As part of the V&A+RIBA Architecture Partnership and the RIBA Trust "International Dialogues: Architecture and Climate Change" Programme, this half-day symposium will focus on the role of architecture and the environment in preserving local and traditional cultures in the context of increasing globalisation.

As national and local governments develop city centres with iconic buildings and globally-branded retailing, this symposium asks whether economies, including rural settlements, communities and their cultural integrities are threatened by such developments. How can architects, designers and engineers help sustain a sense of local identity both in terms of cultural heritage and the conservation of the environment?

The speakers will discuss and debate the ways in which we can we aim for a process of "whole life sustainability" that places people first. "Whole life sustainability" considers multiple aspects of value, contextualised in different cities and locales, and offers a positive strategic model of understanding such complexities. It looks at sustainability from a wider cultural perspective, in which it is incorporated in the design process, through a reprioritisation of human experience, including the senses and memory.

The award-winning Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, designed by Arup Associates, forms an important case study for the symposium, as this project highlights the role of school in the context of education and regeneration.

Keynote speaker Francesco Bandarin, Head of World Heritage, UNESCO. Introduced by Cecil Balmond, Deputy Chairman, Ove Arup and Partners Limited. Case studies by Declan O'Carroll, Practice Principal and Associate Francesca Galeazzi, Arup Associates and David Turnbull Director of Atopia. Architect and renowned author, Juhani Pallasmaa will conclude the symposium.

Fees
Full Price: 20 Pounds
Concessions: 15 Pounds