Seminars and Conferences

The Architecture and Place Making International Seminar was organized by INTBAU (International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism) and the Rafael Manzano Prize of New Traditional Architecture, thanks to the support of The Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust, through a contribution to the Chicago Community Foundation for the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Fund, with the collaboration of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, the Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, the Escola Superior Gallaecia, the Fundação Serra Henriques and the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT). It was hold in November, 2017 in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM).

The first day was opened by Manuel Blanco Lage, Director of the School of Architecture, who hosted the seminar, Javier Cenicacelaya, President of INTBAU Spain and Alejandro García Hermida, Coordinator of the initiatives developed in Spain by INTBAU with the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust.

The first session began with the intervention of Rafael Manzano, who presented his recompositing of a house in Cadiz, updating and recovering the architectural traditions of the city. Léon Krier also spoke, presenting his Master Plan for the city of Rimini, Italy, and the winners of the Richard H. Driehaus Architecture Competition: Aritz Díez Oronoz and Imanol Iparraguirre presented the project in which they want to return to Grajal de Campos its lost vitality. Moreover, Sara Lobón and Juan Moya, presented their proposal for the harmonious growth of Vejer de la Frontera towards its western limit.

To follow, Robert Adam highlighted the importance of memory and respect in intervention; Stefanos Polyzoides exposed the need to regenerate the architectural and urban culture; Manalee Nanavati argued that traditional architecture should be centered on people, which he demonstrated through his experience of the Pakistan Heritage Foundation; and finally, Marcel Vellinga presented different projects promoting Vernacular architecture, which are being carried out by the School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes University and the Paul Oliver Vernacular Architecture Library.

On the second day, during the third session of the seminar, Enrique Rabasa spoke lectured onof the stonework tradecraft, Forge Forja Tiznajo presented his work and how the iron-forging trade craft is finding itself in danger today by the dictates of regulations and large corporations. Furthermore, Luis Prieto also highlighted the problem of a loss of knowledge in the use of traditional binders and the threat posed by “new” materials.

In the last session, David Rivera presented the works of Jože Plečnik on the transformation of Prague Castle; Mariana Correia shared the various teaching and research programmes on vernacular architecture that are being developed from the Escola Superior Gallaecia, in Portugal; Ken de Cooman of BC architects & studies, shared two of his most representative projects located in Morocco and Burundi, for which he explained the philosophy and programme behind this group when undertaking a project; Mieke Bosse showed the work that SCALA Architecten has carried out for the creation and strengthening of neighbourhoods and communities; and José Baganha, Rafael Manzano Prize 2017, demonstrated through his work that tradition is not at odds with contemporaneity.

Finally, Alejandro García Hermida presented the new initiatives that are being developed in Spain by INTBAU, and with thanks to the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust, promote traditional construction and architecture in both Spain and Portugal. Carol Wyant presented the conclusions of this meeting.

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The Architecture and Traditional Building Crafts International Seminar was organized, thanks to the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust, by the Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture and the Notre Dame University School of Architecture (Indiana, EEUU), with the participation of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture, the Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio and the collaboration of the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT) and INTBAU Spain. It took place in 20-21 October 2016 in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM).

On the first day, Rafael Manzano lectured about his reconstruction work on the monastery of San Pelayo de Cerrato in Cevico Navero, Palencia; Enrique Nuere (Rafael Manzano Prize 2016), shared his experience and career up until returning to the trade of carpentry; Jerònia Florit and Aina Rosa Serrano explained their work on the recovery of Mallorca’s industrial historical heritage with the Island Council; Richard Economakis presented his project of Temporary and Reusable Adoble villages in response to the current migration crisis; Carlos Martín introduced attendees from the vast world of brick and plaster vaults: Miguel Sobrino, who conveyed his passion for stonework and highlighted the values that the preservation of the trade represents for the future; Fatima Quesada showed the range of possibilities opened by her adaptation of the Andalusian ceramic mosaic tradition to the 21st century; and Scott Liddle explained about the extensive work on the recovery of traditional crafts and architecture developed by Turquoise Mountain, for the reconstruction of a degraded neighbourhood in the city of Kabul, in Afghanistan.

The first session on the second day was dedicated to the relevance of Geometry in traditional construction. In it, José Miguel Merino de Cáceres showed the importance of Metrology as an auxiliary science to restore monuments; Javier de Mingo deciphered the main geometric rules of the lines used in carpentry, and Manuel Fortea explained the diverse use of geometry in the crafts of stonemasonry and masonry. The second of the sessions focused on presenting programmes aimed at promoting and preserving these trades: Donald Gray (Rafael Manzano Award 2015) and Gabriel Montero shared their experience at the School of Lebrija, Seville; Alberto Díaz presented the work and history of the Centro de Oficios León; and Simon Sadinsky spoke about the activities that take place in the United Kingdom with the Prince’s Foundation for the Building Community. To end the day, León Krier denounced the predominance of synthetic materials in contemporary architecture, which not only affect the design of modern styles, but also contribute to replacing traditional architecture with vulgar and ephemeral substitutes thereof; and Alejandro García Hermida presented the new initiatives being developed in Spain from INTBAU with thanks to the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust in promoting traditional building and architecture.

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The Architecture and Humanism International Seminar was organized by the Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture  and the Notre Dame University School of Architecture (Indiana, EEUU), with the collaboration of the Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture, the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT) and INTBAU Spain. It took place in October 2015 in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM).

A wide variety of proposals were presented that revolved around the social role of architecture, approached from different perspectives: from its responsibility when it comes to strengthening the identity of a community to the socio-economic impact of its working styles, going onto embellishing, dignifying and enriching the places where it operates. The lectures wew Christine Franck, David Mayernik, Taisto Mäkëla, Rafael Manzano, Leopoldo Gil Cornet (Rafael Manzano Prize2012), Javier Cenicacelaya (Rafael Manzano Prize 2014 along with Íñigo Saloña), Fernando Vela Cossío, Melissa DelVecchio, Alejandro García Hermida, Léon Krier, Jaime de Hoz, Steven Semes, David Rivera, José Carlos Palacios, Donald Gray (Rafael Manzano Prize 2015) and Enrique Nuere.

Proposals were also presented for the reorganization of several squares in the centre of Madrid (Plaza del Carmen, Plaza de Jacinto Benavente, Plaza de Santo Domingo, Plaza de los Mostenses, Plaza de las Descalzas – San Martín) resulting from the work carried out in Madrid Traditional Architecture and Urbanism International Summer School 2015, organized by Rafael Manzano Prize with the Schools of Architecture of the Notre Dame University and Miami University, with the collaboration of the City of Madrid, the Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, the Universidad Politécnica and the Universidad de Alcalá, INTBAU Spain and the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT).

The seminar was a success, becoming an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas and provoking interesting debates among the attendees.

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The Architecture and Local Identity International Seminar was organized by the Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture and the Notre Dame University School of Architecture (Indiana, EEUU), with the collaboration of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture, the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT) and INTBAU Spain. It took place in October 2014 in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM).

In it Rafael Manzano, Leopoldo Gil Cornet (Rafael Manzano Prize 2012), Luis Fernando Gómez-Stern (Rafael Manzano Prize 2013 along with Ignacio Medina), Javier Cenicacelaya (Rafael Manzano Prize 2014 along with Íñigo Saloña), Alireza Sagarchi, Pier Carlo Bontempi, Fernando Vela Cossío, José Baganha, Melissa DelVecchio, Samir Younés, Alejandro García Hermida, Julio Jesús Palomino Anguí, Salma Samar Damluji, José Luis García Grinda, Léon Krier, Maurice Culot, Jaime de Hoz Onrubia and Michael Lykoudis participated.

The proposal for the restructuring of the Plaza de la Cebada (Madrid), resulting from work carried out in the Traditional Architecture and Urbanism International Workshop, was also presented.

The seminar was a success, becoming an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas and provoking interesting debates among the attendees.

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The Architecture in the Age of Austerity International Seminar was organized by the Rafael Manzano Prize for New Traditional Architecture and the Notre Dame University School of Architecture (Indiana, EEUU), with the collaboration of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture, the Centro de Investigación de Arquitectura Tradicional (CIAT) and INTBAU Spain. It took place in 18-20 June 2013 in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM).

With a full room despite the intense programme, and a great audience, the seminar was a success, becoming an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas and raising interesting discussions among attendees.

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This Cycle I of Conferences was organized by Professor Alejandro García Hermida with the support of Michael Lykoudis, director of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA).

It involved Leopoldo Gil, winner of the 2012 Award, Antonio Almagro, Carlos Sánchez, Rafael Manzano and Leon Krier.

This cycle was possible thanks to the generosity of the Richard H. Driehaus Lead Trust and the support of the School of Architecture of la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), and especially for its Master’s Degree in Conservation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage.