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At its last General Assembly, held in Tallinn (Estonia) on 17-18 April 2015, the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) signed a joint Declaration with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to highlight the key role and responsibility of the architectural profession in tackling the local and global challenges of our time, in particular with respect to climate change, urban regeneration, social inclusion and heritage conservation.
As part of its General Assembly, ACE organised a Special Session on the themeInternationalisation & Responsibility, in order to explore possible international synergies to tackle the global and local issues of our time, and discuss the role of the architectural profession.
Mrs Elizabeth Chu Richter, President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Mr Esa Mohamed, President of the International Union of Architects (UIA) and Mr Luciano Lazzari, President of the ACE, signed on this occasion a joint Declaration to recall the key responsibility and role of the architectural profession in tackling the critical challenges of our time, in particular with respect to climate change, heritage conservation, urban regeneration and social inclusion
Through this Declaration, which follows on from the 2050 Imperative Declaration, signed at the 2014 UIA Congress in Durban, and the joint CNAPPC-ACE-EFAP Manifesto signed in November 2014 in Milan at the occasion of the EU-Cities ReloadingForum, the three organisations, representing the architectural profession at international, European and national levels:
- Recall that global and local challenges of our time are intrinsically linked and cannot be overcome separately. Achieving sustainability globally requires to take action locally, taking into consideration local priorities and needs; taking advantage of local resources; suiting local cultures, reflecting local practices and standards, and involving local communities. Achieving sustainability locally requires, on the other hand, to reflect global challenges and the establishment of common visions that transcend national borders and local objectives;
- State that the architectural profession has the responsibility to tackle the challenges posed by climate change. The profession has a unique expertise to plan and design low-carbon, resource-efficient, resilient, smart, healthy and inclusive built environments, thus contributing to mitigate climate change and adapt buildings and cities to its effects;
- Underline the importance of urban regeneration, and the ability of the architectural profession to plan and design sustainable built environments in a holistic and integrated manner, taking into consideration economic, social, environmental, political and cultural aspects, resulting in more inclusive communities;
- Recall that architectural heritage is a capital of irreplaceable spiritual, cultural, social and economic value, and recall the key role of the architectural profession to preserve this heritage;
- Stress the importance of investing in the architectural education – a continuum ranging from the academic training, to practical experience, to continuing professional experience and to research – in order to deliver and maintain high quality professionals able to make better places that address the manifold challenges we are currently facing.
The three organisations commit to promote the unique expertise of the architectural profession in planning and designing better places, facing the challenges of our time, for the well-being of humanity and future of our planet. Ahead of the upcoming 21stsession of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), to be held in November-December 2015, this Declaration is a strong message from the architectural profession to the international community to commit to a truly sustainable and equitable future.
Read the full Declaration on the ACE website
