Since its creation in 1977 and the first edition in 1980, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture has recognised outstanding architectural projects around the world, stimulating critical debate and facilitating the systematic collection of valuable information on ideas and building practices.

This colloquium will be attended by architect David García, author of the award-winning CEM Kamanar secondary school in Thionck Essyl, southern Senegal, and Aslıhan Demirtaş, AKAA technical reviewer. The programme starts at 2.30pm in the Fernando Távora Auditorium with the talks ‘How to Be Local’ by David García and ‘Ways to Understand’ by Aslıhan Demirtaş, followed by a round table discussion at 4.30pm in the Carlos Ramos Pavilion, which brings the two guests together with André Tavares and Rafael Sousa Santos.

The debate will focus on the characteristics of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, analysed from the perspective of the architect and the technical reviewer. Issues such as design and construction in contexts of material abundance or scarcity, climate and social challenges and the role of architecture as a driver of development will be explored.

Organised in partnership with the Education Programme of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the event will be conducted in English and is free to attend.

Programme

25th March 2025, 14h30-18h00
Colloquium ‘Aga Khan Award for Architecture: On-Site Reviews and the Kamanar School’ with David García and Aslıhan DemirtaşSessions open to the public, held in English

Part One
Presentations: ‘How to Be Local’ by David García and ‘Ways to Understand’ by Aslıhan Demirtaş14h30-16h00, Fernando Távora Auditorium, FAUP

Part Two
Round table with Aslıhan Demirtaş, David García, André Tavares, and Rafael Sousa Santos16h30-18h00, Pavilhão Carlos Ramos, FAUP

Aslıhan Demirtaş is the founder of KHORA Office, an architecture studio focused on research, art and ecology, created in New York and currently based in Istanbul. Before KHORA Office, Aslıhan collaborated with I. M. Pei, winner of the Pritzker Prize, as the designer in charge of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, and the Miho Chapel in Japan. In 2022, he was a member of the technical evaluation committee for the 15th edition of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. He is also currently working on the Graft project, to be published by Salt with the support of the Graham Foundation.

David García is an architect who graduated from ETSALS at the Universitat Ramón Llull. After working in various architecture studios, he founded his first studio in 2004. Later, in 2010, he founded Dawoffice. In 2022, the CEM Kamanar school designed by Dawoffice won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, leading to the development of a series of social and private projects in the areas of housing, museums, education and agriculture. Alongside architecture, he teaches at ETSALS and collaborates with the UPC. Her training includes a master's degree in integrated projects in architecture (MPIA), in which she studies Arne Jacobsen's aggregative distributions. She is currently studying for a PhD in modular architecture.

Free entry, subject to room capacity.
Programme subject to change (without prior notice).
This event may be recorded and publicised by FAUP through photography and video.
FAUP does not issue attendance declarations or online attendance of the event.

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