The conference on the Architectural Heritage gives the opportunity to bring architects and experts to create a platform to demonstrate and discuss different strategies and practices across the world for preserving and protecting cultural heritage. Speakers will present their conclusions and proposals on how preservation of cultural heritage can coexist with the modernization of a city, exchanging best practices between Europe and Azerbaijan. Speakers will include Jose Miguel Vinals from Spain, Piet Jaspaert from Belgium, Elchin T. Aliyev from Azerbaijan and Ilaria Di Carlo, Marta Suarez Ponce de Leon from Italy. The conference will also include the presentation of a book by Elchin T. Aliyev “Constructivist architecture of 20s and 30s”.

Speeches and Speakers

“Endangered Heritage Counts for Europe” - Piet Jaspaert

Piet Jaspaert has a PHD in Political and Social Sciences (Ghent 1972). He held many volunteer positions in the cultural field. The Flemish Government has called upon him to take on national tasks, such as the Presidency of the Youth Council, the Advisory board for Theater and the Government’s Agency Tourism Vlaanderen. Thirty years ago, he was one of the three founders of Open Monuments Day in Flanders. He has been board member of Europa Nostra from 2008 till 2015 and since then Vice-President. Here, he is particularly involved in EU affairs, European Union Price for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards and the 7ME ( the seven most endangered sites) program and the coordination of the European Heritage Alliance 3.3, an informal platform of currently 49 European and international networks active in the wider field of cultural heritage.

“Architectural Heritage: Barcelona vs. Timisoara. The paradigm change” - Jose Miguel Vinals

José Miguel Viñals studied Economy and MBA at ESADE, Barcelona, Spain. He spent his first 12 professional years working for the American firm Alberto Culver, at the European owned company Indola. He was Finance Director for Southern Europe. From 2007 he lives in Timisoara, Romania, creating his own consulting company, Via Rumania, specialized in assisting foreign corporations starting business in Romania. From 2013 he is Honorary Consul of Spain in Timisoara. From this position he carries out an intense activity in promoting Spain in Romania in all directions, but mainly aiming to strengthen their economic, social and cultural links.

“The power of aesthetics in the enhancement of historical heritage” - Ilaria Di Carlo and Marta Suarez Ponce de Leon

Ilaria Di Carlo is an architect, urban planner, writer and researcher. Graduated with Honors at the Polytechnic of Milan in 2000, she obtained a Master in Landscape Urbanism at the Architectural Association in London the following year. She has worked for different international offices such as Pich Aguilera Arquitectos, HOK and Skidmore Owings and Merrill in London where she became an Associate. In 2011 she founded her own practice Ilaria Di Carlo Architects, a multidisciplinary award winning design research based company. In 2016 Ilaria concluded her PHD research in Environmental Engineering at the University of Trento, obtaining the title of Doctor Europaeus with the her thesis entitled “The Aesthetics of Sustainability. Systemic thinking and self-organization in the evolution of cities” which also became a book. Ilaria’s work has been exhibited and published in various occasions at the Venice Biennale, the Rotterdam Biennale (NAI) and at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London.

Marta Suarez Ponce de Leon was born in Madrid and graduated from the Escuela Tecnica Superior de Arquitectura in Seville. Marta has lived in Rome since 2005 where she collaborated with the studios of Massimiliano Fuksas, Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Zaha Hadid Architects. In 2014 together with Paola Bettinsoli and Federica Milo funded the studio Lab36, a space of dynamic architecture in which different disciplines meet, they confront each other trespassing their predictable paths; Not just an architectural firm but a laboratory of ideas in which to bring together approaches, thoughts, research, where the interest in the multi-faceted aspects of the creative process often leads to deal with something else: art, creativity, design, experimentation and social dynamics.

"Baku architecture of the 1920-1930s of the period of constructivism” - Elchin Aliyev

His professional membership includes the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan (from 1989), Board thereof, and Union of Designers of Azerbaijan (from 1998). He has obtained his PhD in Architecture (1998). He received his Doctor of Arts (2014). His projects have been awarded in the US, France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Georgia. The Union of Architects of Azerbaijan has repeatedly recognized Elchin Aliyev the best architect in the country and he was awarded the “Honorary Gold Badge” of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan. He has also been awarded Diplomas and Letters-of-Gratitude by foreign national unions of architects and designers, the International Association of Unions of Architects, Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, and other governmental, public and international organizations. From 2012 to 2017 he worked as the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan. A member of the Commission on work with youth of the International Union of Architects, Elchin Aliyev is the President of the Baku Architectural Club and the author of 14 books and 140 scientific articles in the field of architecture, design and town planning.

FREE ENTRANCE

The festival, organized by the Delegation of European Union to Azerbaijan, will be held from 1-15 November 2019 in Baku, Ganja and Nij, Gabala.

The purpose of the “FANTAZIA” Festival, named after Baku's famous bath house protected building, is to raise awareness on the need to showcase and to preserve cultural heritage.