workshoppackeasa013 reaction - Žužemberk

04/08 - 18/08/13

XXXIII European Architecture Students Assembly

CONTENT

05 THE NETWORK07 THE THEME08 WORKSHOPS19 SITES REVEALED 23 CONTACT

workshoppackeasa013 reaction - Žužemberk

04/08 - 18/08/13

XXXIII European Architecture Students Assembly

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It is very hard to defi ne what EASA is. Technically it is a Network, the big-gest architecture students network in Europe. The European Architec-ture Students Assembly has more than a three-decade-long tradition. It was established in 1981 in Liver-pool with the purpose of connecting with students from other European countries. Attendees exchange experi-ences and cultural knowledge, ideas and thoughts. The main activities are various practical and theoreti-cal workshops held by skilled tutors, accompanied by lectures by local and international architects.The Network moves to a new venue every year, providing fresh views and challenges in practical spatial design and theory. For two weeks the EASA commu-nity becomes self-suffi cient. It brings a unique creative spirit among the participants, also known as the EASA

< Cloud workshop at EASA011 Cadiz

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THE ASSEMBLY

Spirit which is diffi cult to describe but easy to feel.

Working and living together for two weeksDuring the two-week-long workshops students will use their academic knowledge in practice, make analyses and concepts, develop their ideas, debate, socialize, solve issues within work groups, exchange ideas and experience etc. They will interact with the surroundings, learn how to use tools for material treatment, work with the locals and be introduced to local crafts. Within two weeks the work-shops, which might be only at the stage of an idea or conceptual design, will be brought to a realization. They will be concluded with an evaluation and presented at an exhibition.

The EASA network stimulates in-tercultural dialogue. It encourages the collaboration among students of different schools of architecture, nationalities, backgrounds, opinions, which benefi ts the development of an individual’s thinking process. There is no hierarchy in workshops and activi-ties so everyone can contribute to the project’s evolution.

There are different attendees at EASA. Organizers provide accom-modation and food, coordinate workshops and sponsors, organize

lectures and different collateral events and activities during the assembly. Helpers are usually old easians, help-ing at the infodesk, lending tools and working in the bar. The backbone of the assembly are the tutors, who run various workshops selected among all the received proposals. They coor-dinate and lead participants in their work and oversee the results.

Last but not least are the participants, the biggest group of people at EASA, which represent almost 50 countries around Europe and abroad. They live, work and have fun together for two weeks. Their day starts at about 9am with breakfast and is followed by workshops through the day. After dinner lectures and parties fi ll up the night activities. Excursions, sports activities and pop-up workshops are arranged in between to keep the spirit of interaction alive.

Along with the obvious - vigorously at-tending workshops - participants must occasionally help with some easy tasks. Being an almost self-suffi cient community, for example participants of each country take the role of cooks for one day. Also for the purposes of meeting new people, each country serves dinner and/or breakfast once per assembly. These tasks have to be taken seriously and carried out me-ticulously.

THE NETWORK

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THE THEME < use the frame! react!

ReactionThe EASA theme works as a frame; on its basis students think, research and create. It can be oriented very architecturally or simply socially. Re-action as such refers to the people, to villagers, to the response to the state of society. Nowadays active involve-ment into processes that change our environment is very important. The theme Reaction explores the possibil-ity and the importance of the public’s participation in shaping the space through researching the past, the cultural and social background.

On the one hand Reaction is very lo-cally oriented, on the other it explores similar issues in other parts of the world. How to properly react to the current situation with the world crisis and consumer society? What is actu-

ally the architect’s primary job and the job of architecture? How can we help the community when designing public space, even when the architect’s direct infl uence is not present? How to preserve the knowledge, skills and qualities of construction and design from the past? The theme Reaction is a very wide notion, one that can be interpreted differently by each partici-pant. It is only important that everyone asks themselves how an individual can contribute to a higher quality of coexistence.

The theme Reaction is divided into three practical sub-themes, linked to location, tradition and craftsman-ship. The three subthemes were not chosen randomly, but follow the clas-sical division of EASA workshops into theoretical, practical and workshops which combine the two.

Below are presented the selected workshops through the workshop proposals call. The organizing team received 61 applications, from which 27 workshops were selected and will be carried out during the XXXIII. Euro-pean Architecture Students Assembly in Žužemberk.

Note: Due to the coordination process with the tutors the fi nal selection of proposals may change by the start of the event.

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Make me think Ludwig Wittgenstein

In this workshop ideas of modern phi-losophy are taken for granted and are developed to their very limits, structur-ing an entire designing system around them, in the form of a powerful logical argument. On the basis of an unhin-dered transition between the level of concepts and that of experiences, an experiment is set, hypothesizing on whether or not functional space, that can cause the physical and psycho-logical tension of an art installation, is possible. Theory shall fuel design and construction. Can you actually handle that, Easian?

Tutors: Manos Chatzinikolaou,, Greece Myrsini Alexandridi, Greece

...city is my playground!

The idea of “City is my playground” workshop is to introduce different types of street art interventions to the participants and share the “know how” with them. In the fi rst phase, trough the series of short lectures, sketch-ing sessions, drawing exercises etc. participants will learn how to make 5 different types of interventions – sten-cils, paste-ups, stickers, graffi ti and murals. Second phase is reserved for the “reaction” - participants will try to fi nd a “surface” or a place where they can make a site specifi c intervention! There will also be some sketching bat-tles, movie projections, and few more interesting things…

Tutors: Andrej Žikić, Serbia Chrisa Gkolemi, Greece Etienne Godfrin, France

Towards a Topology of Black Fire

There will be smaller scale technical and learning exercises followed by the construction of a small pavilion build-ing by using deconstructive processes as a method of physical and psycho-logical construction. The outcomes will be a repository/archive of the psychological ideas that the partici-pants go through over the course of the two weeks. This will support the construction of a small pavilion, using in-situ cast concrete. At the end of the workshop the formwork will be burnt, leaving an area where one can take refuge from thoughts, excesses, work etc. amongst the embers. It will be a nexus for the four elements of the world (earth, water, air, fi re).

Tutor: Alex Maxwell, UK

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ŽUŽ UP

“ŽUŽ UP” workshop is a combina-tion of theoretical and practical types. Theory observes the basics of animation, various examples and the analysis of Slovenian tales. The second part is the interpretation of the stories and through documentation in-teracting with the local landscape and creating a movie for the interpreted Slovenian tales. “ŽUŽ UP” workshop is strongly connected with Slovenian written background as the analysis of local tales will we included. Myths and legends will be interpreted today with its unique surroundings and local spirit. Reaction of the past and its interaction with the present is brought to life when these stories are revealed in very well-known surroundings.

Tutors:Milda Kulvičiūtė, LithuaniaEvelina Vasiliauskaitė, LithuaniaJoris Šykovas, Lithuania

EASA TV

EASA TV is about EASA partici-pants, tutors, helpers, organizers, friends, family and guests. EASA TV is about the context, the theme and the country. EASA TV is about EASA. EASA TV tries to cover as much of the assembly as possible and the material is then edited, screened on site at the assembly and uploaded to YouTube. About 3 groups of 3 participants work in teams and create movies about EASA. Tutors are to give information and help participants to create their own movies.

Tutors:Alexandra Kononchenko, BelarusOlga Dolinina, BelarusArian Lehner, Austria

What makes this city yours?

The workshop will have both a practi-cal and a theoretical output. The theoretical part of mapping the village Žužemberk and its surrounding area in various ways is combined with a direct exploration on site. The analy-sis and information collected is then put onto diverse maps, which will be the base to create interactive games used as a communication tool with the locals and inhabitants.

Tutors:Julia Hutzler, GermanyThurid Andressen, Germany

Light parasite

The workshop “Light paraSITE” is about enlightening different zones of Žužemberk which are now aban-doned, but have a great potential. With our workshop we would like to highlight these sites and the nature of Žužemberk, to become more exposed and activated. The most noticeable symbol of the city is its castle, because of which other areas have become overlooked. With that in mind we would fi rst like to deal with the river, old tannery, mill and the round path. These four light installa-tions would serve as the fi rst part of the workshop, where we would get to know the new environment and people.

Tutors:Brina Vizjak, SloveniaSara Badovinac, Slovenia

://Diffr_action

://Diffr_action is the exploration of light through different mediums. The workshop shall begin with theoretical discussions and an investigation, the result will be multiple small installa-tions including lasers, mirrors and string art, leading to one large interac-tive space. The constructive side of ://Diffr_Action will in no means be a ‘build’, however a formal location for the fi nal output would eventually be required. This can be a reaction to on site spaces formed within the EASA camp.

Tutors: Bhavika Mistry, UKTess Moroney, UK

Floatptures

Floatptures is a constructive workshop about designing fl oating sculptures from polystyrene which are laminated into a solid shape. Every participant will have the option to make his own individual fl oating device and after completion enjoy drifting down the river Krka.

Tutors:Anna Podroužková, Czech RepublicLibor Mládek, Czech RepublicJan Vybíral, Czech Republic

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Illumidentity

Shaping new identity through light projection / mapping - interweaving and multilayering of traditional lo-cal craftsmanship and new digital media. The process will consist of tracing the past, local identity, history and tradition, mapping the present, perception-shift & deconstruction of reality, interconnection and response and lastly facing future, dreams and reaction. The workshop consists of two main tasks performed by two work-groups. The construction group focuses on the building of the surface and/or structure on which it will be projected. Meanwhile the mapping group will focus on programming the visuals and thus enhance the theme with a theoretical background.

Tutor:Christof Mathes, Austria

Trap for a monster

The exploration the concept of trap-ping: good public space ensnares citizens by providing an opportunity by social interaction. Making trap structures will be framed by discus-sions about different types of trap-ping: physical and social ones. Some traps will be made to catch food and one — to catch local population and share experiences through cooking and dining. The market spot will be upgraded as main attraction of locals. Participants will design a market pavilion/shelter, which framework will be covered with feathers and squama. Caught fi sh can be sold and eaten inside.

Tutors:Inesa Kovalova, UkraineKseniia Pundyk, UkraineAlan Thompson, UK

EASA FM

EASA_fm is a workshop combining the technical with the creative. As we want to react as well as interact, a radio station offers us the best pos-sibilities to do so. Learning how to collect what’s going on around us, and cutting it in a way to be able to com-municate it, we can work with the idea of letting the global world get in touch with the local one.

Tutors:Cansu Pelin Isbilen, TurkeyMiles Reay-Palmer, UKAgnesa Vavrinova, SlovakiaThomas Klein, Austria

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Tapaland 2.0

The international quest for the most delicious medieval snack. Each day another European country is welcome to cook with us their delicious native deli! At the end of the day we can sell the food to all the participant after allthe hours of hard work on all the work-shops!

Tutors:Willem Barendregt, NetherlandsSophie van Dorsten, NetherlandsJoost Harteveld, Netherlands

Soundscape

The sound as a semantic break point and a parameter, creates a new dimension of understanding the surroundings. The free adaption of sound in various environments, or vice versa, enables the unexpected to happen. The word experimental is the best description for our workshop. It’s a workshop that involves an individual and architectural space and poetical relation in between them.

Tutors:Dominykas Daunys, LithuanianAndrius Laurinaitis, LithuanianTomas Milkamanavičius, Lithuanian

Light me up

Experimenting with light, using optical fi bers, creating interactive installa-tions, looking for new ways to be play-ful and create a project that consists of individual reactions to the theme, set up and frame of mind of EASA participants in Slovenia. Using exist-ing, organic elements of nature and converting them into light installations, trying to accentuate the positive voids and nooks, reactivating and activating through simple injections of life/light.We are expecting full interest from the participants and freedom while creat-ing the whole project, with minimal input and guidelines from the tutors during the creation period.

Tutors:Lana Lončar, SerbiaLjubica Arsić, SerbiaAleksandra Stepanović, Serbia

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“Set theory” workshop

As Žužemberk’s population is divided into different groups and used to be divided in its history (communists and anticommunists, Catholics and Prot-estants, city folk and farmers, liberals and clericalists, etc.), we would like to take these groups as mathemati-cal sets and through the workshop’s participatory nature fi nd their intersec-tions (a population which will be a member of both sets). Hopefully the intersection will grow in the future with its ultimate point being the blending of the two sets into one.

Tutor:Tamara Rijavec, SloveniaNatalija Zanoški, Slovenia

Tales of Žužemberk

“Tales of Žužemberk” is a workshop about expressing oneself visually and verbally in the format of a pic-ture book. It is about experiencing your surroundings and refl ecting on them through your own stories. In this workshop we will get to know how to deliver your architectural thoughts through texts and illustrations. Every-one can come up with their own story and put their own book together. Most of all, we want you to experience, think, write, paint, sketch, draw, make collages, be poetic and creative.

Tutors:Roland Reemaa, EstoniaLaura Linsi, Estonia

Holy moley

As Žuzemberk and the river krka have a big history with water mills, we want to take this part of its history and reinterpret the use of water mills. We will build a typical water mill wheel out of wood, connected to a well designed balk to produce electricity that enables the lighting of the balk with romantic kitschy fairy lights. This way we show how the moving water of the river can be used in a historical and effective way - but for a modern kind of absurd easa-style use.

Tutors:Lena Kohlmayr, AustriaKerstin Pluch, AustriaJakob Braun, Germany

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Accordion

The aim of our workshop is to develop one or two 1:1 installations. The struc-tures will have a resolved component system that explores the performance of the thin wooden slates as well as a joining system. The structures will be developed from their sites, responding to the location through questions of light, wind, and behaviour. We expect for the fi nal exhibit to have one or two different installations in different sites, depending if we, together with the par-ticipants, fi nd it appropriate.Still, we fi nd it most important in our workshop to focus on the process, to inspire the participants through practi-cal experiments where they get the chance to explore and experience the materials’ possibilities and limitations with their own hands.

Tutors:Elias Lindhoff, DenmarkSebastian Mardi, Denmark

Small Interventions

Small Interventions is one of the long-est running workshops throughout EASA history. The scale of the inter-ventions often integrates more eas-ily in its environment as it is always intended to address directly tangible issues within the assembly surround-ings. First, participants will wander around, searching for a site and/or an issue they want to focus on. Then they will design a “small intervention” that will solve, improve or brighten the particular site condition. Through theoretical work, models and detail plans they will also defi ne a “generic” description and a construction manual of their intervention.

Tutors:Hugo Pointallart, FranceLucia Brandoli, ItalyRomea Muryn, PolandJanine Tuechsen, Germany

Analogue Adventures

This CREATIVE FILM PHOTOGRA-PHY workshop is about exploring,documenting and revealing the rela-tionship that exists between man andarchitecture. Images isolate truth; expose realities, infl uence, and bear witness to time.Participants will be encouraged to-seek out and expose the hiddenarchitecture within familiar and every-day situations, capturing moments in a unique and fairly unpredictable way and present images that are more an interpretation of reality than a correct representation of it.The Analogue Adventures participants should bring their own old-schoolanalog cameras – and if your analog camera happens to have a digitalfriend then let it tag along too.

Tutors:Helena Mouton, South AfricaLisa Henderson, South Africa

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City Bot

We think that the time of new cyber-netic personalities is coming; it is currently working on the internet as different apps, gadgets and internet bots. These new personalities are playing the role of interdisciplinary and intercultural translators. With the help of them people more freely under-stand each other. And architecture should REACT to that challenge of contemporaneity. The aim is to make an experimental installation with an object of a new type into the urban en-vironment - City Bot. We will analyze the information layer of local tradition-al culture with the help of local crafts-men. Then we will design and build the interactive installation City Bot.

Tutors:Nataly Nemkova, BelarusAlexander Hodyakov, BelarusArtem Atrashevsky, Belarus

Oursoftrefuge

The aim is to generate interactions between the users and make social, spatial experiences in that elastic woven space. During the research and construction part we would like to work with locals and participants as well. Our goal is for everybody to learn some specifi c woven techniques and construct a space where they can fl oat - meanwhile experiencing another kind of architecture. The end result will be an elastic woven space and everybody will be invited to try the fl oating experience using the struc-ture. We would like for the space to be permanent so that locals may use it after EASA has left the area.

Tutors:Roland Nemeth, HungaryIldiko Valicsek, Hungary

Rekukivate!

In aesthetical theory the body is used to be seen as the instrument which is used by the mind to perceive the world and to get the sensual input to be processed and refl ected by our mentality. According to the relatively young aesthetical discipline Somaes-thetics, the body with all its abilities is way more important for experiencing and refl ecting the world - it’s not just a machine but in fact cannot be sepa-rated from the mind. The dualism of body and mind is now being doubted. Somaesthetics provides new methods of generating awareness of physical existence as well as interactions. With these techniques we are able to listen to the whispering of built objects.

Tutors:Patrick Jaritz, AustriaZsofi a Paczolay, HungaryZsofi a Szoke, Hungary

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Onion

The ambition of our workshop is to touch the very roots of it. Any form of reaction / interaction or the sum of those causing any kind of human interrelation of various levels starts from the simplest form of coexistence – sharing a mutual space. If we tried to imagine the very primitive form of coexistence of human beings, there would be no cultural or historical back-grounds, no language, no symbolic values and no other means of com-munication but the pure presence or the sum of “presences” being dropped together. The workshop suggests one to experience such kind of pure relation, isolated from the rest of the system, making the natural - human-senses based - reaction so compli-cated in the environment we outlive.Tutors:Justinas Jakstonis, LithuaniaElžbieta Bortkevič, LithuaniaViktorija Rimkute, Lithuania

Umbrella

Umbrella is the longest existing workshop at EASA, being there every summer and producing newspapers with fresh news, experiences, insights every day. Umbrella is a specifi c workshop where people learn how to work together, to get to the point of every workshop in a very short period of time, how to interest and attract people, how to speak without SAY-ING a word and mainly how to make and support the easa spirit. We write about easians and watch their reac-tion.

Tutors:Hanna Varanets, BelarusLizzie Daly, UKMaria Virshich, Belarus Cheryl Ann Bonello, Malta

llustration/illumination

Žužemberk is a canvas, waiting to be exhibited. The source of our mate-rial will be the local folklore, history, our personal reactions and we want to illustrate this with projections, colour, shade and refl ections, which will always be in confrontation with their environment. We are inspired by simple, site-specifi c interventions that have a beauty in today’s saturated and generic surroundings and think Žužemberk is the perfect place to explore and display this approach.

Tutors: Karolina Przybyła, PolandMichal Switalsk, Poland

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Endor

Tree houses and tree cities have been a huge fantasy of our generation and mayor dream scenarios or locations both in movies and in most people’s dreams. Endor is a workshop that attempts to build one of those tree cities in the woods of Žužemberk, but with the aesthetics and techniques of modern architecture rather than those of fantasy or sci-fi movies. The project consist of several 20m2 modules supported by the trees at heights that vary from 2 to 6 metres from the ground interconnected by footbridges and walkways. Built with wood and steel we hope to leave behind a differ-ent and structurally sound leisure area for the people of Žužemberk to enjoy.

Tutors: Emilio Roldan, SpainJavier Diaz Garrido, SpainAlvaro Paya Piqueras, Spain

Competition: The pavilion on the square in Žužemberk

An international pavilion competi-tion is a sort of catalyst of the EASA event between the organizers, the participants and the sponsors. It starts already prior to the meeting, connects the participants during the meeting and remains at the location after the meeting to commemorate the event and in honour of the hosting venue. Construction of a permanent pavilion or installation is an idea that has been implemented since 2003. The workshop is linked to a specifi c site for which students offer possible solutions. The proposals are then reviewed and evaluated by a compe-tition committee, convened for that purpose.

Tutors: Jack Richards, Great BritainWill Burgess, Great Britain

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accommodation site

IT lab

municipality

store competition site

event’s central space

old tannery ruins

loka

sports

sports

restaurant

The idea of this year’s EASA is to make Žužemberk and EASA one thing; a community within a communi-ty. Common life of the locals mixed up with the craziness and positive energy of EASA participants.

Accommodation siteThe level of comfort at EASA is usu-ally at a minimum. Throughout the years attendees have experienced almost everything: campsites, old buildings turned into living spaces, schools, gyms, old factories, etc. The idea of EASA is not an ideal holiday in an all-inclusive hotel; it is a two-

week community bonding experi-ence, where the main purpose of the gathering is interaction, working and living together, helping each other and helping the community itself. In this spirit the comfort at EASA is replaced by quality workshops and activities that change your perspective of life.

Organizers of the easa013 event are setting up the accommodation area in the building of Žužemberk’s pri-mary school and partly outside in the L-shaped school playground. Half of the participants will be sleeping in the gym and the other half in a tent-type building standing on the paved foot-ball pitch. Accommodation for tutors, helpers and participants will be mixed and/or visually divided. The level of in-teraction will reach its peak :) The site will be equipped with a 24h Info desk, sanitation for 500 attendees, a serving and eating area as well as other items for obvious necessities.

Other sites for workshops and activitiesCertain other sites are planned for purposes of some workshops and sports activities. There will be a multipurpose hall arranged espe-cially for computer based workshops and the camping site along the river bank, called loka, will be available for swimming and sunbathing as well as football and volleyball tournaments.

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SITES REVEALED < all the sites are within 5 minutes’ walk

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toilets

entrance

bararea

outer trench

workshopstower 1

workshopstower 2

tool box

projectionsarea

innertrench

lounge

office

ruins

inaccessible

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<cellar

storage

square

competition sitestore

a decade later. During World War II the castle was attacked several times and it received the most destructive blow in February 1945 when the allies bombarded Žužemberk. As a conse-quence the tower collapsed in 1948 and the castle as well as the town lost their vertical accent. In 1957 renova-tion of the castle began and in 1996 the Board for renovation was estab-lished.

Nowadays Žužemberk’s summer cultural events take place in the castle courtyard and the former wine cellar, some of them even on the square in front of the castle.

The positioning of the central site of all the happenings is crucial if you want your event to have an impact on the community. The organizers in collaboration with the local mu-nicipality decided that the site should be the core space of the town, the castle walls and the main square. This important public space, being the center of this community, is going to be the ideal place for all the activities during easa013. The castle walls will host all the lectures, presentations, formal inaugurations, exhibitions, day activities, one-day workshops and other smaller workshops and night activities, such as parties, concerts and more. You can see it on the map on the left.

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< The castle and main square as the event’s central space

The event’s central spaceIt is diffi cult to say when the castle was built. The year 1000 seems the most likely since it was engraved above the entrance into the rectan-gular Romanic tower, along with the castle chapel of St. Ulrich, built in 1046. Several buildings were added around the tower many times in its history; however the main extension to the castle was enabled by the so called Turk tax, by means of which the prince bishop Krištof Raubar fortifi ed the castle with seven defence towers or bastilles between the years 1526 and 1533. The castle became an unconquerable fortress.

After being abandoned in 1825, the castle started to show its age. The roof above the northern part col-lapsed, as did the courtyard façade

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< The project is supported by

Team easa013Aljoša Merljak, project managerTadej Pavlič, NC, sponsors coordina-tor and logisticsAleš Kobe, competition and work-shops coordinatorMatic Brdnik, lecturers coordinator and mediaAndraž Lečnik, program coordinator and promotionMarta Vrankar, design and logisticsPia Mikolič, helpers coordinator and logisticsMatic Kašnik, NC, logisticsTabita Jerant, participants coordinator

Helpers, National Contacts, friends, families and more.

For any information regarding partici-pation at the easa013 event, please contact your representatives. The NC list is in the previous section.For any other questions related to workshops, the pavilion competition or the event itself feel free to contact us at: info(at)easa013.si

The AssociationThe Association of students of archi-tecture EASA Slovenia was estab-lished back in 1997 in Ljubljana after students organized two SESAMs, one in Škofja Loka in 1996 and the other in Sinji Vrh near Ajdovščina in 1997. Prior to those there was an INCM hosted in Ljubljana in 1993 and again ten years later in 2003.

The team of students who run the as-sociation and take part in the assem-blies has always been pretty strong. There are still connections with Slovenian ex-easians, some of which are even professors at the Faculty of Architecture in Ljubljana and the Fac-ulty of Civil Engineering in Maribor.

Društvo študentov arhitekture EASA SlovenijaKersnikova 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana

www.easa013.sieasa.si(at)gmail.comwww.fa.uni.lj.si/easa.

CONTACT