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Az W in VENICE: Hands-On Urbanism 1850 – 2012
Exhibition by the Architekturzentrum Wien in the Italian Pavilion at the 13th Architecture Biennale in Venice

“Common Ground” is the theme of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice directed by David Chipperfield. Curator Elke Krasny was invited to develop an adapted version of the exhibition “Hands-On Urbanism 1850 – 2012. The Right to Green”, which she originally conceived for the Az W.

“Hands-On Urbanism 1850 – 2012” is devoted to the history of ideas of appropriating land in urban space. Photo-text installations provide an overview of self-administrating, collective, informal movements and the spaces created by them. Curator Elke Krasny shows that , rather than being exceptions to the rule, hands-on urbanism, bottom-up urbanism und unplanned urban development are in fact driving forces in the development of the city and often catalysts for official planning strategies. She presents a different history of urbanity that poses pressing questions about the responsibility of architects and planners and about our use of resources.

The original exhibition “Hands-On Urbanism 1850 – 2012. The Right to Green” was shown from 15 March to 25 June 2012 at the Architekturzentrum Wien.

The following case studies will be presented at the Biennale:
- “Schreberplatz”, Leipzig. A self-organised association grouped around educationalist Ernst Hauschild founded the first Schreberverein in 1865 and subsequently initiated a self-governing garden.
- Hull House, Chicago, from 1889. Jane Addams, feminist and later recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize initiated the Hull House Settlement in a poor district of Chicago with a high immigrant population.
- Allotment gardens, „The Future on the Schmelz“, Vienna. During World War I the first vegetable gardens were laid out informally on this site that today is Central Europe’s largest allotment garden complex.
- Settler movement Vienna. From 1918 onwards informal, so-called “wild”, settlers and gardeners organised themselves in cooperative associations.
- Living on lots, Bremen, from 1945. After World War II this self-organised, informal settlement and subsistence farming developed on allotment garden lots.
- Ma Shi Po Village, Hong Kong, from 1947. After World War II informal squatter cottages were erected in self-build. Today Becky Au, initiator of the Ma Po Po Community Farm, is attempting to save the fields from pressure being exerted by developers.
- Sarigöl, a Gecekondu, Istanbul. Informal urban expansion began in Istanbul After World War II. Today Gecekondus are threatened by pressure from developers.
- Bowery-Houston Community Farm and Garden, New York. Liz Christy, local resident and artist, initiated this garden in 1973. Under Mayor Giuliani many of the Loisaida gardens were destroyed.
- La Quebrada Navarro, Quito. Andinos erect informal settlements and farm in the raines of Quito. Since 2010 Pablo Molestina and Catherine Venart have been working on plans to preserve the complex ecological system and its use.
- Chimalhuacan, Estado de México, Gabion House, Arturo Ortiz Struck. Together with 17 families in an informal settlement in Chimalhuacan Arturo Ortiz Struck and his team developed in his studio, Taller Territorial de México, an intelligent house that is based on self-build principles and can be erected in the space of seven days.
- What will the Harvest be? London. A group of residents known as the Friends of Abbey Gardens, and the artists group Somewhere (Karen Guthrie & Nina Pope) have been running this public neighbourhood garden with an “honesty stall” since 2006 in the face of developer and gentrification pressure caused by the planned London Olympics in 2012.
- R-Urban, Colombes / Grand Paris. Since 2011 aaa atelier d’architecture autogerée (Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu) have been working on a pilot project that is based on closed local circuits and combines urban farming, a recycling plant, and a cooperative housing project with the right to the city and to future resilience.

Exhibition: „Hands-On Urbanism 1850–2012“
Curator: Elke Krasny / Exhibition graphics: Alexander Schuh
Location: 13th International Architecture Exhibition – Common Ground, Central Pavilion at the Giardini
Duration: 29.08.–25.11.2012
Preview: 27.–28.08.2012
Opening Hours: 10am -6pm (closed on Mondays, except 03.09. and 19.11.2012)
Tickets: 20.00 EUR (reductions on the admission fee: www.labiennale.org)


© Shu-Mei Huang 

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Dates:
Az W in VENICE: Hands-On Urbanism 1850 – 2012


Information:
Ines Purtauf
Tel.: +43 (1) 522 31 15 - 25
Fax: +43 (1) 522 31 17
Email: purtauf@azw.at

 
 
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