On 16th and 17th November Calpe will host the 1st International Architecture Symposium, an event organised by Calpe Town Council in collaboration with the Alicante College of Architecture as part of the Bofill Year programme of activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the emblematic La Muralla Roja building.
The symposium will feature various presentations based on the work of the architect Ricardo Bofill, but covering broader issues of universal architecture such as environmental protection, aesthetics in architecture, urban landscape, etc. On 16 November, the lecture "Internationalisation of the Manzanera" will be given by the doctor and professor of Architectural Composition at the University of Alicante (UA) Andrés Martínez Medina, followed by the talk "Vitruvius to Bofill. A Historical Stroll through the Beauty of Architecture" by the Architect and Town Planner and Territorial Planning Technician, Gerardo Roger.
The architect Alberto Mengual will give the lecture "Protection of the environment" followed by the talk "Modern residential urban landscapes" by Javier Monclús, Doctor of Architecture and Professor of Urban Planning at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza, nd Carmen Diez, Professor of Architectural Composition at the School of Engineering and Architecture (EINA) of the University of Zaragoza. At the end of the lectures, a round table discussion will be held.
On 17 November the day will begin with a talk on "PINKA -BOO Visual Art" by Daniel Rueda and Anna Devis, two imaginative photographers who met at the Universitat Politècnica de València, where they both graduated from the School of Architecture. Today, this creative duo uses their architectural background to tell stories through fun and surprising images that are a far cry from conventional architectural photography. Their particular style is characterised by the use of humour, creativity, precision and a delicate aesthetic inspired by the city, geometry and minimalism.
Representatives of the RBTA, Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, are scheduled to take part in the event to learn about Ricardo Bofill's work from the perspective of the professionals who worked directly with the brilliant architect.
Afterwards, the architect, doctor and lecturer in the Department of Graphic Expression, Composition and Projects at the University of Alicante, will give the lecture "Anna, the Bofill counterpoint", which will focus on the figure of Anna Bofill, Ricardo's sister. nna Bofill was a pioneer, being one of the first women to graduate in architecture from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Barcelona in 1973. Her architectural works include Walden 7 when she was part of the Taller de Arquitectura and, individually, the Plaza Cataluña train station in Barcelona. She is a point of reference for feminism in architecture and has worked to incorporate the gender perspective in urban planning, as well as vindicating throughout her career the role of women in music and architecture.
The next lecture will be "Influences of Bofill's Red Wall in the videoludic art of Monument Valley 2" by Diana Mª Espada Torres and Adrián Sánchez from the Department of History of Art at the University of Zaragoza.
Architect João Albuquerque, partner of the BIG studio founded in 2006, is also scheduled to participate. This Portuguese architect is characterised by his research and the possibilities of computing, robotics and electronics in architecture and design. The day will end with a round table discussion.
Admission to the symposium, which will be held at Diamante Beach, will be free of charge, and attendance can be booked by emailing simposium@ajCalpe.es for either one or both days.