Opening
Critical Care
Architecture for a Broken Planet

Colectivo 720: Unidad de Vida Articulada Orfelinato, Uva de La Imaginacíon, Medellin, Columbia, 2015
© photograph: Sergio Gómez
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet uninhabitable. The situation is critical and, dominated by the interests of capital, architecture and urbanism are caught up in the crisis. The exhibition 'Critical Care' shows how architecture and urbanism can contribute to repairing the future and keeping the planet and its inhabitants alive.
The exhibition ‘Critical Care’ is an appeal for a new approach, for a caring architecture and urbanism. 21 current examples from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the USA and Latin America prove that architecture and urban development do not have to be subservient to the dictates of capital and the exploitation of resources and labour.
The relationships between economy, ecology and work are redefined in each of these projects. The instigators of this care are extraordinarily diverse groups of people: activists, lawyers, anthropologists, artists, but also city councils and companies, working together with architects and planners. Care is always concrete, the specific local conditions are the starting point, as the exhibition shows, including earthquake-proof and sustainable village development in China, flood protection through traditional low-carbon building techniques in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the diverse conversion of modernist buildings in Brazil and Europe, an ecological community land trust in Puerto Rico, the revitalisation of historical irrigation systems in Spain, new concepts for public spaces and mixed urban districts in Vienna, London and Nairobi. The exhibition ‘Critical Care’ shows how architecture and urbanism are helping to revive the planet. The repair of the future has begun.
Curators: Angelika Fitz, Elke Krasny
Exhibition architecture: the next ENTERprise
Exhibition graphics: Alexander Schuh
Speakers at the opening:
Sybille Straubinger, Municipal Council Vienna
Jennifer Kickert, Municipal Council Vienna
Angelika Fitz, Curator, Director of the Az W
Elke Krasny, Curator, Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
A book is being published by MIT Press to accompany the exhibition, Critical Care. Architecture and Urbanism for a Broken Planet, containing all 21 case studies as well as 12 essays.
Related Events
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Guided tour with the curators
Mon 11.03.2019
12:30-14:00A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Double guided tour & walk 'CARE MATTERS.'
Sat 11.05.2019
from 11:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: -
Event
Wed 01.05.2019
10:00-19:00Open Door Day
Admission free
As guests of the Architekturzentrum Wien Architecture Lounge, on 1 May admission is free for everybody interested in architecture. The…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 01.05.2019
16:00-17:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
as part of "Open Door Day"
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 01.05.2019
18:00-19:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
as part of "Open Door Day"
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour in dialogue
Wed 08.05.2019
17:30-19:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
Focus on Economy and the Public Interest
with Elisabeth Klatzer, economist, member of the board of Attac Österreich The projects in the exhibition 'Critical Care' draws remarkable…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Double guided tour & walk
Sat 11.05.2019
11:00-18:00CARE MATTERS.
A cooperation between the Az W and the Kunstraum Niederoesterreich
11:00 Guided tour with the curators of 'TechnoCare' at the Kunstraum Niederoesterreich 12:30 Guided tour with the curators of 'Critical…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Lecture with response
Wed 15.05.2019
19:00-21:00Haus der Statistik
IBA_Vienna meets Architects #6
How can large-scale, modern postwar buildings be transformed socially, culturally and technologically? The Haus der Statistik in Berlin is developing…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Podium -
Guided tour with the curators
Sat 18.05.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 22.05.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Open Day, walks, discussions
Sat 25.05.2019
from 13:00Nordbahn-Halle Open Day
To accompany the Architekturtage 2019
To accompany the exhibition 'Critical Care' and for the Architecture Days, together with the TU Wien we invite you to…Location: Nordbahn-Halle -
Guided tour with the curators
Wed 12.06.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Thu 13.06.2019
19:30-20:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
as part of the MQ SommerÖffnung
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 19.06.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Symposium
Fri 21.06.2019
13:00-20:30Critical Care — Symposium
Modern architecture and city planning have essentially been determined by the idea of the world as Tabula Rasa. The consequences…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Podium -
Guided tour in dialogue
Wed 26.06.2019
17:30-19:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
Focus on Ecology and Social Collaboration Ecology and Social Collaboration
with Philipp Rode, Helge Schier, landscape architects ZwoPK The projects in the exhibition 'Critical Care' draws remarkable links between the…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour with the curators
Wed 03.07.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 24.07.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour with the curators
Wed 14.08.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour of the exhibition
Wed 21.08.2019
17:30-18:30Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
A planet in crisis. The earth in intensive care. Man-made environmental and social catastrophes are threatening to render the planet…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2 -
Guided tour in dialogue
Wed 28.08.2019
17:30-19:00Critical Care. Architecture for a Broken Planet
Focus on Work: The reality of work as a cleaning worker
with Jelena Micić, cleaning worker and mural artist, among other media The projects in the exhibition 'Critical Care' draws remarkable…Location: Architekturzentrum Wien – Exhibition hall 2