Call for Papers

This year, the architectural research symposium ATUT 2024 addresses the theme of ‘Regenerative Futures: Architecture at the Crossroads of Transformations’. Architecture is a vital catalyst for societal transformations. It has always been, and continues to be, a visionary field that explores alternative paths for building better, happier, and healthier futures. Currently, in the face of multiple simultaneous crises and unprecedented challenges, architects stand at the crossroads of possible futures, grappling with issues ranging from climate change to social inequality. Recently, the field of architecture has questioned its longstanding tradition of being human-centered to explore the inclusion of non-humans as the naturally unfolding stakeholders of built environment. Within this frame, architecture expands its conceptual, methodological, and professional foundations to navigate towards regenerative futures that promote coexistence, sustainability, resilience and holistic wellbeing on Earth.

This year’s conference theme recognizes the pivotal moment at which architecture finds itself at the intersection of crisis and opportunity for transformative change. Futures refer to several possible, probable, and improbable ones. The theme acknowledges the pressing need for innovative responses to the existential challenges facing humanity while embracing the transformative potential of architecture to lead the way towards a more equitable, resilient, and regenerative world for all.

ATUT2024 invites explorations of these potential roles of architecture, by providing spaces that combine all scales of the built and unbuilt environments. It refers to freedom of thinking, creating, and experimenting. Submissions are invited to reflect on topics spanning across various scales and diverse actors. Contributions would address how to handle of complexity, diversity, and uncertainty of societal transformations. ATUT2024 welcomes papers that address the conference’s theme through and beyond the following:

• Regenerative human-nature relationships, urban systems, and the built environment: exploring regenerative, inclusive design approaches that embrace bio-inclusivity to promote well integrated socio-ecological systems. How can architecture actively restore ecosystems and foster symbiotic relationships between built and natural systems?
• Multi-scalar and systemic perspectives on the roles of architecture in enabling regenerative sustainability: rethinking architecture that responds to crises of our time, including biodiversity loss, climate change, and social inequality. Investigating local responses to global challenges at all scales of the built environment (interiors, buildings, landscapes, urban contexts), by revisiting modularity and scalability of solutions. How can architecture envision and embody futures that prioritize planetary wellbeing, social and ecological justice?
• Proactive design strategies, novel methodologies and methods of design and research: investigating strategies for optimizing the use of available spaces, conservation, revitalization of urban areas, and transformation of architectural heritage into vibrant and functional environments. An investigation of emerging tools such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping design and research.
• Collaborative and participatory practices, stakeholder networks, power dynamics in architectural decision-making processes: considering proactive strategies, and novel methodologies for participatory and collaborative design, which could facilitate social cohesion, wellbeing, and co-existence of all living entities and Earth systems.

Addressing complex future challenges in architecture requires collaboration across disciplines and sectors in response to the following questions: How can architectural theory and practice embody knowledge integration and action from diverse disciplines, sectors, and actors? How can architecture contribute to the creation of equitable, inclusive, and resilient cities and communities? ATUT2024 encourages submissions that explore innovative methods for fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Authors are encouraged to explore connections between themes and are not limited to a single category. Submissions should adhere to academic standards and contribute to advancing knowledge in the field of architecture.

Submission Guidelines

The ATUT2024 abstract is 250-300 words and includes: a title for the abstract submission, 3-5 keywords; which subtheme your abstract falls under; conceptual or theoretical framework, intended methodology, and expected outcomes.

We welcome submissions of abstracts for the following formats:

• Presentations based on full papers
• Presentations based on posters

The abstract submission deadline has been extended! The new deadline is on Thursday 8th of August.

Guidelines for the paper and poster submissions will be provided on the ATUT2024 website soon!

Publication

We will support the publication of selected ATUT2024 papers in peer-reviewed JUFO ranked journals. Further announcement on the publication will follow in due course.

Venue

ATUT2024 will be organised as an onsite conference in Espoo, at the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact us at: atut2024@aalto.fi.