Build Bridges for Future Collaborations
Fani, Dimitris and Effie's idea Activate Modern Ruins! was one of the 25 selected ideas from last year's Call for Ideas 2017. Fani shared some thoughts on participating in the platform and the programme of events all over Europe.
©Dimitris Grozopoulos, Effie Kasimati, Fani Kostourou
Participating in the Future Architecture platform call, events and festival of 2017 was a real experience for all three of us (with Dimitris Grozopoulos and Effie Kasimati). Our team was initially formed in order to prepare a proposal for the FA's open call (Activate Modern Ruins!). As a result we worked and travelled together throughout the year getting to know each other and bonding as a team.
Meanwhile, FA gave us the opportunity to address a wider multicultural audience, and helped us to create an architectural network composed by participants, locals and organisers. With the help of a series of events in Ljubljana, Belgrade, Kiev and Pristina we were able to demonstrate our project, test the theoretical and practical aspects of it, share our architectural background and sensibilities, and ultimately debate our thoughts on architectural and urban issues past, present and future. The different institutions we worked with – either as guests, tutors, or invited authors – are all highly professional; and we can say, with confidence, that our collaborations turned out to be highly successful!
©CANactions
Additionally, we had the chance to get to know the work of our fellow participants, talk with them, and build bridges wherever possible for future collaborations. At the same time, we feel the platform could benefit further if decision-makers at a higher pan-European level were to join the discussions and see first-hand the potential of the platform and the architectural debates it hosted that extend beyond national borders.
So, we are definitely holding onto the good memories and positive overall experience of our participation, and are looking forward to future events! We do hope that we now belong to the big FA family – so stay in touch and see you all again soon!
- Fani Kostourou, Greece, UK
Fani Kostourou is an architect and urban designer originally from Greece, however she now works in London. Find out more on Fani's work and apply to the Call for Ideas 2018.