呼应上一次域对话“blancity”对城市平衡／和谐环境的关注，本次域对话“公共行动”期待能够更加深刻辩证地研究世博作为一个中国公共大事件／一项全民集体运动对其所处地城市空间产生的影响。世博显然不是仅仅定义在有限的／独立的展馆上——我们需要构建一个更加立体的／具有更丰富层次的文化和社会内涵的议题。

今天的城市已经变得如此多变而复杂。墨守陈规的城市规划已经不再适应于这些在地理尺度上没有变化但是在社会关系尺度上更小更网络化的城市。城市的元素瞬息万变，通常定义的静态的城市规划无法对这些积极或者消极的变化做出及时的反应，最终只能越来越与城市的发展轨道背道而驰。

毫无疑问，我们需要一个全新的城市理念——它不同于历史上任何一种对城市形态的研究，不论是霍华德还是柯布西耶，都无法概括它的复杂性。这个新的理念不应表达一个城市的最终形态，而应成为城市良性发展的动力，它建立起物质形态和虚拟空间以及社会关系之间的立体化联系，推动新的社会层级，抵消社会的消极层级影响。它依靠城市的自我更新发展，而不是依靠落后的规划和建筑法规。

这里，被弃置的地区不再是城市发展的阻碍，而是成为其更新系统的契机。即使是为其开发临时性的新用途，也会在弃置的地区产生新的社会活动，丰富了城市层级。这是一个自下而上的策略。同时，公民的思想也被纳入城市发展的过程，无论在实体建筑还是虚拟社会关系上，都需要塑造若干活跃的公共空间。公民的思想被尊重，从而成为一个真正的公民城市，这个主题同时也会涉及到世博结束后场馆的重新利用。众多场馆的建筑理念和建筑实践都有力地佐证了本次这一主题。我们将邀请世博各馆的主设计师以及与之相关的国内外建筑师/设计师/艺术家就世博议题展开开放性的讨论，在这一过程中，促进各专业领域的交流与合作，同时也期望进一步建立文化间的深层次沟通。

Acting in public

The event, as the part of academic and cultural program during Expo 2010 and come along with the publication of our latest edition “Expo Shanghai”, will surround the theme of “Acting in public”.  It will be also a constructive brainstorming visioning the future of city.

The theme comes out from our concern on today’s cities which have become so complex that experimentation is vital to grasping their complexity.  They demand new approaches to urban processes of transformation.  The rigid planning procedures, which develop determinate solutions from afar, such as static master plan, are becoming obsolete.  They tend to be both disconnected from reality and incapable of adapting to rapid changes in developing processes.  Can identity be planned or produced?  Identity develops itself and architectural and planning work can only try to influence this self-construction process.  A new type of planning should evolve that motivates rather than determines, that provides room for new links and all that is being generated.  It recognizes space as potential, looks for lost or new connections on special and social levels.  Spaces that have been pushed aside are brought back into the field of vision.  Some abandoned areas and transportation hubs can become exciting places.  By inserting new imaginative narratives, developing new software for the hardware is that the city is exploring contemporary methods of upgrading the existing, re-opening it for new appropriation.  Developing new uses, even temporary ones, is a vital moment in generating new activities and experiences, adding a new layer to the urban narrative. Bottom-up strategies should be used to appropriate space.  Interventionist permeation, exposing oneself to experiences through self-experiment, establishing contact with residents and setting up new connections and networks, getting public ideas and behaves into the process, are all experimental and procedural strategies with which to approach and change places. 

This theme involves the exploration on “after-use” of Expo pavilions & facilities, as well as the issue of Post-Expo.

In meanwhile, the theme is welcomed to develop some new ideas such as creative urban sustainability and happy lifestyle, etc.  A new attitude should be arisen from a positive vision of reality, based on a concept of progress that is sensitive to the existing urban environment.  Architects should look further into the future, generating an urban space that is built over itself, reusing and reprogramming areas that have been fallen into disuse, regenerating the urban fabric without consuming large budgets or vast amounts of waste.  For this theme, we are interested in actions capable of triggering a response from citizens and sowing the seeds of self-repair, making the citizen once again play an active part in evolution of public space.  And the discussion through participants also intends to explore how architects’ role could shift from being designers of finished objects to becoming agents of change; and how to generate meaningful participation for users and inhabitants of places and building for their happy life.  It also emphasizes the role of non-professionals and normal people to better the architecture and urban space.

We are sincerely looking forward to meet with you and share with us your questions, experiences and knowledge.

Area China Magazine

Area is an international, bi-monthly magazine of architecture and design.

Our constant efforts in the fields of architectural and academical research have ensured a leading position in the panorama of architectural magazines, receiving positive feedbacks from architects, designers, engineers, companies and universities.

Internationally present in two bilingual versions (English-Italian and English-Chinese), area keeps the attention of each issue focused on a precise topic, addressing different discussions and subjects on a more direct, specific way. Reviews of particular, outstanding architectural design offices (Jean Nouvel, Steven Holl) are paired with the young generations of architects, while other issues put a stronger attention on places (China, Paris), social themes (the South, Icons) and specific characteristics of the design of architecture (Leisure architecture, Save Energy). Each content is dynamically structured with interviews, project scenarios and critical lectures. A constant update on exhibitions, competitions and publications, together with interesting itineraries to discover architectures all over the world, complete the picture.

Area China started its publication in November 2008, reproducing the main original editorial content, enhanced with specific insights on the Chinese scenario. While sections such as exhibitions and competitions are specifically related to China, new original investigations are provided to reach a wider knowledge of the Asian panorama. Architecture insights, dialogues, previews and interviews define a precise, accurate picture of contemporary architecture in China and Asia.

Since its first publication, area China has encountered very positive reviews and recognitions. Our work is dedicated to provide the best contribution to the public’s knowledge about the issue, and to a thoughtful development of Chinese architecture.

AREA中文版——《域》

建筑文脉的深度透视

通过建筑表达思想，讲述一座城市，一个社会，一段文化；

透过表象探索内涵，解读一项设计，一个地域，一种现象；

关注建筑的人文背景，城市文脉，内在特性。

一本以建筑为对象，讲艺术和哲学的人文杂志。

传播多元的建筑哲学、社会价值和美学艺术，探讨建筑之于城市以及人类的精神主旨。

以多元化的视角，运用具体的案例以及深度分析的方式，挖掘并讲述建筑设计艺术与建造的宝贵经验。