The City Unknown: IAF Summer School 2024

"A city always contains more than any inhabitant can know, and a great city always makes the unknown and the possible spurs to the imagination.” — Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust, a History of Walking

IAF Summer School participants were invited to uncover the ephemeral city in this year’s programme. The City Unknown took place online and in-person from May 10-18, 2024. This programme of conversations and workshops featured a range of international emerging architects and urbanists (LINA fellows). With a focus on exploring, mapping, drawing out and then sharing the often hidden, ephemeral and embedded qualities and stories of cities, participants of The City Unknown summer school experienced the city of Dublin in a way they would never have imagined.

The City Unknown was led by LINA fellows from three exciting and accomplished European collectives: METASITU (Greece, Ukraine, Spain), continentale (Italy), and Spolka (Slovakia).

Collaboration with LINA fellows

IAF Summer School consisted of 3 parts and 5 events:

Part 1. METASITU, 10-11 May (in-person)

- Event 1: Conversation Friday 10 May, 18.30-20.00 (18 participants) - Event 2: Workshop Saturday 11 May, 10:00-17:00 (14 participants) Venue: IAF House

Part 2. continentale, 14 May (online)

- Event 3: Online Workshop Tuesday 14 May, 18:30-20:00 (24 participants) Venue: Zoom

Part 3. Spolka, 17-18 May (in-person)

- Event 4: Conversation Friday 17 May, 18.30-20.00 (5 participants) - Event 5: Workshop Saturday 18 May, 10:00-17:00 (7 participants) Venue: IAF House

LINA fellows METASITU

Date: 10/11 May 2024

Venue: IAF House, Dublin, Ireland

The IAF Summer School 2024 opened with “Where The Soft Things Are” – METASITU’s contribution to The City Unknown. “Where the Soft Things Are” was an invitation for participants to engage with the city’s architectural narrative beyond its physical structures, focusing on the intangible elements that contribute to the essence of urban life. Through a collaborative process to create a zine, participants documented and reflected on these ephemeral but essential qualities of the city.

>> Conversation

Friday 10 May, 18.30-20.00

The Summer School opened with a presentation from METASITU as Liva Dudareva and Eduardo Cassina introduced their practice, inviting participation and exchange.

>> Workshop

Saturday 11 May, 10:00-17:00

During Saturday’s workshop small groups of participants explored the city of Dublin with guided prompts. After returning to IAF House, they created a collective zine, informed by the city walk, with METASITU as facilitators.

LINA fellows continentale

Date: 14 May 2024

Venue: Online

The IAF Summer School 2024 continued to explore the theme of The City Unknown with the architecture practice continentale. Their online workshop explored urban typologies and hidden patterns, as they shared their practice’s research strategies, and tools for understanding the city.

>>Online Workshop

Tuesday 14 May, 18.30-20.00

This online workshop, “The art of flânerie“, delved into continentale’s hobby as flâneurs. They revealed how their practice of strolling through the city and observing the everyday has influenced their projects and activities as a practice, via an engaging virtual stroll through Milan on Google street view. They also shared their research on ordinary residential architecture and Milanese post-war gardens in Italy, uncovering hidden typologies, patterns and tools for understanding the city.

LINA fellows Spolka

Date: 17/18 May 2024

Venue: IAF House, Dublin, Ireland

“In-between collecting and drawing“ – Spolka’s contribution to The City Unknown – was an invitation to generate a visual narrative through drawing and mapping activities in Dublin’s city centre, with a focus on intangible urban experiences that held collective relevance for participants. Employing cartological explorations as a medium for engagement, these events examined universal urban issues beyond the visible.

>> Conversation

Friday 17 May, 18:30-20.00

On Friday evening Spolka (Viktória Mravčáková and Zuzana Révészová) introduced their collective practice, and invited discussion through questions and prompts.

>> Workshop

Saturday 18 May, 10:00-17:00

In Saturday’s workshop participants engaged in collaborative drawing and mapping in Dublin city, with Spolka as facilitators. Dublin’s Capel Street was chosen as the location for two fieldwork sessions during the day. Participants returned to IAF House to create collective maps around common topics of concern.