Some moments and elements from the Emergence workshop (12-18/12) which took place as part of  ECOWEEK as well as from the public discussion that took place at the Embros Theater on 14/12.

TREE announces its second workshop for young architects, students of architecture and related fields. 

(If you would like to browse TREE's past workshop for students you may visit this link). 

Emergence is a term used in philosophy, systems theory, science and art to signify the way that complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions. An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment.

Social & Community Sustainability, the workshop’s theme, allows associations that are relevant both to the physical and to the social aspects of sustainability, in other words both the framework we live in, buildings, streets, infrastructure as well as the people that produce, inhabit and use them. Another concept that is of much relevance at times such as ours is Resilience. This workshop will attempt to tie together and work with concepts of Sustainability, Emergence and Resilience in both physical and social frameworks. Practically, in an attempt to bridge theory and action [praxis], this workshop will involve an in depth immersion in the city’s life, provided through specific readings, invited speakers and nomadic visits at places that show signs of any of the three themes of emergence, resilience and sustainability. Our task will be to work with the physical and the social realities of such chosen places in the city, to analyze and propose realistic steps that will enhance and strengthen these attributes. The character of the workshop will engage spaces in the city such as Plato’s Academy, the neighbourhoods of Psiri and Kypseli and specific buildings of significance in these areas, such as Kafeneion, the Empros Theatre and the Kypseli market which we will examine under the light of emergence. Our methodology will involve artistic, scientific and empirical methods, presentations, fieldwork, specific contact and design methodologies and contact with the community.  

Full daily schedule and all details will be announced one week prior to the beginning of the workshop. The names of invited speakers and members of groups and networks will also be announced. 

Information on ECOWEEK                                             Registration

Crises, nature and local communities

A day event of social exploration: Κυριακή 27 Μαρτίου 2011

There is an urgent need for investigating the sustainability factors of our societies under the current and future pressure of crises. Societies and sustainable future are being examined from the perspective of the multi-level environmental, economic and social crises we are experiencing today internationally. These are already being felt very strongly in greek communities and urgently require investigation.
Climate change, economic, energy and food crisis and access to environmental resources such as drinking water, all form a great challenge for us and for future generations. In this workshop we will learn from best practices both from Greece and from abroad to do workshops and initiatives by the local community and every participant. We will examine what we have as natural and cultural assets and environmental resources as well as concepts of specific bearing capacity and discuss issues of social justice and everyday lifestyles.
This knowledge is useful in order to understand some problems that may lie at the heart of the crisis experience and knowledge may also include their solutions.

The presentations, discussions and screenings will focus on how different communities and individuals approach the issue of current and upcoming crises and how resilience, autonomy and social cohesion as tools to counteract crises may be sought.


Examples of good practice in Greece and abroad:
11:00 to 14:00

The period of crisis, causes and responses
The case of Anavra
Dimitris Tsoukalas and Mahi Karali, (former President of Community and Architect, respectively) are behind the phenomenon of Anavra and will introduce the concepts, processes and history of a success story of this particular experiment of a holistic sustainable society with tangible and impressive results.
The Transition movement
Nicholas Anastasopoulos, co-founder of TREE and currently President of the Management Agency of the Schinias Marathon National Park will make an introduction to the principles and ideology of the movement.

Questions and Discussion.

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Screenings:
16:00 to 17:00

1. How much food can I grow around my house (Peak Moment Series Episode 87 / 28 ')
2. An experiment in backyard sustainability (Peak Moment Series Episode 51 / 26 ')
3. Power of Community: How Cuba survived the Peak oil crisis, (The Community Solution, 2006 / 53 ')

The videos are in English, without subtitles, and there will be simultaneous translation if necessary

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From theory to practice
17:00 to 20:00

Open discussion with organic farmers in the region Marathon.
Coordinated discussion of initiatives for the public and the input method for speakers with Open Space thechnology. empowerment of groups, initiatives and development objectives and development of methodologies for the achievement of individual actions will be proposed.



The events will take place in the Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center at the National Park of Schinias at Marathon under the aegis of the National Park