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Συνεδρίαση Θεματικής Περιοχής 3
2 Ιουνίου 2006, Βρυξέλλες

ΗΜΕΡΗΣΙΑ ΔΙΑΤΑΞΗ

Thematic Area n°3 – Role of Architecture in Society
MINUTES OF FIRST Co-ordination meeting

Venue: ACE Offices
Date: 2 June 2006
Time:
10.30 – 13.00 (followed by lunch and separate WG meetings 13.00-15.00)
15.00 -  16.30
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS:

1- Presentation of all participants
2- General Introduction
The Coordinators OD and PB together with the ACE Secretariat made a presentation of the new working Structure of ACE with special regard to the Thematic Area ‘Role of Architecture in Society’.
3- The new Organization Chart (distributed in copy, available on the ACE Website)
Re-definition of sub-themes under the Pillar Architecture in the Society: Environment and Sustainable Architecture, Urban Issues and Housing.
Identification of main Political Targets and Relevant Interface at EU level for the a.m. Work Groups in order to achieve the Strategic Objective set by the EB for this Work Area: Production of QUALITY AGENDA for the CITIZEN in the BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
RK asked how far the work of the WGs can be flexible and go beyond the defined borders.  OD answered that the WGs shall be concentrated on the tasks given by the Executive Board (EB). In the new working structure the EB shall have a stronger guidance on the work of the Work Groups in order to achieve better outputs.
AS underlined the new Role of the Coordinators of the three thematic ‘Pillars’ Profession, Market and Society. The coordinators are members of the EB with the mandate of giving guidance to the WGs in liaison with the respective Chairpersons and Rapporteurs. Therefore Coordination Meetings shall be planned within the Pillars and between the three Pillars. The First general meeting of this kind is scheduled for the 8th of September 2006 in Brussels.  OL recalls the necessity to avoid detailed discussions on particular items in the context of the General Assembly (GA). This need was also raised during the last ACE General Assembly.
AS recalls that in the future the Spring GA shall include open discussion on matters arising in the Work Groups, while the Autumn GA will concentrate more on decisions that need to be taken. AS also reported that the EB shall plan more public events to assist the ACE in achieving its political objectives. The first such open seminar in which a particular item shall be discussed, will probably be focused on ‘Quality Vs Market Competition Approach in Liberal Professions’ and is being planned for the autumn of 2007.
The WGs were called upon to provide the EB with significant inputs for the preparation of this event and are invited to propose topics.  TTV asked the coordinators how shall the ‘independent’ WGs manage the large overlapping between their thematic areas and how will it be ensured that the works will proceed at the same speed in each field.
OD replied saying that the Terms of Reference shall ensure coordination and the ongoing work will be monitored more closely than in the past to avoid discrepancies.
4- Open Discussion on Targets and Coordination of the three WGs
The Chairman OL recalls that the WGESA has been inactive for some months, due to its re-organization after Livia Tirone had to give up her Role as Chairwoman. OL lists the WGESA current Tasks and main Deliverables that shall be expected. Among these it is very urgent the preparation of Comments on the Green Paper that has been published by DG Environment and shall become the Action paper on Energy Efficiency.
On the Thematic Strategies on Urban Environment the WGUI has already prepared a draft reaction, which has been further developed and finalized by the Secretariat and the EB. New work areas, energy and consistency of standards, has been defined and added by the EB for this WG. The Terms of Reference were due to be discussed during the separate meeting of WGESA in the afternoon
AS recalls that the ACE wants to increase cooperation with other Stakeholders in the construction sector, for Instance in order to sign Agreements, Charters and conventions. He recalls the participation of the ACE in an event organized by Quartiers en Crise and the Parliamentary Inter Group Urban Logement in the European Parliament on the 6th of June. Participation in the preparation of the European Charter on Housing and the establishment of a European Observatory on Housing are important challenges for the ACE.
OD recalled the strong engagement of ACE in the Urbact Hous-Es Network, lead by the Municipality of Poznan and managed by Krzysztof Baczynski.
PB reported briefly on his participation in an International Conference on Urban Regeneration held in Bratislava and promoted by the European Commission.
AB reported that he had read, in a EUKN newsletter, a strong statement by Eurocities in which Urban environment, heritage and Sustainability are adequately taken into account and he expressed the wish that ACE statements would have the same resonance. He referred to the feedback produced by ACE to the Staff working Paper on Cohesion Policy and Cities, a letter that was sent to Commissioner Hubner.
AS reminded the meeting that Eurocities is a large organisation generously funded by major European cities. They are among the founders of the EUKN and therefore have a privileged access to their newsletter. The fact that such items are properly mentioned is also due to the ACE lobbying towards Eurocities.
OD reminded the meeting that all these external relations have to go via the EB and are prioritised in the ACE Mid Term Policies.
RK asked how can the ACE political Focus become clearer and more visible than in the past.
OD suggested that the Forum for Architectural Policies is the main tool for this target. The next events of the Forum are scheduled in Vienna and Helsinki.
AB noted that a lot of research work has been put in the draft Terms of Reference of the WGs in the thematic Area ‘Architecture and Society’, especially in those for the WG Urban Issues. He thinks all these tasks cannot be completed by the WG on a voluntary basis.
OL suggests more resources and expertise may come through new nominations
HT recalls that in Denmark there are currently three different professional Associations and they will work in different fields. He will monitor the different groups to know how to best invest their limited resources.  
TTV thanked the ACE for having been appointed Chairwoman of WGH, saying that she approves of the draft Terms of Reference for the WG and that she hopes to have qualified nominations from the Member Organisations. She is willing to bring into the WG her experience in Housing as Architect and as Minister of the State of Galicia. Among the most important tasks for the WGH shall be the contribution to the already mentioned European Observatory on Housing.
This introduction is followed by a short Power Point Presentation about the main priorities of contemporary Housing in Europe: quality of inner space, urban quality, sustainability, identity, budget…
5- After a short lunch break the meeting split into three WG meetings, between 14.00 and 15.00
6- After that discussion has been focused on the draft Terms of Reference of the each WG
ToR WGESA
Chairman OL listed a number of items that shall be the subject of the WGESA in line with the work of the past years. He stressed the necessity of balancing political work with ‘research’ work on specific topics. He finished by reporting that the WG will be dealing with the Energy Green Paper, the implementation process of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the proposal of an ACE Award for sustainable architecture etcetera.
ToR WGUI
Chairman AB recalls his feedback to the draft ToR circulated in May. He sees too much Research work in the controversial direction of producing indicators for the quality of urban space. A lively discussion among all meeting participants follows: OD remarks that it is necessary to produce clear indicators to speak the same language as politicians do. TTV and AS recall experiences in which architects have lost opportunities by having an ‘artistic’ approach. BG recalls examples from the UK where the Government has appointed experts or research centres with similar work. AB agrees on the importance of the tasks, but doubts that an ACE voluntary WG could approach such a difficult task.  OD and others reminded the meeting that it can be a collection of already produced research work.
ToR WGH
Chairwoman TTV agreed on the work programme set out in the draft ToR. As well as other tasks the WGH shall produce a first draft of the Housing Quality Questionnaire in September and finalise it by November 2007.
7- Communication and conclusions
- Urban Futures 2.0 Conference
- Skills Symposium 9/11/06 in Leeds UK
- ACE Summit in September 2007
- First coordination meeting of all WGs on September 8th in Brussels

Notes by Antonio Borghi

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