CALL FOR PAPER ( ARCASIA NEPAL 2013 )

September 07, 2017

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT: FEBRUARY 25, 2013

The Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) is pleased to announce that the 34th Architects Regional Council Asia (ARCASIA) and 17th Forum 2013 will be held in Kathmandu in October 2013. SONA invites papers and presentations from architects from all member countries of ARCASIA on the theme of its 17th Forum: “Spirituality in Architecture and the Image of the City”. SONA proposes to hold presentation and discussion sessions on three sub-thematic areas of Identity (quests and achievements for difference, distinction and uniqueness), Civility (quests and achievements for society, urbanity and publicity) and Spirituality (quests and achievements for oneness with man, nature and spirits) in Architecture and their coming together in defining the Image of the City. Each sub-thematic session will have a keynote delivered by an architect of renown in Asia. The identification of speakers for the delivering the keynotes is in process and will be notified as the engagements are finalized.  Thematic Committee has been making preliminary enquiries on possibility of participation of Prominent Architects around the world as possible keynote speakers.

The message of Asian architecture in history has been one of spirituality and many of the architectural heritage edifices from our member countries can be cited as evidences of strong and meaningful expressions of the understanding of humanity, nature and the nurture of the human spirit. How has this aspect of the Asian architecture fared in the wake and rise of cultural globalism? What messages and meanings have the Asian architects sought to bring out in the present day world dominated by functions, technology, materials and, may we add, a Western mindset driven by a quest for individualism and difference?  As the world turns around to take a serious look at nature and ecology again, what has been inspiring the Asian architects and what have been some of the architectural expressions of note on man in nature, the core of the spiritual?

Also, in the past, Asian cities had been planned and designed after a defined cosmic image and architecture was used to define the center and peripheries of spaces in an imagined universal environment. To very many visitors today, the memory of the contemporary city is formed as a collage of architectural landmarks, urban spaces, heritage sites and restaurants and through these, the architecture continues to play as distinct and deterministic a role in imprinting the image of the contemporary city. The increasing presence of iconic architecture in our city centers, the domination of form in this class of ‘world’ architecture, the self-indulgence of the famous and the popular in the pursuit of uniqueness and stamp of the individualism and the creeping architectural narcissism add up to raise the question of civic responsibility of architectural works. How is the contemporary architecture shaping the image of Asian cities? How is the civility of architecture? What sense of society does our architecture evoke? Is there an Asian city at all in spirit and intent?

The NEPAL ARCASIA 2013 Conference calls for papers and presentations exploring, assessing, describing and critiquing the state of architectural aesthetics in the imaging of the cities in participating member countries.  It is expected that the deliberations on the very many questions that crop up to shape the ideas on the possibilities, role and nature of architecture in imaging the city for building it as a collective identity of the place, people and time. The papers and presentations should seek out, explore and discuss the exemplary contemporary works of architects and allied designers from each of the participating member countries in terms of their individuality, civility and urbanity and their role and effectiveness in giving image to the city.  It is hoped that the 17th ARCASIA Forum will make lively and memorable deliveries and deliberations on architects’ reflections on humanity, nature and spirituality as evidenced in their practice and preaching of architecture realized for a society in a city nestled in the larger nature.

Abstract submission

Individual papers and submissions are encouraged to be made addressing to particular sub-thematic sessions on Identity, Civility or Spirituality. The presentations will be of 20 minutes duration.
 

Deadline for abstracts of papers and presentations:  31st May 2013 (Extended)


Notification of abstracts selection:  5th June 2013


Deadline for full papers and write up of presentations:  5 August 2013

 Official website: http://arcasianepal2013.com/a/


Abstracts should be sent to:
Name:  Secretariat committee, ARCASIA 2013, Society of Nepalese Architects
Email: sonaorg@wlink.com.np (C.C. : sona2047@gmail.com )
Fax: +977-014262252
G P O Box: 20461, Kathmandu, Nepal

 Selected papers will be published by SONA as a NEPAL ARCASIA PROCEEDINGS