The Foundation of the Chamber of Architects of Milan brings citizens closer to architecture to let them know its value
Architectural awards, photographic exhibitions, debates on architecture focused on the overall quality of the built environment, and many institutional activities concerning training, management of relations with the public administration, competitions, platforms and support services for its members. Profession, training and culture are the three guidelines inspiring the activities of the Foundation of the Chamber of Architects of Milan and Province. The city belongs to everyone, the city is for everyone. This is the starting point to ensure that design-related themes are not just a subject for a few experts. Opening up to the territory and telling the story of the territory: this is also the task of the Foundation, which dialogues with over 18,000 design and architecture professionals (architects, companies, institutions, citizens) promoting initiatives, synergies and meetings. An important position for the Lombard capital, which, with its model, has become a symbol of urban regeneration.
Read our interview with Beatrice Costa, director of the Foundation
The Friends of the Foundation of the Chamber of Architects of Milan
Amici di Fondazione dell’Ordine degli Architetti di Milano was established with this goal of dialogue and proximity to metropolitan needs. By participating in Amici di Fondazione, you become active promoters of the importance of quality architecture. The program is open to all: citizens and individual professionals (not members of the Chamber of Architects of Milan), practices and companies, businesses and economic operators – anyone interested in contributing to the debate on architectural issues and taking advantage of many benefits.
Among these, the debate on social housing is of great importance and has been promoted for a long time by the Chamber and the Foundation. There are many “languages of housing”, born by subverting both architectural and economic conventions, different construction techniques and housing types, but all with an eye to the most vulnerable categories and future generations. There are numerous projects that bring innovation and gradually connote a complex system, where architecture is only one of the components.
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The Awards given by the Chamber and Foundation
The Matilde Baffa Ugo Rivolta European Architecture Award for the best European social housing architecture confirms its role as a privileged observatory of ideas, challenges and opportunities. The results of the second phase will be published on December 15, 2021.
The Award for Recent Graduates, established in 2003, puts the authors of the most deserving theses from the Politecnico di Milano in contact with the cultural and professional reality of design and architecture, urban planning, landscape and conservation. Participation in the competition is based on a recommendation by the representatives of the Chamber delegated to the degree panels of the Politecnico. The winners are the authors of the best dissertations in architecture, design and planning presented at the Politecnico di Milano. The award ceremony will be held on December 14.
The International Architecture Film Award (AFA) is an award promoted by the Milano Design Film Festival with the Chamber and Foundation. This award encourages the production of cinematographic works dedicated to architecture and landscape in order to stimulate the use of audiovisual language as a communication tool for architects. The first edition took place in 2019, while the last edition was held in conjunction with the Milano Design Film Festival last October.
And finally, the Gabriele Basilico Award, dedicated to photography.
Editorial activities
Among all the initiatives of the Foundation are the volumes of the Itinerari di architettura milanese series. Published in July 2021, the eighth book, Milano Verticale, tells the story of the relationship that tall buildings generate with the city, public space, and the ambition to rise as one of the oldest and most deeply rooted in humankind.
Training and cultural initiatives
Many courses: from the training cycle that accompanies individual professionals and small architectural firms in the design of their communication and use of digital channels, to online meetings on the “Superbonus 110%” tax credit. And the evenings dedicated to architecture: on Thursday, January 20, 2022, there will be a meeting about Gae Aulenti, in collaboration with the archive dedicated to her.
Finally, equal opportunities, a theme on which a group of female councilors has worked with increasing commitment over the years, proposing, through a series of meetings, reflections on the access to the profession, work-life balance during the pandemic, diversity in professional offices, also issuing the “architetta” stamp for new members who request it.
