Cultural buildings under the spotlight as World Architecture Festival names 'Performance' as 2017 theme
by Kim Megson | 26 Apr 2017
Leisure architecture will be put under the spotlight at the event, with the concept of performance in design central to the event’s seminar programme / World Architecture Festival
– Paul Finch, programme director
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) has announced ‘Performance’ as the theme for its tenth anniversary edition, which is taking place in Berlin this November.
Leisure architecture will be put under the spotlight at the event, with the concept of performance in design central to the event’s seminar programme.
"This year we will examine the multiple aspects of ‘performance’ that architecture has to embrace: aesthetic, technical, economic, and psychological,” said programme director Paul Finch. “We will be discussing buildings designed for performance – for example, theatres and concert halls – but also the role that buildings play in the life and spectacle of the city itself."
WAF is the only global festival that combines conferences, networking and awards – with the WAF Building of the Year celebrating new and future constructions around the globe. This year’s festival will take place from 15-17 November at the Arena Berlin. The event is being held alongside the INSIDE World Festival celebrating global interiors.
Architectural tours exploring the chosen theme will also be organised, comprising visits to the German capital’s top performance venues, including Hans Scharoun's Berlin Philharmonie and Frank Gehry’s new Pierre Boulez Concert Hall.
The first of the 2017 speakers will be announced at the start of May, while architecture studios have until 18 May to submit their projects for consideration in the 31 categories of the WAF Awards.
This year’s event will also see the publication of a manifesto that identifies the key challenges architects face in the next decade. The intention is to generate research funding, which will be distributed to universities and architectural practices investigating these areas.
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The World Architecture Festival (WAF) has announced ‘Performance’ as the theme for its tenth anniversary edition, which is taking place in Berlin this November. Leisure architecture will be put under the spotlight at the event, with the concept of performance in design central to the event’s seminar programme. "This year we will examine the multiple aspects of ‘performance’ that architecture has to embrace: aesthetic, technical, economic, and psychological,” said programme
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