The BUDMA international trade fair came to an end on Friday, February 7. The event, organized for the 29th time in Poznań, is a great celebration of the construction and architecture industry. BUDMA is thousands of exhibitors, tens of thousands of visitors and a wide range of products offered, but also a series of events related to architecture. The space for numerous debates, lectures and meetings was found at the Forum of Design and Architecture.
What issues are currently important in this world and who contributed to this year's Forum? The organizers invited architects, sociologists, didacticians and practitioners, both from Poland and abroad, to join the discussion. The theme of this year's Forum was the open, friendly city with accessible construction, and the highlight was a debate organized by Architecture and Business entitled. "Open City. A Friendly City," which featured representatives of architecture studios Centrala, medusa group and WXCA.
The topics of architecture for pleasure and accessibility were also discussed, and the visions and approaches of today's architects were presented. However, each panel tied together the most pressing problem of the modern world, namely climate change. It was also probably the first time that terms such as Anthropocene, post-growth, swamp and wasteland were mentioned at an event of this type. And while the topic of climate change may seem popular enough already, architects, residents and the construction industry as a whole still need in-depth analysis and reliable research, so that it becomes possible to move forward and regain agility. The Forum guests' statements resounded with concern and respect, both for the surrounding environment, but also for the participants in the design process.
Tomek Rygalik, a designer who has worked with Moroso, IKEA and Comforty, among others, drew attention to the designer's awareness and responsibility. Kasper Benjamin Reimer of the Danish architectural firm EFFEKT, whose office adheres to the principle of focusing on "eco" instead of ego, talked about his changing approach as an architect. Meanwhile, the vision of the Swedish office Mandaworks, represented by Martin Arfalk, is to combine the ways of life and habits of the past with our present experiences in the idea of mix max time. As Ekim Tan proved, fun can also count in the city. The "Play the city" product she invented is still a fresh and interesting tool for city managers, developers and residents to help share knowledge and make better decisions in a larger group.
Finally, the focus and discussion was not only on people, but also on the environment. During the debates at the 13th Day of the Urban Planner "Light", the floor was given to specialists dealing with greenery, flora and fauna, and pollution of the night sky. This year's BUDMA raised many important and interesting topics that awaken awareness and sensitivity.
Read our full coverage of the BUDMA International Construction and Architecture Fair in the March issue of Architecture and Business.
