Urban Landscapes in Tension: Between Memory and Modernity
OPEN CALL FOR 10 HUNGARIAN STUDENTS | ERASMUS+ BIP WORKSHOP | ATHENS & VOLOS | APPLY BY 10 MAY 2026 | Application form
Objectives and Description
Many cities around the world are confronted with a critical question: on the one hand, they strive to safeguard their historical heritage; on the other, they must manage the pressures generated by ongoing urbanization. This dual challenge often gives rise to conflicts, both social and spatial in nature.
Such tensions are manifested, for instance, in the clash between the demands of tourism and the needs of local populations, as well as in the friction between nationally constructed identities and the pressures exerted by the globalized economy.
On this basis, the workshop is structured around three main objectives:
- To examine the evolution of the historical urban landscape, as well as the tensions it entails, through case studies of a major city (Athens) and a smaller urban center (Volos) in Greece
- To compare these two cases in terms of scale, as well as their national and local significance
- To discuss parallel case studies situated in diverse cultural contexts, including China, Morocco, and Europe
Methods and Outcomes
The workshop will consist of a series of academic lectures delivered by invited scholars, educational visits to archaeological sites, and student-centered workshops. The program will also involve the active participation of local institutions and museums, fostering collaboration between academic and cultural stakeholders.
The workshop aims to:
- Raise awareness of the tensions between the preservation of historical heritage and the pressures of urban development
- Collect and analyze case studies, and identify and disseminate examples of good practice
- Produce a final publication (both print and digital), including scholarly contributions, documentation of the workshop activities, and the outcomes of student work
Practical Information
Physical period: 29 June 2026 – 4 July 2026
Locations: Athens (29–30 June, 1 July) | Volos (2–4 July)
Organizing HEIs
- University of Thessaly (Greece)
- National Technical University of Athens (Greece)
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary)
- Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Germany) (to be confirmed)
- École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Val de Seine (France) (to be confirmed)
Visiting HEIs
- Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (China)
- Euromed University, Department of Architecture (Morocco)
UFLab Tutors
Olívia Kurucz DLA / Botond Dobos DLA