THE ARCHITECTURES OF CATALOGS | THE CATALOGS OF ARCHITECTURES
The symposium will be held on 30-31 March in Aachen, at RWTH Aachen University. It will involve outstanding contributors approaching the subject of catalogs from different epistemological perspectives. The purpose of this initiative is to tackle the legacy of catalogs in architecture as an interface between different domains of knowledge, technology, and manufacturing.
“THE ARCHITECTURES OF CATALOGS | THE CATALOGS OF ARCHITECTURES”
4th Candide Conference organized by the RWTH Aachen University, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architectural Theory
Sponsored by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
Scientific committee: Prof. Axel Sowa, Dr. -Ing. Andrea Alberto Dutto, Ibai Rigby
Conference venue: Gästehaus der RWTH Aachen Melatener Straße 31, 52074 Aachen (the symposium will take place exclusively in presence)
Catalogs produce multiplicities, and, at the same time, these multiplicities contribute to building catalogs. Even though catalogs are widely mentioned in books and manuals of architectural history, specific studies still need to be more systematic. The purpose of this conference is to initiate this systematization. Unlike other types of media—catalogs appear in various forms throughout history. Going back several centuries, early catalogs coincided with the very places of architecture—sometimes mythical ones like the library of Alexandria or the theaters of Camillus—and were built upon the idea of scientific inventories. A significant acceleration in their development occurred in the late 19th century with the promotion of goods and distribution chains on a global scale. In a way, catalogs laid the foundation for the consumer culture of European middle-upper classes and contributed to the emergence of mass consumption after the end of World War II. The mass diffusion of catalogs influenced the work of professionals in architecture and building engineering. Sometimes catalogs expressed alternative trends, instances of criticism, and mainstream cultural hijacking. This symposium focuses on the legacy of catalogs in architecture as an interface between different domains of knowledge, technology, and manufacturing.
Symposium Program:
March 30, 2023, 9:50-11:50
Panel 1. Open-ended Wholeness
Discussant/Chair: Axel Sowa (RWTH Aachen University)
Speakers: Laurent Stalder (ETH Zürich), André Tavares (University of Porto), Caroline Torra-Mattenklott (RWTH Aachen University), Philip Steadman (Bartlett UCL)
March 30, 2023, 14:00-16:00
Panel 2. Classification Engines
Discussant/Chair: Andrea A. Dutto (RWTH Aachen University)
Speakers: Kasia Osiecka (RWTH Aachen University), Nader Vossoughian (New York Tech), Caroline Maniaque (ENSA Normandie), Murielle Hladik (RWTH Aachen University)
17:00-18:00 Keynote lecture: Joachim Krausse (Hochschule Anhalt Dessau)
March 31, 2023, 9:30-11:00
Panel 3. Gradient of Usership
Discussant/Chair: Ibai Rigby (RWTH Aachen University)
Speakers: Peter Sealy (University of Toronto), Lidia Gasperoni (TU Berlin), Luc Merx (TU Kaiserslautern)
