Dez
IoA-Sliver Lectures - 2019/20 Greater Futures | Brian Boigon
Universität für Angewandte Kunst
Institute of Architecture
Oskar Kokoschka-Platz 2
1010 Wien
Österreich
Hörsaal 1
Greater Futures
Almost all challenges societies around the globe face today are complex, interconnected and placed in a rapidly changing environment. The rhetoric about what is to come is swinging between utopia and dystopia, between nostalgia and techno-utopias. The only fact about the future is that it is inevitable.
The grandfathers of futurism, the Italian Futurists, showed that the future is not only a domain of time but also of ideology. Subsequently the fathers of futures studies developed principles on how to study the future. Hence, according to futures studies scholar Jim Dator: "The future cannot be 'predicted' but alternative futures can be 'forecasted' and preferred futures 'envisioned' and 'invented'- continuously." (Dator, 1996)
Yet, the world as it is has its own impact on the future and according to another futures studies scholar Ziauddin Sardar the relevance of futures studies resides within the present. According to Sadar the value of change in people's perceptions and motivations, channeled into an evolution of present values and immediate action, can only be judged within its present or immediate future.
Looking at concepts promoting economic, political, technological and cultural innovations the lecture series gathers thoughts and approaches pertinent for the discipline of architecture, aiming for a greater world after tomorrow.
Brian Boigon
Brian Boigon is a Design Theorist, Artist, Art Director, Writer, Researcher & Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, & Design, University of Toronto.
His current research is in the hybrid field of Science Fiction, Locomotive (movement) Design and Quantum Physics. Trained as an Architect, Boigon has been involved with spatial productions since 1994 when he
launched the first tween-based virtual avatar town called Spillville (see WIRED https://www.wired.com/1994/12/boigon/ ).
His current research is focused on the invention of a quantum science fiction portal called The Interopera.
(https://www.christiecontemporary.com/boigon-images-1 ).
He is author of several books including: The Interopera Reader, We Have Impact and Speed Reading Tokyo. Boigon's work is in numerous collections and at the CCA (Canadian Centre for Architecture) archives. Boigon is currently working on his next iteration of The Interopera while teaching and directing the Inner Outer Space Lab at the University of Toronto.
(https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/vbvw89/how-space-based-design-will-keep-martians-and-moon-dwellers-sane ).
Brian is represented by Christie Contemporary Gallery in Toronto.