MediaCity Conference 2010

MediaArchitecture, Urban Context and Social Practices
3rd international conference on the interaction of architecture, media and social phenomena
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany, 29 to 31 October 2010


The 3rd MediaCity conference will investigate how new media re-define social settings and urban spaces and how they influence architecture as well as media art & design in urban contexts, thus constituting new social and cultural practices.

Today, media create opportunities for diverse forms of connections between people and spaces, enabling and forming flows of information. New digital places for information and communication emerge, and the context of existing spaces is transformed by the joint impact of media and architecture, thus leading to new forms of social and cultural practices. The public sphere, the communication in ubiquitous networks, and the interaction with digital content will be a thematic focus. The conference addresses different approaches and methods of research. It will consist of three sessions and a workshop, exploring these themes in a focused way.

Session 1: MediaArchitecture

Talks focus on the complex integration and mutual dependency, and the amalgamation of media and architecture. The innovative integration of contemporary media in architecture produces new forms of design and construction of the built environment, and challenges traditional models for how we conceive, perceive and interact within physical space. Best-practice examples from current architecture, urban space, and models and visions for the future will be presented.

Session 2: Social Practices and Public Spheres

Talks focus on the implications of media in architectural and urban space on social practices. The cultural, social, political, and economical phenomena of the encounter between media and urban space will be investigated.

Session 3: Interaction and Engagement

Encounters with interactive media and digital art & design, embedded in architectural and urban spaces, and their influence on cultural phenomena, is the main topic of the talks and presentations.

Session 4: CyberCity

Cybernetic interaction in public space, audio-visual urban interfaces and tactile surfaces are being presented in this additional session.

Workshops

The workshop program will provide an opportunity to explore the conference themes in a more practical and experimental way. It aims to create an open and informal dialogue about the topics and methods, thus providing a forum for participants to share ideas, knowledge and technical experience. The workshops will offer insight into new technological developments. Examples from architecture and urban planning, as well as media art & design, will present new applications and interpretations for mobile and embedded media. Students of all levels are particularly welcome to submit works for this program, especially if they have demos or showcases of projects they would like to present to a wider audience. The workshops will be an opportunity to gain feedback and advice on these works.

Important Dates

30 June 2010: Extended Submission deadline (abstract)
July/August 2010: Notification of acceptance
15 September 2010: Submission deadline (full article for accepted submissions)
29 to 31 October 2010: Conference
Selected papers from the conference will be published in a digital, post-conference volume

Contact

Contact:
Main Contact: 2010@mediacityproject.org
Website: mediacityproject.org/2010

Organizers
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Prof. Dr. Jens Geelhaar, Chair of Interface Design, Faculty of Media
Prof. Dr. Frank Eckardt, Chair of Sociology of Globalization, Faculty of Architecture
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dipl.-Des. Bernd Rudolf, Chair of Building Design, Faculty of Architecture
Dr.-Ing. Sabine Zierold, Faculty of Architecture
Dipl. postgr. Kunst u. öffentl. Raum, Dipl.-Des. Michael Markert, Faculty of Media