Looking to benefit from the cultural surge created by Esch2022--European Capital of Culture, architectural firm 2001 has decided to set up, in collaboration with Itinerant Office, the Young European Architecture Happening (YEAH!).
“I have been participating in the New Generations festival for several years now,” says , architect and founder in 2001. “It's a festival that allows us to meet the emerging generation in architecture, the one made up of assistants from universities and colleges or those who have just opened their office, who have perhaps five or six buildings completed, but with a strong narrative and position, a risk-taking attitude. It's an enriching network that you don't have access to at all in Luxembourg. So I wanted to bring this scene here and that's why we set up this festival in collaboration with Itinerant Office, which is also behind the New Generations festival,“ he adds.
The target audience is professionals in the field of architecture but also students, such as those enrolled in the architecture master’s programme at the University of Luxembourg. “The idea is to create a new meeting point in the already established international network,” explains Nathan. “With this festival, it is possible to have access to other projects than those usually presented to us and in less formal formats than the traditional conference. Organising it in Luxembourg is also an opportunity to discover our European metropolis, which is perhaps less visible than others, but which offers fine examples and a lot of experience, particularly in urban and socio-economic transition projects.”
A rich and varied programme
Innovative housing and urban hybridisation--both important topics in Luxembourg--will be the two main themes of the event. Some of the projects which will be presented are the result of a call for applications, which resulted in 89 submissions.
On 15 April, a series of presentations on housing will be given. Participants will be able to discover a wide range of projects including , the , the and more.
The 16 April will see topics related to hybrid architecture being explored. “This is a theme that is difficult for the younger generation to access, as it often involves large-scale projects on which young offices do not yet have sufficient references to be able to position themselves. But we have nevertheless found several projects that have been completed or are in progress that show that it is possible," says Nathan. Projects that aim to convert industrial halls, housing combined with a tram hall or public spaces that can have more than one function will be discussed.
In addition, there will be thematic round tables. One will be dedicated to drawing, another to photography and a third to publications.
The Kulturfabrik's Kinosch will also be used to present work on video with and the Luxembourg project
There is no entry fee for the event but depending on the sanitary regulations in force at the time, registration may be compulsory. To find out about the current formalities, please refer to the .
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.