Festarch

Festarch is an international architecture festival held every year in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.The first events took place in late June 2007, and it proved to be a big success, so new events are scheduled to take place every year since then.

The key to Festarch’s success was the involvement of some of the most thought-provoking architects, designers and writers on the international scene.

History

The first edition took place in June 2007, and for three days Cagliari played host to a global architecture event, with 58 meetings focused on the theme of landscape, featuring names such as Rem Koolhaas, Paulo Mendes Da Rocha, Edouard Glissant, Jacques Herzog, Massimiliano Fuksas, Enzo Mari and many other leading architects and designers from all over the world.According to the press, about 35,000 visitors took part in the first edition of Festarch.

Current

The theme chosen for this year’s events is “planetary tourism” which will be investigated in all its geopolitical implications, architectural forms and economic and emotional impacts.

This is what the press release says about it: "While linking Sardinia to the theme of global tourist flows over the last decades might seem a somewhat predictable exercise in rhetoric, we believe it will help us gain a better understanding of the present and future of local areas, valid for both this region and many other places in the world. The encounter-clash between cultures and between residents and visitors, the tensions between often contrasting needs, and the resulting combinations and juxtapositions have shaped many areas around the world, at times leaving an even deeper imprint than wars, environmental change or industrial development.

The festival will move from the universal concept of tourist travel to explore the many facets of this phenomenon: from the individuality of great travellers to mass tourism, from exploration to migration. Specific attention will be focused on the landscape and its transformations, but certainly not neglecting human beings. We shall address the theme from four viewpoints: "seeing", "remembering", "welcoming", "safeguarding".

This year’s event will see participation of: Jacques Herzog, Francois Roche, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Eisenman, Qingyun Ma, Geoff Dyer, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Luc Sante, Tom McCarthy, Oliviero Toscani, Vito Acconci, Andrea Branzi, Giorgio Agamben, Iñaki Abalos, Juan Herreros, Benedetta Tagliabue, Fabio Novembre, Minsuk Cho and many others.

External links

* [http://www.festarch.it Festarch]