Architecture & Quality in Europe

European Architectural Policies Forum and ACE
The European Architectural Policies Forum, which was set up in Paris in July 2000, is a network for co-operation between the different member states of the European Union on issues relating to architecture.

It forms a unique network for co-operation in architecture, grouping together government departments, professional organisations and cultural institutions from member states of the European Union.

Due to the highly representative nature of its three component parts the forum is a unique structure for consultation with a major role to play to ensure that the place of architecture in Europe becomes ever more central.

It has facilitated the creation of a means of exchange of information and organised a series of seminars in the framework of the different European Presidencies.

It is responsible for the creation of a number of important initiatives including a resolution on architectural quality in Europe and the GAUDI programme, which brings together most of Europe’s cultural institutions dedicated to the dissemination of information on architecture.

The first meeting of the Forum to be held in Ireland was on the 15th and 16th April in Dublin, under the auspices of the Irish Presidency of the EU. The meeting was jointly co-ordinated by the DOEHLG, OPW, RIAI and Arts Council.

As most members will be aware the RIAI is an active member of the Architect’s Council of Europe, which represents national and professional organisations in the twenty-five EU Member States, as well as Switzerland and Norway.

As such the organisation represents about 450,000 European Architects. Its principal function is to monitor and influence developments at EU level highlighting those areas of EU Policy that have a direct impact on architecture, architectural practice, policy and the built environment.

RIAI & Architectural Policy
The involvement of the RIAI in both these organisations is a natural sequel to our founding objectives of “the advancement of Architecture and the associated Arts & Sciences”.

The RIAI has been closely associated with the development of Irish Government Policy on Architecture since its inception. It was following an RIAI submission in 1995 that the Minister for Culture initiated a working group to draft Government Policy. This resulted in the publishing in 2002 of “Action on Architecture” the Irish Government’s policy, which sets out three main objectives:

• Promoting awareness & understanding or Architecture
• Leading by example
• Strengthening Architectural input in the planning process

The RIAI continues to actively promote the achievement of the policy – working with state agencies and private bodies organising and promoting Architectural Competitions, arranging exhibitions to create better public awareness of the quality and value of Architecture and organising conferences and events to promote better ways of creating quality in our built environment.

European Involvement
Our involvement in European affairs has enhanced the contribution which the RIAI can make at a national level. For those who attended the European Forum conference it was interesting to note that:

• One-off housing is as much a feature of rural Flanders as rural Ireland
• The Netherlands and Finland have implemented far sighted architectural policy initiatives to include infrastructural projects and the landscape
• Germany continues to produce buildings which represent the cutting edge in terms of sustainability
• The presentations by all the Irish speakers, Billy Houlihan, Dick Gleeson, David O’Connor, Merritt Bucholz strongly impressed our visitors.

There was a real sense of being part of a structure with a significant role to play in ensuring that the place of Architecture and Urbanism is EU policy is appropriately recognised.

EUROPEAN TRADITION
European Architecture and Urbanism have a wide range of achievements throughout the Union. From Belfast to Berlin, Cork to Cologne, Dublin to Dubrovnik, we have a rich tradition of cities and buildings representing Europe as the centre of Western civilisation.

European architecture and urbanism are among the most significant elements of our common cultural heritage and represent the quintessential symbol of our culture. However, the post war suburbs of our towns and cities have generally failed to match this tradition.

The reason for this failure has been well documented and include the domination of the private car over public transport in urban planning, the increased separation and specialisation of the built environment professions, leading to an inability to create a public realm in our town and city extensions which matches the achievements of the past.

European Architects and Urbanists are part of this great tradition which they share with the great figures of the past from Alberti to Aalto, Ledoux to Le Corbusier, Gandon to Gaudi. However, we are equally responsible for extending that tradition into the future.

While European Architects continue to produce buildings of high quality we need policy initiatives and changes to improve the quality of our strategic planning of town and city extensions.

RIAI, ACE & The European Forum
The RIAI, through its membership of ACE the Architects Council of Europe and the European Architectural Policies Form and the Forum believes that quality in Architecture and Urbanism must be taken into account in all National and EU policies, leading ultimately to the realisation of a European Architecture & Urbanism Policy Directive.

We believe that such a policy should have as its objective the recognition of European architecture and urbanism as a central means of expression in the daily life of our citizens and emphasise their importance as the heritage of tomorrow.

We believe that ACE and the European Architecture Forum are important organisations in achieving these objectives and we are committed to an ongoing active participation in the activities of both bodies.