Spanish influencers join speaker line-up for 2016 National Architecture Conference

Two influential Spanish architects have joined the speaker line-up for the 2016 National Architecture Conference, How Soon is Now, taking place in Adelaide, 28-30 April.

Co-creative Directors Cameron Bruhn, Sam Spurr and Ben Hewett, have named ‘guerrilla architect’ Santiago Cirugeda of Seville and self-sufficiency advocate Vicente Guallart from Barcelona as additions to the comprehensive two-day program.

‘We’re very excited to announce two speakers from Spain, who come from opposing ends of architectural practice, but both show how architecture can impact on the creation of our urban environments,’ Sam Spurr said.

‘Vincent Guallart’s engagement across government, academia and commercial practice shows how working within establishments can generate fundamental and ambitious change at the scale of the city. He brought an ambitious and innovative approach to working as Chief Architect of Barcelona and also has a long interest in supporting architectural experimentation.

‘On the other hand, Cirugeda is passionately anti-institutions, whose “bottom–up” practice is formed to empower and support citizens in the construction of their public spaces. Aptly dubbed a “guerilla architect” by Al Jazeera, he utilises the skills and knowledge of architects to provocatively bypass and even harness the bureaucratic laws and regulations that control the city.’

The Spaniards join an already impressive list of local and international architects, educators and influencers who will deliver keynote addresses, panel conversations and project presentations as part of the conference.

Speaker line-up to date:

Santiago Cirugeda – Recetas Urbanas (Spain)

Vicente Guallart – Guallart Architects (Spain)

Amica Dall – Assemble (UK)

Sadie Morgan – dRMM Architects (UK)

Astrid Klein – Klein Dytham architecture (Japan)

Thomas Fisher – University of Minnesota (USA)

Julie Eizenberg – Koning Eizenberg Architecture (USA)

Nasrine Seraji – Atelier Seraji Architects and Associates (France)

Kevin Low – smallprojects (Kuala Lumpur)

John Wardle – John Wardle Architects (Aus)

Sandra Kaji-O’Grady – University of Queensland (Aus)

Tim Williams – Committee for Sydney (Aus)

Greg Mackie OAM – Ideas Wrangler (Aus)

Kerstin Thompson – Kerstin Thompson Architects (Aus)

Early bird registrations close on Thursday 10 March. More details available at wp.architecture.com.au/howsoonisnow