Lina Stergiou (ed.), Against All Odds project: Ethics/Aesthetics (Athens: Benaki Museum and Papasotiriou, 2011), English/Greek, 432 pages

Abstract

Aiming at expanding architecture’s role within society through reshaping its social and ecological contributions to the cityscape and its social fabric, the two-year interdisciplinary project AAO: Ethics/Aesthetics includes urban and performance actions, conferences, experimental academic workshops and exhibitions. The book documents some of the above. First, the relation between Ethics and Aesthetics today, from the standpoint of architects, cultural theorists, art historians, academics and intellectuals as presented in an interdisciplinary international conference at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Second, examples of collaborative, social and ecological projects of architecture, design and art that become the material of an exhibition at the Benaki Museum. Third, the results of academic workshops with urban and social stakes that are organized in collaboration with Universities from New York, Paris and Athens. Some of them become part of the pilot project-urban actions ‘Athens Here and Now,’ with interactive and video artworks in the historical center of Athens, and exhibited at the Benaki Museum. Finally, the book includes urban and performance actions tackling different aspects of Ethics/Aesthetics. All of the above debates, exhibitions and experiments have as main focus the realization of works with direct eco-social impact. Through presentations and discussion platforms on the current social and ecological problems of the local scale, it initiates diverse alternative actions. AAO is organized by the non-profit organization 4Life Strategies; its concept and director is architect L. Stergiou who also edited the book; its network of collaborations and contributions appear in the first pages of the book.