governance approaches to mediate conflicting positions, trade-offs, dilemmas or paradoxes; 3 improving integrated land-use management, social and technological infrastructures and mobility services to enable proper living conditions and quality of life; 4 designing new sociotechnical approaches towards robust regional systems coping with climate change, extreme events, disruptive changes and uncertainties; 5 building the regional circular economy, enhancing resource efficiency based on a deeper understanding of the urban-rural metabolism; 6 exploiting digitalization strategies as catalyst and enabler of innovative development strategies irrespective of the location.

The 4th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 21:30:59 +0100

Achieving the ambitious governmental and societal goals in CO2 reduction needed to mitigate global climate change requires the contribution of all sectors including buildings and the construction industry. Historic and traditional buildings compose a considerable part of the worldwide building stock. Solutions are needed that respect the historic fabric of these buildings and yet contribute to energy efficiency improvements and CO2 reduction. The 4th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings EEHB2020 aims to present new research and best practices on a wide range of topics relating to energy efficiency in historic buildings. This year, the focus will be on the role digital technologies can play in improving the energy performance of historic buildings, whilst respecting the principles of conservation. In this context, the aim is to take a closer look at the interfaces between digital building models and the energetic building simulation and the question of the necessary accuracy of both 3D digitisation and energetic or hygrothermal building simulation tools. Both technologies – 3D scans and building simulation – have been available for a long time, but so far there are no automated processes for converting 3D scans into the energetic building simulation. In addition, more research is also needed on the degree of accuracy of the building survey using digital methods in order to represent a historical building accurately. After three successful conferences organised by Casas Históricas y Singulares and Ars Civilis in Madrid (2014), the Belgian Building Research Institute in Brussels (2016) and the Swedish Energy Agency, Uppsala University and the Swedish National Heritage Board in Visby (2018) are proud to announce the 4th International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings which will be held in Benediktbeuern, Germany.

The land issue. Climate, economy, common good

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:34:37 +0100

We are living on our ground and with our ground. It feeds us, cools the earth`s atmosphere and we need it for housing, for leisure and for work. Since conservative investments lost their economical appeal, our land became an international and highly requested asset. Rising rents is one of the main symptoms. Our social market economy, our community and our success in dealing with climate change are therefore at stake. So, free access to land must be renegotiated. The exhibition The land issue is a project of the University of Kassel and curated by Stefan Rettich, Anna Kraus, Thomas Rustemeyer and Sabine Tastel. It presents aspects of the land issue in terms of climate, economy and the common good. References are made and very concrete possible solutions are shown.

Barton Gellman: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State

Commonwealth Club — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 21:57:17 +0100

While a reporter at The Washington Post, Barton Gellman was one of three journalists Edward Snowden picked to review the vast and explosive archive of highly classified files revealing the extent of the American government's access to our every communication. Those three shared the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their work. But that was only the beginning for Gellman. He went on to dig deeper into both the U.S. surveillance state and Snowden’s own complicated history. As he sought the truth, Barton was harassed with legal threats, government investigations and foreign intelligence agencies intent on stealing his files. Come for a detailed look at Edward Snowden, America's surveillance state now and post-COVID, as well as Mr. Gellman’s own account of his personal cloak-and-dagger experience of being surveilled by unknown adversaries. Notes This is an online-only program; register to receive a link to the live stream This program is free; please consider making a donation during registration to support our online program production

Jennifer Steinhauer: The Women Reshaping Congress

Commonwealth Club — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 22:44:31 +0100

In her career as a reporter at The New York Times, Jennifer Steinhauer has worked a wide range of beats, including the metro, bureau and national desks, the Los Angeles bureau chief, and the United States Congress. She has covered pressing issues spanning across the country, including health care, veterans’ rights, and disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina. Now, Steinhauer divulges a fresh perspective on a shifting political landscape in her book The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress. Steinhauer documents the incredible story of the women who were newly elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and follows their pursuit of groundbreaking change. Tune in as Steinhauer shares her unique perspective of a congressional reporter to give insight into the campaigns of these strong freshman congresswomen and how their victory in November 2018 has translated to change on the Hill. This program is online-only; please register to receive a link to the live stream presentation. This program is free; please consider making a donation during the registration process.

The Instagram Story with Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier

Commonwealth Club — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 22:49:08 +0100

In a short 10 years, Instagram has grown from a simple idea for sharing photos to an application with over 1 billion monthly users and company growth that has surpassed many other tech giants. At the same time, this exponential success has been accompanied by a dramatic acquisition by Facebook in 2012 and the Instagram co-founders stepping down in 2018.

Award-winning technology reporter Sarah Frier helps bring some clarity to the mysteries surrounding the tech giant in her book No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram. The Bloomberg reporter delivers stories taken from the Instagram influencers and celebrities that have helped drive the app to such rapid growth, the employees and executives who have watched from behind the scenes, and the founders of Instagram themselves who give insight into the growth and change of the service.

Join INFORUM as Frier draws from her expertise in technology to navigate through this diverse cast of sources to paint a picture of how Instagram evolved to shape the online experience and fundamentally change how we engage with society.

Experiencing Density: Report Launch

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:59:30 +0100

Dense new towers, courtyard blocks and riverside homes are appearing across London, but there has been little research asking residents themselves what works and what doesn’t. Since 2016, a team of LSE researchers has been investigating how residents experience living in high-density housing.

At this report launch event, the researchers will present findings about life in 14 high-density schemes across the capital. They will be joined by architect Bob Allies, Professor Loretta Lees, and Tower Hamlets head of regeneration Sripriya Sudhakar, who will respond to the report and open a discussion about what it means for the future of London housing.

Findings from the research are presented in a user-friendly format on the project's website, which includes visual depictions and key facts from each of the 14 housing schemes.

SPEAKERS

Kath Scanlon (@KathJScanlon) is Distinguished Policy Fellow at LSE London.

Loretta Lees (@LorettaCLees) is Professor of Human Geography in the Department of Geography at the University of Leicester.

Sripriya Sudhakar is Head of Regeneration at London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Bob Allies is an architect and a founding partner of Allies and Morrison. CHAIR Ricky Burdett (@BURDETTR) is Professor of Urban Studies at LSE a

Conor Dougherty: Inside America's Housing Crisis

Commonwealth Club — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 22:46:01 +0100

Spacious and affordable homes used to be the hallmark of American prosperity. Today, however, punishing rents and the increasingly prohibitive cost of ownership have turned housing into the foremost symbol of inequality and an economy gone wrong. In the San Francisco Bay Area, fleets of private buses ferry software engineers past the tarp-and-plywood shanties where the homeless make their homes; according to New York Times journalist Conor Dougherty, this is ground zero for this crisis. The adage that California is a glimpse of the nation's future has become a cautionary tale. With propulsive storytelling and ground-level reporting, Dougherty chronicles America's housing crisis from its West Coast epicenter, peeling back the decades of history and economic forces that brought us here and taking readers inside the activist uprisings that have risen in tandem with housing costs.

Steven Levy: Inside Facebook

Commonwealth Club — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 22:49:51 +0100

In his sophomore year of college, Mark Zuckerberg created a simple website to serve as a campus social network. The site caught on like wildfire, and soon students nationwide were on it. Today, the social network that Zuckerberg created in 2004 has grown far beyond its original iteration, larger and more powerful than anyone could have imagined. Facebook has grown into a tech giant, the largest social media platform and one of the most gargantuan companies in the world, with a valuation of more than $576 billion and almost 3 billion users across the globe. There is no denying the power and omnipresence of Facebook in American daily life. And in light of recent controversies surrounding election-influencing "fake news" accounts, the handling of its users' personal data and growing discontent with the actions of its founder and CEO, never has the company been more central to the national conversation regarding the direction of the county's politics, economy and how individuals communicate with each other. There is no one better to describe how Facebook has evolved and where it might be headed than renowned tech writer Steven Levy. In his new book, Facebook: The Inside Story, Levy provides the definitive history of one of America's most powerful and controversial companies. Based on years of exclusive reporting and interviews with Facebook's key executives and employees, including Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Levy's sweeping narrative, already named as one of the most anticipated books of the year, digs deep into the whole story of the company that has changed the world and reaped the consequences. With the company in the news daily and just days before Californians get an early opportunity to have their say in the 2020 election, an election in which Facebook undoubtedly will play a critical role, Levy's appearance is not be missed.

Smarter London: the role of city government for a digital future

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:55:35 +0100

In 2018, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, published his roadmap for London to become the leading smart city globally. At the centre of this ambition stands a commitment to ensuring that digital technologies and data innovation will make a positive contribution to Londoners. While this requires a leading role of London's city-wide government, its complex and fragmented governance arrangement, decentralised city services and influential role of private sector actors demands new forms of collaboration and co-production.

The Smarter London Together roadmap identifies five missions: user-centred design, data-sharing, smart infrastructure, digital skills and collaboration. To work on these broad strategic components of a digital future, London government is supported by a Smart London Board and a new role of a Chief Digital Officer, appointed for the first time in 2018. Against the backdrop of international efforts that have advanced the smart cities agenda over the last decade, this public event will discuss successes and challenges of the London case. It will focus on the role of city governments in steering an urban-led digitalisation, how citizens and city government can interact more effectively and on how to bring the technology community on board. Besides reflecting on past and existing innovation, the event will speculate about how cities can go beyond trials and demonstrator projects and work towards city-wide scaling of new digital solutions. It will further reflect on new requirements for a deeper knowledge of city data, data protection and security related concerns.

Appointed in 2017 as London’s first Chief Digital Officer, Theo Blackwell (@LDN_CDO) leads on London-wide digital transformation, data and smart city initiatives at City Hall.

Léan Doody (@ldoody) is an Associate Director and the Digital Property and Smart Cities Leader for Europe at Arup. She has over 20 years’ experience in the industry on projects involving extensive strategy and policy work on the application of smart technologies.

LSE Cities (@LSECities) is an international centre that carries out research, graduate and executive education and outreach activities in London and abroad. It studies how people and cities interact in a rapidly urbanising world, focusing on how the physical form and design of cities impacts on society, culture and the environment.

SYD MEAD - FUTURE CITIES

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 15:33:50 +0100

An exclusive look into the creative world of one of the great futurists of our time Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Tron, Blade Runner or Aliens, Mission to Mars and Elysium: for legendary science fiction films Syd Mead created trend-setting and breathtaking worlds. He developed entire cities and mobility concepts with flying cars, autonomous vehicles, space ships. Syd Meads picture worlds are always characterized by functionality and mostly a positive idea of the future. But for the dystopian cult film Blade Runner Syd Mead created the vision of a bold and apocalyptic city in which huge sky-scrapers dominate the skyline. Now, in November 2019, fiction overlaps with the present, for the 1982 film is set in Los Angeles 2019. A total of 30 originals with a focus on urban spaces, including motifs for Blade Runner, offer an insight into the creative world of the visionary. In a brand new short documentary, Syd Mead talks about his work, inspiration and career. Exhibition idea / initiator: Markus Penell Curator: Boris Hars-Tschachotin Mon- Fri 3 to 7 pm and by appointment

Making Connections for Climate Action: Urban transport and renewable energy

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:53:46 +0100

Metropolitan regions around the UK and the wider world are pledging to move to net zero carbon emissions on ambitious timescales. With transport a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (in the UK transport is now the largest source), urban transport authorities have a key role to play in the transition to net zero. Some of the measures that urban transport authorities can take are solely transport measures, such as promoting modal shift. However, others require transport authorities to make better connections with other sectors — connections which are both institutional and knowledge based in order to realise more opportunities for complementary cross-sector measures, and which are capable of delivering greater carbon reduction benefits than would be the case if the transport sector worked in isolation. Florian Beiberbach, CEO of Stadtwerke Munchen, will present the innovative local authority owned utility company that brings together, amongst other things, the energy supply and an integrated local public transport system. Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy, will talk about the renewable energy sector in the UK and opportunities for closer links with local transport systems. The subsequent discussion will explore how local institutional and governance arrangements support or hinder strategic and project-based cross-sector approaches and the lessons that could be learned. Panellists include Rasita Chudasama, Principal Transport Planner who is working to join the dots on carbon between transport, energy and the built environment for Nottingham City Council amd Keith Townsend, Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration at Islington Council.

SPEAKERS

Florian Bieberbach is the Chief Executive Officer of Stadtwerke München. Bieberbach is president of CEDEC, the European Association of Local Energy Companies, and vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria. At TUM School of Management he serves as an honorary professor for energy markets and he is chairman of Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft e.V., an energy research institution.

Juliet Davenport is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Good Energy – a renewable energy company with a mission to power a greener, cleaner future together with its customers. Davenport has been an innovator for over 20 years, working on ideas to fight climate change and transform the energy sector for the better. In 2013, she was awarded an OBE for services to renewables.

Rasita Chudasama is the Principal Transport Planner for Nottingham City Council and is heading up the city’s ambitious £6.1million Go Ultra Low City programme. She previously developed Nottingham’s transport policy and more recently delivered the £16m Local Sustainable Transport Fund programme aimed at promoting more walking, cycling and public transport use.

Keith Townsend is the Corporate Director of Environment and Regeneration at Islington Council. He currently acts as chief technical advisor to the West London Waste Authority and is a Commissioner for the Mayor of London’s Green Spaces Commission.

Berlin Science Week – Sustainable Digitalisation in Urban Areas

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 14:29:00 +0100

As part of this year's Berlin Science Week, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) and the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society are organizing a joint event on "Sustainable Digitization in Urban Areas".

The first part of the event consists of three virtual parallel workshops. The HIIG is proud to host the online workshop: “Citizens, give us your problems! How to Open Data without giving it away.” The event will conclude with a panel discussion about the workshops outcomes and the overarching question of how to enable a sustainable digitalisation in cities like Berlin. The virtual panel discussion will be open to a broader public through a livestream (on this website).

Panel Speaker

Andrea Cominola | Junior Professor for Smart Water Networks at the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) and Technische Universität Berlin. His research focuses on the modeling and management of water and energy demand, the detection of leakages and cyber-physical anomalies, behavior modeling, data mining and machine learning.

Luiza Bengtsson | Data, Actors, Infrastructures team member at HIIG and works on implementing Data & Society Interface research projects with the vision to enable open data access for public good, without data sharing in the classical sense and without collateral damage to individuals or institutions.

Ophélie Ivombo | Program officer for Digitisation of the Consumer Advice Centre Berlin and Bündnis Digitale Stadt Berlin.

Thomas Krause | Project Manager Digitisation Strategy, Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.

Saving America's Cities

Politics and Prose Bookstore — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:25:13 +0100

Lizabeth Cohen - Saving America's Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age — in conversation with E. J. Dionne Focusing on the life and work of Edward J. Logue (1921-2000), an urban planner, public administrator, and lawyer, Cohen’s new book surveys the boom of government-sponsored urban renewal in the post-war decades. An advocate of large-scale projects like his contemporary and rival, Robert Moses, Logue worked to revive New Haven, designed New Boston around a restored Government Center and Faneuil Hall-Quincy Market, and, as head of New York State’s Urban Development Corporation, rebuilt Roosevelt Island. Highlighting both the successes and troubling legacy of Logue’s work,

Cohen, a Harvard professor and award-winning author of Making a New Deal and A Consumers' Republic, illuminates the complicated history of today’s gentrification issues.

Cohen will be in conversation with E.J. Dionne, Washington Post op-ed columnist.

Led by children: designing an inclusive city

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:23:18 +0100

In a city short of funds where urban air pollution was a growing concern something creative needed to be done to change the city for the better. Elected in 2015 mayor Erion Veliaj has transformed the city, harnessing the power of its children, “a small revolutionary in every family” to help him. In his first year Veliaj took 40,000 sq m of land from illegal developments, making way for 31 new playgrounds. He instigated repeated traffic closures on the main Skanderbeg Square to allow children to play safely, now permanently car free the square sits at the centre of a pedestrian zone that has expanded monthly. The Mayor of Tirana will talk about his visions for the city and the difficulties of introducing change and talk with Amica Dall, one of the directors of Assemble, a democratically run architecture, art and design practice Ticket registration This event is free and open to all, and no registration is required. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Revisiting Collections

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 21:26:46 +0100

New strategies for communicating art and culture in a digitalized world will be the focus of the symposium "Revisiting Collections" on June 4 and 5 at the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF). At the two-day event, the significance of the digital for access to art and culture in all its facets and from a global perspective will be critically questioned. Thus, the structure and accessibility of digital collections are just as much a topic as, for example, the digital visualization possibilities of provenance chains. Performative aspects of the digital will also be examined. The symposium is interdisciplinary and international: invited are scholars, artists and experts from museums. Due to the limited number of places, participation on site is currently not possible.

Climate change: stormy weather ahead

Royal Society Te Apārangi — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 15:20:34 +0100

Professor Jim Skea is the Chair of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London and Co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group III - the branch of the IPCC that looks at the actions that can be taken to reduce the rate of climate change. In this lecture Jim discusses the goals and challenges to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5℃. He also explains the role of the UK Climate Commission in light of the New Zealand Government also seeking to establish an independent Climate Commission. Introducing Jim is Ralph Sims CRSNZ, Professor of Sustainable Energy at Massey University.

The Civic City in a Digitized World

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:13:29 +0100

The world is turning to its darker face, apprehension is in the air, the Zeitgeist is one of rising anxiety as our social and our tribal selves increasingly clash as we become overwhelmed by the speed of change. Where do we belong when everything is on the move and the ‘real’ and the virtual blend ever more. How can we combine our desire for anchorage, belonging and stability, with our wish for connections and networks across the globe. How do cities create an atmosphere of opportunity, potential and a ‘can do’ attitude and can they offer us possibilities to grow and be inspired. Charles Landry is an UK-based urban scientist, author and internationally acknowledged advisor and speaker on future urban development. In the end of the 1980s he developed the concep of the Creative City; his most famous book “The Creative City: A toolkit for Urban Innovators” was published in 2000. “The Digitized City” (2016) and “The Civic City in a Nomadic World” (2018) are two of his most recent publications.