The third day of the international conference "Transborder Heritage: A Multidisciplinary Approach," within the Cultural Heritage Week promoted by Transform4Europe, is dedicated to the theme "Architecture and Transborder Spaces."

The panels are open to all members of the academic community.

PROGRAM

10:00 AM - Room 1 A - Conference Hall, 1st Floor, Building D, Main Campus
Architecture and Transborder Spaces
Panel Session
Border heritage concerns buildings, places, and territories located along the lines that demarcate borders between countries, but also between cultures, ideologies, and histories. These places have been, and in many cases continue to be, spaces of separation but also of encounter. They have experienced – or continue to experience – tensions and conflicts, so their heritage cannot be considered simply as a collection of bricks and stones, but as a complex narrative that includes stories of division and reconciliation.

In collaboration with

Marco Zuttioni ODV Association
The Marco Zuttioni ODV Association was founded in memory of a man who left an indelible mark in the world of architecture and human relations. Created to honor the memory of architect Marco Zuttioni, the association aims to preserve the values and ideals that guided his vision: innovation, attention to the urban context, commitment to a sustainable future, and a deep interest in others. The association's mission is twofold: to perpetuate the dialogue between architecture and communities, and to support the new generation of architects by offering concrete opportunities for growth and learning. In collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture of Trieste, the association awards scholarships and paid internships, offering young talents the opportunity to refine their skills and contribute to the architectural landscape with the same passion and integrity that characterized Marco Zuttioni's career. Additionally, the association is involved in charitable initiatives, demonstrating a commitment that goes beyond the world of architecture and directly impacts people's lives. Every initiative, project, or scholarship awarded becomes part of a larger mosaic, a canvas on which Marco's legacy continues to take shape, color, and meaning.

In collaboration with

Kallipolis
Kallipolis was founded in 2006 with the aim of improving the livability of human settlements, both in Italy and abroad, with particular attention to the Global South and transitioning countries, promoting the goals set by the United Nations Habitat Agenda. The organization dedicates its initiatives to fostering the inclusion of vulnerable groups and enhancing the capacity of urban environments to become spaces of freedom, equity, and well-being.

Dissonant Heritage in European cities: the URBACT project ARCHETHICS and reflection on cross-border areas
Ileana will present the ARCHETHICS network, funded by the EU URBACT program, which brings together 8 European cities sharing a heritage tied to a complex and controversial historical past, marked by totalitarian regimes and contested borders. The four dimensions of the project – Architecture, People, History, and Ethics – will bring life to urban community workshops to transform this heritage, composed of once abandoned spaces, into meeting places for inhabitants and visitors, to share knowledge and develop multiple visions of the past and future.

Speaker: Architect Ileana Toscano
Architect and urban planner specializing in inclusive and participatory urban policies. International consultant for UN Habitat and for European programs such as URBACT and the European Urban Initiative. Founding member of Kallipolis and president of the association from 2006 to 2020, she is currently part of the board team.

Architectural activism to enhance the potential of dissonant heritage: the experience of the Buzludzha Project Foundation in Kazanlak (BG)
Dora will illustrate the dynamics of dissonant heritage represented by the Buzludzha Monument in Bulgaria. Buzludzha is not only a masterpiece of architecture, engineering, and art, but one of the most iconic and significant buildings of post-war modernism in Europe. At the same time, it is one of the most controversial and dissonant sites from the socialist period in Bulgaria, a condition that has led to its decay. However, it is precisely this dissonance that represents an exceptional heritage, capable of stimulating dialogue, fostering open discussions, enhancing education and tolerance, and promoting mutual understanding. Dora has led, over the past 10 years, the initiative for the reuse and revaluation of the monument, which has included in-depth research, mosaic conservation work, awareness campaigns, fundraising, and the organization of a large-scale festival in support of the cause.

Speaker: Architect Dora Ivanova
Dora Ivanova graduated in architecture from the Technical University of Berlin in 2014. In 2015, she founded the Buzludzha Project Foundation and is the CEO of the organization. She has managed and coordinated various projects for the Buzludzha Monument: the Conservation Management Plan 2019-2022, the Emergency Stabilization of the Mosaics 2020-2022, securing access for visitors 2022, and the annual "Open Buzludzha" festival from 2021 to 2024. She is currently leading an EU-funded project on "Communicating Dissonant Heritage," aimed at developing the narrative of Buzludzha and creating good practices and operational models to enhance the potential of cultural heritage.

The Afterlife of Point Clouds in the Context of Infrastructure
The historical and existing boundaries within the urban area of Tallinn will be discussed. This particular location has presented socio-cultural challenges and required functional rethinking throughout its history. Social encounters have gone through various phases, including multifaceted geographic-geological, economic, and community developments. The infrastructural changes, in turn, risk further emphasizing some negative aspects. To address this spatial complexity, this investigation proposes using "point clouds" as a starting point for further elaborations in the design process, considering the urban and architectural context of decommissioned infrastructures. This is a reworking of previous projects through the lens of recent technological advancements in volumetric visualization methods. Often, infrastructural objects present specific challenges that elude common architecture and planning tools. For example, geometric accuracy is not always crucial in the early stages of the design process. To embrace boundaries without reinforcing their divisive properties, these tools open up potential for less conventional and occasionally unexpected developments. An example is a project carried out in collaboration between the Tallinn Strategic Management Office and the Faculty of Architecture of the Estonian Academy of Arts, focused on exploring new forms and functions for the disused high-voltage power line pylons in the Pelguranna district of Tallinn. This project led to the creation of a linear park that connects both the local area and the city as a whole, in contrast to a previously planned highway.

Speaker: Prof. Martin Melioranski
Martin Melioranski is an architect, teacher, and researcher, with experience ranging from small design projects to large urban developments. He has taught architecture and design at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), Columbia University GSAPP, and has given lectures and workshops at various international institutions. His writings on architecture, urbanism, and technology have been published in books, journals, conference proceedings, and cultural weeklies. Since 2005, he has been a co-founder and director of 3DL at EKA, and since 2013, he has coordinated a master’s thesis studio focused on architecture, social processes, and technological culture. Since 2020, he has been a PhD student at EKA, continuing his long-term research on the intersection of texts and diagrams through generative procedures in abstract environments and materials.

Speaker: Prof. Paco-Ernst Ulman
Since 2001, Paco-Ernst Ulman has worked as an architect in various firms (Ars Projekt, AB Kosmos, Arhitektuuriagentur, Alliance Architects). In 2013, he co-founded Mudel Arhitektid. Since 2020, he has worked in Tallinn at the City Urban Planning Office. He has participated in projects such as Hotel Ydia in Tartu (2016), the expansion of the Pärnu Mudaravila project (2014), and the expansion of an office building on Niine St. 11 in Tallinn (2012). His work focuses on space and representation, using various media. He has organized personal exhibitions such as "Heitmaa" (2018), "Tallinnnas" (2009), and "Mememe" (2014), and has supervised studios at EKA since 2011, currently also a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Architecture at EKA since 2021.

Rethinking (Post)Industrial Heritage through Art and Design in the Upper Silesia region
Upper Silesia is deeply marked both by its position as a borderland and by its industrial heritage. The presentation will focus on contemporary art, design, and architecture to reflect on how artists address the turbulent history of the region. Each example will focus on the idea of space and landscape as an essential element of Upper Silesia’s heritage. Over the course of history, the approach to the (post)industrial landscape has changed, in part due to ethnic and national tensions, particularly relevant in this area marked by continuous border shifts. With the political transformation and subsequent deindustrialization of Upper Silesia, the issue of post-industrial heritage has become crucial.

Speaker: Prof. Agata Cowan-Stronciwilk
Cultural expert and art historian, affiliated with the Institute of Art Studies at the University of Silesia in Katowice. She received the Fulbright Slavic Award at the University of Washington in Seattle (2024) and a scholarship at the University of Alberta in Edmonton (Canada). She also completed a research internship at UNICAMP in Campinas (Brazil). Currently, she is conducting research on the art of miners in the Northumberland Coalfield regions. From 2014 to 2019, she worked professionally with the Silesian Museum in Katowice, where she introduced new proposals for industrial education aimed at children and youth.