Moscow Urban Forum this year is again in Zaryadye. And again, according to tradition, he will present a rich business and festival program. For the ninth year in a row, the FUF has become the main meeting place in Russia for all who, in one way or another, influence the appearance of today's cities and sets the vector of their development. It brings together officials, business representatives, architects, urbanists, environmentalists, even psychologists and health consultants - this season, an entire section of the forum will be devoted to researching the impact of urban politics on the health of citizens.
The topic of the forum this time is “Quality of life. Projects That Change Cities”. It is planned to discuss the criteria for the quality of life and ways to achieve and maintain it at the proper level. Special attention is paid to the need to involve local residents in the implementation of urban projects.
The Forum always brings together an impressive number of Russian and foreign experts. This year will be no exception. Along with the Mayor of Moscow, representatives of the governing structures of New York, Tel Aviv, Milan, London, Berlin will take part in the business program. There are also quite a few architects among the speakers, both Russian and foreign - Sergey Tchoban, Alexey Ginzburg, Sergey Skuratov, Pierre de Meuron (Herzog & de Meuron), Tadao Kamei (Nikken Sekkei), Rainier de Graaf (OMA), Winy Maas (MVRDV). And that's just a part. Therefore, the program promises to be interesting.
The Moscow Urban Forum will be held from 4 to 7 July, but you need to register before June 27 - here. Formation of the business program is in its final stage. In the meantime, let's tell you a little about what the MUF Fest has prepared this year. More than a hundred open educational and cultural events are planned here - lectures, master classes, workshops, film screenings, walks, science shows and much more. The designated topic is "City / Attention / Umwelt".
“This year we will be exploring the Moscow Umwelt,” says Festival Director Arina Drobina. - We will help the townspeople see Moscow from a new side and love it even more than before. The Umwelt concept implies that the world that we see and accept as the only reality is strictly individual and is the result of the adaptation of our senses to specific goals and objectives. Each of us sees and feels the city in his own way."
There are several architectural events that I would like to recommend.
For example, you can have coffee with Rainier de Graaf, who is presenting his book "Four walls and a roof. The complex nature of a simple profession." This is a collection of articles reflecting the author's thoughts about the profession of an architect in the 21st century and his own, sometimes tragicomic, experience in this area.
It is also worth taking part in a walk around Kitai-Gorod with the artist Anna Aegida and the architectural historian Alexandra Scheiner. During the route, three stops are planned, where, under the guidance of "guides", it will be possible to sketch the city landscapes of several eras that have survived on Kitay-Gorod. The festival program includes a whole series of walks with different umwelt, see the full list.
Anastasia Bryukhanova, a municipal deputy of the Shchukino district, will hold a workshop for non-architects and non-urbanists, and teach Muscovites to build a city on their own. Here you will need to register to participate.
From film screenings, we recommend taking note of the film "Architecture of Infinity" - about sacred architecture. Director Christoph Schaubav explored the history of sacred spaces that possess special magic and create a sublime sense of immensity in humans.
Lectures during the festival will be delivered by speakers from all over the world. Psychologist Colleen Elard, for example, will talk about the relationship between city architecture and our mood. And gamification specialist Steffen Waltz will share his thoughts on rethinking approaches to designing cities using the principles of computer and other games.
The full program of MUF Fest events is here. Please select early as some events require pre-registration.
