Living With... The Existing
In the face of urban growth, climate challenges, and limited resources, this session explores how rethinking what already exists can lead to more sustainable, resilient futures. Rather than building from scratch, it asks how adaptive reuse, regeneration, and heritage preservation can guide meaningful transformation.
Held on Friday, September 26 at 5:30 PM at Palazzo Zorzi in Venice, the session will be moderated by Madeleine Houbart, Secretary General of AFEX, with Martin Duplantier as Associate Curator of the French Pavilion.
The conversation brings together architects, planners, designers, and civic leaders from across the globe to share diverse experiences of transformation: from historic cities like Versailles and Lviv to emerging urban centers in Saudi Arabia and post-industrial contexts in Eastern Europe. It aims to foster a dialogue that resonates across borders, highlighting how local challenges and innovations can inform global solutions. This session will examine how strategies of preservation, circular design, and cultural continuity can serve as tools for low-impact, future-oriented development.
