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PRESS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 2018

Rem Koolhaas heads compelling line up of speakers at World Architecture Festival 2018 in Amsterdam

Speakers at World Architecture Festival 2018 will include (clockwise from top left): Jeanne Gang, Founding Principal, Studio Gang; Rem Koolhaas, Founder of Office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA); Francine Houben, Founding Partner and Creative Director of Mecanoo; Li Xiadong, Professor of Architecture, Tsinghua University; Anni Sinnemäki Deputy Mayor of Helsinki; Professor Sir Peter Cook, Director, CRAB Studio; Marieke van Doorninck, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam; Sir David Adjaye, Principal, Adjaye Associates.
Rem Koolhaas, world renowned Dutch architect and founder of OMA, will give the closing keynote address at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Amsterdam on 30 November 2018. He will follow a stellar line-up at the three-day event, which runs from 28 -30 November, including Sir David Adjaye, Jeanne Gang and Sir Peter Cook.

WAF’s programme takes advantage of its new venue, Amsterdam. Various speakers will outline the city’s dramatic transformation and how architecture is contributing to it, while Dutch architecture and design luminaries confirmed to speak include Francine Houben, Founding Partner and Creative Director of Mecanoo; Kees Christiaanse, Founder of KCAP Architects and Planners; and Caroline Bos, Co-founder of UN Studio. In keeping with the global focus of the event, they are joined on the speaker’s roster by established international architects including Li Xiaodong, Chad Oppenheim, Principal of Oppenheim Architecture + Design and John Wardle, Principal of John Wardle Architects.

The INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, which is co-located with WAF and takes place simultaneously in Amsterdam, has also revealed four keynote speakers that will be headlining at the event: India Mahdavi, principal of India Mahdavi architecture and design; Christina Seilern, Founder of Studio Seilern; Eva Jiřičná, Partner of AI – Design; and Maria Warner Wong, co-founder of WOW.

As well as architects and designers from leading global practices, the diverse speaking programme for both WAF and INSIDE includes commentators from leading educational institutions, city planners and media organisations: Anni Sinnemäki, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki; Marieke van Doorninck, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam; Li Xiadong, Professor of Architecture, Tsinghua University; Professor Lesley Lokko, Head of Graduate School of Architecture, University of Johannesburg; Aaron Betsky, Dean of The School of Architecture at Taliesin; and the BBC arts commentar Razia Iqbal

This year’s programme responds to the Festival’s theme, ‘Identity’ and will include speeches, discussions and debates examining the complex and deep-rooted relationship between architecture, design and identity. Presentations and talks on the event’s main stage and the festival hall stage in Amsterdam will analyse not only how architecture can express personal, community, civic and national identity, but also how buildings and places increasingly need to contend with issues around ethnic or gender identity.

The festival’s speaking programme will culminate with a live interview of Koolhaas conducted by architectural historian and cultural theorist Charles Jencks, focusing on the current and future notions of global architectural identity.

Paul Finch, Programme Director of World Architecture Festival commented: “We’re delighted that Rem Koolhaas has joined our already stellar list of speakers for this year’s event. This is the first time we’ll be holding WAF in the Dutch capital, and just as the Dutch masters presided over a golden age of artistic endeavour and expression in the 17th century, Rem and his contemporaries have spearheaded architectural innovation that has been exported and embraced around the world. Attendees of WAF 2018 can look forward to speeches and talks from them and a wide selection of architects, designers, engineers, academics and urban planners as they articulate and interrogate challenges related to this year’s event theme – Identity”.
 
For more details on the WAF Awards and the festival please visit:
www.worldarchitecturefestival.com @worldarchfest #WAF2018

 
ENDS
Notes to Editors:

Why get involved in World Architecture Festival?
WAF is where the world architecture community meets to celebrate, learn, exchange and be inspired. 
World Architecture Festival is the largest, annual, international, live architectural event. It includes the biggest architectural awards programme in the world, dedicated to celebrating excellence via live presentations to an audience of high-profile delegates and international juries. 

The 2018 World Architecture Festival (WAF) comprises 5 key elements: 
  • The WAF Awards
  • A thematic conference programme
  • An exhibition of Award entries 
  • Sponsor and exhibitor stands
  • A series of networking/social events, as well as WAF fringe activities 

INSIDE World Festival of Interiors runs alongside WAF, with its own awards and conference programme. Delegates have access to both events. 

WAF and INSIDE are organized by EMAP, publishers of The Architectural Review and The Architects’ Journal. 

WAFX Manifesto and Awards: 
To celebrate reaching its tenth edition, World Architecture Festival organisers launched the WAFX Manifesto in 2017. The Manifesto identifies key challenges which architects will need to address over the next ten years, including climate, energy and carbon; water; ageing and health; re-use; smart city technology; building technology; cultural identity; ethics and values; power and justice; and virtual worlds.

All shortlisted projects at WAF 2018 will be judged with these key challenges in mind, and individual WAFX  prizes awarded for each of the eleven areas mentioned above.
Press, images and interview requests: Caro Communications: 020 7713 9388; @carocomms
Charlotte Treadwell – charlotte@carocommunications.com
Alicia Yau – alicia@carocommunications.com
Sponsors:
WAF is proud to work with Founder Partner, Grohe, and headline partners ABB Busch-Jaeger and Miele.

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