AA VISITING SCHOOL
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
31 JANUARY-10 FEBRUARY 2011
Mittelmeerland will investigate the future of the Mediterranean. Over three years the intention is to research six different Mediterranean cities, starting with Dubrovnik, and then continuing with Tangier, Tripoli, Istanbul, Alexandria and Haifa. In the first of these we will study the dynamic territory of Dubrovnik’s coastline and the mutual dependencies of land and water. The area itself, from Dubrovnik to the port of Ploce, extends more than 113km and provides an amphibious context defined by an ongoing conflict between the natural landscape, industry and tourism. This condition forces us to ask: How is the rapid growth of global trade affecting Mediterranean ports? And how can these cities along the Mediterranean coast become more environmentally engaged?

We will work on five different areas along the coastline analysing existing conditions and future projections, playfully utilising small-scale phenomena, translating found conditions into large-scale urban interventions and envisioning future changes. We will produce architectural portraits, urban biographies, video narrations and imaginative axonometric collages, which ultimately will feature in a publication of the workshop’s research on various waterfront cities around the Mediterranean.

SYMPOSIUM
During the workshop a one day symposium will be held on 5 February 2011. Its purpose is to examine how the Mediterranean region can position itself as a ’territory’, one that is based on climatic and economic conditions, and subject to specific social, political and spatial dynamics and experiences. We want to discover similarities and differences by comparing cities.

SPEAKERS AND VISITING CRITICS
Christopher Pierce (AA), Elias Torres (Torres- Lapeña, Barcelona), Jorge Garcia de la Camara (BIArch Barcelona), Sanja Filep (University Zagreb), Cristian Suau (Cardiff University), Vedran Mimica (Berlage Institute), Dinka Pavelic (Man and Space Magazin), Lulzim Kabashi (Zagreb), Davor Busnja, Hrvoje Hrabak (President Croatian Architects Association), Tomas Klassnik (AA), among others.