co+labo Radović @ Keio University

co+labo radović       co+labo in Rome - Biennale Spazio Publico 2015 and MaPS@MAXXI     

In late May, co+labo took part in two exciting events in Rome – BiennaleSpazio Publico, which was hosted by Universita Roma Tre, and an International Symposium and Exhibition MaPS@MAXXI, held at the Museum of Art of XXI Century. Keio University was represented by Darko Radović and Davisi Boontharm (Keio and Sophia University), co+labo research students Wakataro Ueno and Sotaro Miyatake, and Sunao Yamaguchi from Mitsukura Laboratory (with which, since Measuring the non-Measurable research project 2011-14, co+labo collaborates on development of ways to better understand complex relationships between the quality of urban and architectural space and human emotions).

At Biennale, Darko and Davisi contributed to lively discussions within the session Public Space, Places and Practices of Everyday Life - Conversazioni sullo spazio pubblico, while the team of students was exploring the performance of EEG (electro-encephalograph developed in Mitsukura Laboratory) in detecting emotional responses to both real and variously represented (in Biennale exhibitions) urban and architectural spaces.

At MAXXI, co+labo contributed to the Symposium with the paper entitled “On quality of public (or, not-so-public) spaces in Tokyo - making, living and exploring Kuhonbutsugawa Ryokudô” and two posters – “public, not-so-public, livable, lovable spaces and other peculiarities of Tokyo”. co+labo posters were part of the MaPS@MAXXI exhibition, which was curated by Luisa Bravo (Italy) and Manfredo Manfredini (New Zealand). The exhibition included presentations of the cities of Athens, Auckland, Bangkok, Brisbane, Buenos Aires, Byblos, Changsha, Genova, Hong Kong, Jerusalem, Mostar, Moutallos, Nicosia and – Tokyo. Those exhibition provided physical setting for an exciting MaPS@MAXXI Symposium. co+labo radović and Mitsukura Lab students have also used the exhibition to further advance our understanding of various opportunities and constraints for using EEG for assessment of graphically represented quality of architectural and urban space. Inputs from the experiments from both Biennale and MaPS@MAXXI will help Radović and Mitsukura Laboratories in further joint research. 

La Biennale and MaPS provided the participants with opportunities to learn about the best and the latest in production and thinking about public space and facilitated development of new contacts and academic friendships, and co+labo radović stays open to further initiatives by City, Space, Architecture – an enthusiastic organisation whom we have first met at their excellent Past Present and Future of Public Space Conference in Bologna 2014.