And the Winner Is... Urban Exhibitionism?

Event information

During the course of the 2013 London Festival of Architecture, an international panel of representatives will be assembled to explore and critique the notion of the in situ architectural showcase.

The list of architecture festivals and biennales grows and grows. The best known, the Venice Biennale of Architecture, was established in 1980, but remains very much the younger sibling of the art biennale (in existence since 1895). 2012 saw the first Istanbul Design Biennale, and 2011 saw New York City host the first Archtober, and the Festival of Ideas for the New City. Other fixtures on the scene include the World Architecture Festival (established in 2008), the Lisbon Architecture Triennale (since 2007), the Shenzhen and Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (since 2005), and the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (since 2001). London's own Festival of Architecture, initially launched as a biennale in 2004, will be an annual event from 2013.

Are these events dynamic catalysts to discussing and celebrating the city and architectural culture, or calculated devices of tourism and industrial promotion? How can a design biennale effectively impact upon its host city to leave a lasting change? And is the architectural profession even suited to the format of the grand exhibition, or has it been forced into an uneasy corner of exhibiting itself and competing on art's terms?

Tickets to this event will enable access to the Design Museum's current exhibitions from 5pm.

The event will start at 6.30pm, and will be followed by a drinks reception (cash bar).