Member at UIA Informal Settlements Work Programme

Abu Dhabi, 6/3/2024

Following my academic/research interest on informality as a human behavior, a morphological option and an indicator of urban health, and the publication of several books and papers on the same topic (i.e. https://www.apostoloskyriazis.com/latest-news/new-book-abu-dhabi-public-spaces ), I am happy and proud for being chosen to participate at a related work group of the International Union of Architects (UIA), the Informal Settlements Work Programme (WPIS), as a member for Region 2 (Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Western Balkan Countries - Members of BAF) for three years.

I am so happy to represent both Greece (as my country) and the UAE (as my current home and post as an Associate Professor of Architecture and Urbanism in Abu Dhabi University) on this extremely important work group. This also reflects to our work at the Department of Architecture and Design at Abu Dhabi University, as we are constant agents of contextual architecture/urbanism and social sustainability.

Cities are in constant flux (as Alejandro Aravena mentioned at the 2016 Venice Biennale of Architecture) and cities in both the Balcans and the Middle East are no exception for various reasons. I humbly promise that I will attempt to follow the existing work and build on it.

For more info: https://www.uia-architectes.org/en/workprogram/informal-settlements/