AIA CONTINENTAL EUROPE MARCH 2024 ‘MINI CONFERENCE’ / Bologna

Given the success of AIA Continental Europe’s two 2023 Conferences – Sicily in the Spring and Chinon in the Fall – it was disappointing to discover AIA CE had nothing planned for Spring 2024.  It looked like waiting for the Sofia Conference in October was going to be a wearisome experience…

But AIA CE is a chapter with multiple, regional sections, and the Italian Section - with a plethora of enticing cities just awaiting a chance to show off - came to the rescue with its own ‘Mini Conference’ this March.  It was only two days, promised only 10 HSW continuing education units and signed up only 25 architects, but due precisely to this smaller scale and relaxed atmosphere, it was a learning experience packed with a great deal of FUN. 

Bologna was once described as the ‘City of Towers’.  Alas – the towers have been falling by the wayside, and first impressions found instead that Bologna was a ‘City of Porticos’.  Or should that be ‘City of Extended Porticos’, or maybe ‘City of Colonnades’, or even ‘City of Arcades’?  Let us not quibble; the citizens of Bologna call them porticos without hesitation, and even UNESCO celebrates the term. They are everywhere.

Also, the citizens of Bologna being practical people without a local source of marble paved their porticos with cheap, durable terrazzo.  However, for some reason no one refers to Bologna as the ‘City of Terrazzo’.  Along with the porticos, terrazzo is everywhere, and the combination works exceedingly well.

To its enthusiastic visitors – including those not burdened with an architectural perspective - Bologna is unequivocally the ‘City of Food’, and the Mini Conference organisers capitalised on this; first, with a ‘Historical Walking & Food Tour’ ending in a ‘Wine & Food Tasting’ and, second, with a sponsored luncheon/lecture the next day in one of Bologna’s most popular seafood restaurants. 

As excellent as the food was, the Mini Conference was not without serious content.  The event organiser, Morgan Danner AIA, described her work in expeditionary construction based at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAFAC) in Naples.    

To paraphrase her, expeditionary construction is, ‘construction that is for expeditious purposes in assisting military operations or emergency response teams in forward deployed environments; environments usually remote or austere in location, or have been disrupted by war, crises, manmade or natural disasters, or undergoing civil unrest’.

Whereas one might expect military operations to require cost effective design, superior logistics and expedited construction, Danner’s emphasis on applying the same criteria to disaster relief and emergency responses was a satisfying diversion that earned instant respect.  

Other speakers included Marc Di Domenico AIA speaking on behalf of one of the event sponsors, the Institute of Design International, established by Domenico in Florence.  AECOM, another event sponsor (and consultant to NAFAC), also spoke on how it approached sustainability issues in its projects. 

A highlight of the weekend was a tour entitled ‘The Red City with its Porticos and Stairs’, which reached parts of the city still undiscovered by the attendees.  Bologna, in addition to its towers, porticos, terrazzo and food, has been a historic ‘City of Learning’ and remains a university town complete with both modern and ancient libraries and laboratories as well as an impressive catalogue of scientific discoveries.  

While the façade of Bologna’s Basilica of San Petronio in the city’s main piazza remains strangely unfinished due to city and papal rivalries dating back centuries, architects have been proposing solutions for its completion since the Middle Ages. 

Their submittals are kept in a special room in the Basilica that was opened for the group’s architectural inspection.  Seeing a Palladio competition drawing was an extra special treat, although his plan was too faint to capture in the photograph.

If you are not aware of AIA CE’s conferences and regional events but are looking for a user-friendly way to earn continuing education units while indulging in a European city break, look them up on AIA CE’s website HERE.  These international conferences are a bargain, and AIA UK members are always welcomed.  

Written by L D King, AIA

All Photos by L D King, AIA (unless noted otherwise). Late change - the original ‘Leaning Tower of Bologna’ photo now replaced with one by Royce Lanier AIA. Other Bologna tower pictures offered as replacements are included in the slide show below.  Photos by Lorraine King AIA, Royce Lanier AIA, Sergio Danese AIA and Rada Doytcheva FAIA.

The 2nd and last wine / food tasting of the long weekend with lingering attendees.  Photo by the waiter!