(17 May 2016) The Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney focuses on Sydney’s sustainable architecture. From May 19 to 18, at the IIC, the architects Mario Cucinella and Ken McBryde culture will alternate in two speeches titled “Creative Empathy”, presented by the Institute in association with the XX Biennale of Sydney as part of the conference series “Not Evenly Distributed”. The talks will explore how architecture, through the principles of sustainability, can act against a modus operandi that is indifferent to place, refusing to level the differences, that takes place on the other hand in the discourse of globalisation in the mainstream of economic and quantitative value systems (Cucinella), and how technology and communications can open educational opportunities in remote areas of the world, with examples of studies conducted in Borneo, Nepal and Vanuatu that show the benefits of adequate educational facilities (McBryde). Tshering Lama O’Gorman, Director of Programmes of the Australian Himalayan Foundation, will participate in the panel discussion that will follow the interventions of the two architects, moderated by Janne Ryan. Two other conference programmes for Cucinella on the same subject in New Zealand: one held on May 16 at the Victoria University of Wellington, the other to be held on May 17 at the University of Auckland. The conferences were organized by the Italian Institute of Culture in Sydney who since last March has extended its activities to New Zealand, where it works in close collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Wellington. Finally, on May 20 the Italian architect held a seminar for students and lecturers of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Sydney (Red)
