AUS professors lead curation of installation at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2017

An installation conceived and curated by American University of Sharjah (AUS) professors and others has opened at the prestigious Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2017, an event that addresses questions on the future of the city through projects and urban narratives.

The installation by AUS Professors George Katodrytis and Kevin Mitchell, alumnae Maryam Mudhaffar, and Mei Chang, entitled "Projected Futures for the Commons in Dubai," explores the Biennale's theme of "Imminent Commons" by considering how Dubai's unique diversity presents both challenges and opportunities for urbanism. The installation brings together emerging UAE-based architects and designers-many of whom obtained degrees from AUS.

In keeping with the Biennale’s focus on the future of cities in the face of social, ecological and technical transformation, the installation considers what is shared by residents of a city as culturally diverse as Dubai.

Each of the contributors presents a proposal that addresses how parks and other amenities can be reimagined to facilitate a sense of community among the many diverse cultures that live in Dubai. The proposals look to a future when Dubai will achieve its aspiration of reducing dependence on the automobile, allowing space currently occupied by parking to be repurposed into community-accessible amenities.

Dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Design at AUS, Professor Varkki Pallathucheril, said of the installation: "The role of AUS faculty and alumni in this prestigious installation is remarkable in many ways but it also exemplifies how the College of Architecture, Art and Design is at the leading edge of contemporary thinking about architecture and urbanism in the Gulf region."

The event opened to the public on September 2, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea.

For more information, please see: https://seoulbiennale.org/en/.