alterRurality3 conference: Fieldwork Letterfrack June 6th-9th 2016
Exploring the futures, opportunities and challenges of rural localities in 21st Century Europe
Abstracts of approximately 500 words, accompanied by a
short bio, are invited for oral presentations.
Deadline February 15th 2016
extended to February 25th 2016
Notice of Acceptance March 15th 2016
For more info please email
letterfrack2016@ucd.ie
or go to
http://www.arena-architecture.eu/letterfrack2016
What is it?
This is a meeting of local, national and international researchers
and practitioners engaged with rural life and interested
in its future. We aim to foster multidisciplinary exchanges of
knowledge and ideas about art, culture, architecture, farming,
design, landscape, planning… and how best to sustain rural
places. In gathering together a wide range of experience, by
immersing ourselves in place, by walking, talking, looking and
listening, and by spending proper time each day to debate
a particular theme, we hope to encourage and inspire new
dialogues between individuals and across disciplines.
Exchanges take place in the field, over lunch, and dinner, and
follow on from single plenary presentations that allow all
participants to hear and respond to one another.
Who is it for?
Practitioners, researchers, teachers and students in art and
design, architecture, farming, landscape architecture, history,
archaeology, planning, policy, geography, forestry… and others,
who wish to share projects, experiences and thinking
about rural life. We seek to engage hand, eye and intellect in
a collective, creative process of exploration.
Where is it?
The conference will take place in the GMIT furniture college
(designed by O’Donnell and Tuomey Architects) in Letterfrack,
Connemara, along the Wild Atlantic Way, on the
western edge of Europe. Letterfrack lies within Connemara
National Park at the head of Ballinakill harbour.
Travel time from Galway city: two hours by bus.
THEMES
Day 1: MAKING AND BUILDING. THINGS DONE.
We seek presentations about exemplary projects that grew
out of specific places thanks to the genius loci. We’ll focus
on the results of fruitful collaborations between people
(rural communities, architects, artists, planners, development
agencies…) and place, in rural Ireland and across Europe.
Day 2: FUTURE FARMING. WHAT ARE WE
GROWING? BY WHOM FOR WHOM?
We seek presentations about local farming enterprise, by
and about farming and fisher families, and small holders,
about shellfish and seaweed farming, artisanal foods, slow
foods, organic products, agritourism, heritage farming, nature
farming, woodland farming and wilderness farming, in rural
Ireland and across Europe.
Day 3: CULTURE, FARMING AND HABITAT –
NEW INTERSECTIONS.
The two final sessions centre on the possibilities of
trans-disciplinary exchange and ideas for future models. We
seek presentations about useful landscapes, about ecosystems
and their services, and about the future production
of culture, energy, food and rural community, in Ireland and
elsewhere.
All sessions are plenary.
Partners:
ARENA Architecture Research Network; Connemara West Plc, Letterfrack; Dublin School of Architecture, DIT, Dublin; GMIT Centre for Creative Arts and Media, Galway; GMIT National Center for Excellence in Furniture Design, Letterfrack; SAUL School of Architecture, UL, Limerick; UCD Architecture & Landscape Architecture, Dublin.
