Focus CSA
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Davos Baukultur Alliance
ACE signs the Founding Act and is a member of the Steering Committee
Under the title "Common Good as a Shared Responsibility", the second conference of European culture ministers took place at the invitation of Swiss Federal Councillor Alain Berset. From 14-16 January 2023, the culture ministers will discuss with actors from the private sector how a high building culture for Europe can be achieved together. Together, the participants launched the Davos Building Culture Alliance.
Ruth Schagemann, President of the ACE Architects Council of Europe signed the founding act on behalf of ACE. In addition, ACE was elected to the steering committee of the Alliance for the next 5 years.
Ruth Schagemann, «Highlights from Davos”
Bundesamt für Kultur, “Davos Baukulutr Allianz»
World Economic Forum, Urban Transformation Hub,
“Davos Baukultur Alliance for Virbrant Communities” -
High-quality Baukultur
For a built environment with high quality
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Davos Declaration
In January 2018, at an informal conference of culture ministers in the run-up to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the then President of the Swiss Confederation and head of the Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), Federal Councillor Alain Berset, presented the 'Davos Declaration' prepared by the Cultural Heritage and Monument Preservation Section of the Federal Office of Culture (from 1.1.2021: Building Culture Section) to the participating European culture ministers.
The declaration subsequently adopted is intended to strengthen the importance of high-quality building culture for Europe and to show 'how a high level of building culture can be anchored politically and strategically in Europe. It reminds us that building is culture and creates space for culture. '
In a 23-point programme in which
the central role of culture for the built environment,
the concept of building culture,
the vision of a high building culture,
the social benefits of a high building culture and,
the ways to a high building culturespecified, the European Ministers of Culture commit themselves to
to disseminate the ideas and principles of a high building culture in politics and society,
to establish high building culture as a priority policy objective and to implement appropriate strategies and accompanying measures to achieve this objective,
to remind all relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors of their responsibilities with regard to high building culture when planning and implementing their building investments,
encourage other regions of the world to recognise the value of a high building culture and to help shape the process; and
to meet again in 10 years at the latest to evaluate and discuss progress in achieving a high building culture. -
New European Bauhaus
In 2020, the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched a programme called New European Bauhaus, with which the EU can improve the quality of the design of our living space alongside and together with the technical-scientific efforts regarding sustainability as a cultural endeavour. In the sense of a participatory procedure, the EU calls on all interested art and culture professionals (i.e. also and especially architects) to submit ideas, proposals and initiatives for improving the quality of our living spaces and the dissemination of these competences in an unbureaucratic manner. After an initial identification phase, the first projects are to be developed with financial support from the EU as early as mid-2021 and implemented or disseminated as of 2023. The new European Bauhaus Prizes, which have been announced for various thematic areas, are also part of the identification phase. The New European Bauhaus is a direct consequence of the Davos Declaration.
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Quality in procurement
Efforts by international organisations
UIA
The UIA is mandated by UNESCO to organise international architectural and planning competitions in accordance with the UNESCO Rules of 1956 (revised in 1978). In 2017, the UIA published the "UIA Competition Guide", written under the direction of Regina Gonthier, with explanations on the philosophy of competition, interpretation of the rules in the current context and best practice recommendations. The rules and recommendations are also in line with Swiss competition tradition and compatible with EU procurement legislation.
The International Competition Commission of the UIA (ICC) advises organisers in the preparation and implementation phases of competitions, verifies the conformity of programmes to the rules and best practice recommendations and helps to spread the competition culture worldwide.
The competitions approved by the UIA are usually conducted in an open procedure and require that the judging focuses exclusively on the quality of the projects. The UIA stamp is a guarantee for fair conditions, professional and independent assessment and correct execution. With renowned buildings realised as a result of UIA competitions and a few reference competitions per year, UIA tries to set the standard and make a contribution to solution-oriented quality competition worldwide.
ACE / CAE
The main task of ACE is to represent the interests of architects and to influence EU legislation accordingly. In this sense, ACE promotes quality procurement procedures and is concerned that architectural competition retains its deserved place in EU legislation. The implementation of EU legislation in the various EU countries is shaped by national tradition and culture and results in great differences. In particular, the interpretation of the term "most advantageous tender", which should be awarded the contract, has caused problems. The recognition of the importance of quality in the Davos Declaration (Baukultur 2018) and the New European Bauhaus initiative of the President of the EU Commission now provides a politically favourable environment to shift the focus from price to quality.
In 2010-2015, ACE's ADC+PP working group developed initial best practice recommendations for the conduct of design competitions in conformity with the provisions of the Directive, which need to be revised from today's perspective. The working group is also looking at other quality procedures and trying to achieve clarity in practising procedures and define terms.
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Sustainability
A settlement strategy and a building park for the future
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17 SDGs
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
To ensure sustainable development, the United Nations agreed in 2015 on 17 interlinked goals that UN member states want to achieve by 2030. States are called upon to do their part in solving the pressing global challenges and to motivate non-state actors to contribute.
In particular, poverty reduction as Goal No. 1 is an important part of the social, economic and ecological goals for sustainable development.
Goal 11: "Sustainable Cities and Communities - Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable" directly addresses architects.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Sustainable Development: The 17 Goals
Project Everyone: The Global Goals
The Institute of Architecture and Technology at the Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation, the Danish Association of Architects and the UIA Commission on the UN Sustainable Development Goals have jointly published two architectural guides with examples of how good architecture can contribute to all 17 goals.