The symposium is scheduled to be held in Kyoto from September 10 to 12, 2024, under the theme "Architect-ing What?: Rethinking the Foundations of Human Existence."

With a history spanning 1200 years, the ancient city of Kyoto has experienced and regenerated through various crises such as pandemics, natural disasters, wars, shifts in political systems and industrial structures, from its founding to the present day. On each occasion, the fundamental basis of human existence and the conditions of the built environment have been practically questioned.

In the 21st century, we are once again approaching a critical stage where we must fundamentally reconsider architecture. Amidst circumstances like economic globalization, frequent disasters, global warming and environmental crisis, as well as pandemics and wars, architecture cannot be merely about constructing buildings. What exactly should we be architecting?

So now, to everyone in Asia and around the world, let's gather in Kyoto, a city of crisis and rebirth, and exchange our diverse insights and perspectives as we reexamine the foundations of architecture!