The 2008 edition explores the mutations of Europe brought about by spatial planning, illustrating the scope of the European Union’s contribution to the fields of urbanism and architecture. Archilab Europe showcases the projects and programs implemented by the European Union to foster and support trans-regional and trans-border spatial planning.

Omar Akbar, director of the Bauhaus-Dessau Foundation (Germany) is curator of the exhibition, which will take place between 24 October and 23 December 2008. Thus, Orleans finds itself at the center of a unique panoramic view of current European trends in architectural creation and spatial planning.

The subtitle “strategic architecture” is significant. What projects and programs are being implemented today in Europe and who are the architects involved in this dynamic? What weight is given to creation and innovation? Has Europe adopted a forward-looking approach to urbanism and quality of life issues? How are the digital revolution and new virtual communities being integrated? How do architectural programs take into account opportunities of a global society in the development of micro-systems on the local scale? Will new urban spatial organizations emerge from the transformation of the activities and modes of communication of Europe’s citizens? ArchiLab offers visitors a unique opportunity to develop an opinion on this territory in deep reconfiguration of Europe. The concept of strategic architecture proposed by Omar Akbar, neither observation nor protest, seeks to foster critical, open and plural debate, anchored in the social, political, economic, geographic and cultural issues daily affecting our ways of living.

"Archilab Europe - Strategic Architecture" aims to present the decisive and strategic role of architecture and planning interventions as a tool for the development of cities and regions, and show the links with funding structures within the European Community. The exhibition will highlight in particular how architecture and strategic plans of action may be linked up with one another. In doing so, the exhibition poses the question of whether, given this context, Europe may be viewed as a testing ground for new approaches to architecture or planning. Do these “strategic architectures” stimulate and promote innovative development and dynamics in the cities and regions?