Workshop on Leisurescapes
Landscapes of Leisure: Architectural Histories of Tourism and Development
The Mesarch Lab of the Department of Architecture of the University of Cyprus organizes the workshop “Landscapes of Leisure: Architectural Histories of Tourism and Development, on June 5, 2018. Presentations and discussions will take place at the «Peace Room» (62 Ledras street – Nicosia) from 12:30pm to18:45pm according to the program below and are open to the public.
Tourism has been intricately tied to international development agendas since the Cold War, and just like the themes of housing, environment, and peace, tourism has been at the root of decolonization, modernization and development strategies crossing the industrial and non-industrial worlds. This workshop aims to offer timely and crucial insights into the potentials and perils of tourism politics, by revisiting their histories and their impact on the built environment from the 1950s until today. The workshop aims to situate the architectural and urban history of tourist landscapes within the discourses of modernity, nation building, urbanization and decolonization; focusing on the way these landscapes have been intertwined with social, political, ethnic, and environmental challenges. By reflecting on the intertwinement of tourist landscapes with multiple types of politics the workshop ultimately aspires to introduce critical perspectives to the past and present discourses of development. The presentations will discuss the above-mentioned topics through case studies of landscapes of leisure in Cyprus and internationally.
Speakers
Sibel Bozdoǧan, Boston University | Jiat-Hwee Chang, National University of Singapore | Meltem Gürel, Bilkent University | Juliana Maxim, University of San Diego | Panayiota Pyla, University of Cyprus | Socrates Stratis, University of Cyprus | Maria Hadjimichael, University of Cyprus | Petros Phokaides, National Technical University of Athens | Georgia Daskalaki, University of Cyprus | Dimitris Venizelos, University of Cyprus.
Tuesday – June 5, 2018
09:00 - 11:00
Walk/visit Nicosia city center, Saray and Ledra Palace hotel
12:30 - 12:50 Introduction to the workshop + exhibition
Panayiota Pyla and Petros Phokaides, Is tourism a passport to development and peace? think twice
12:50 - 14:30 Session 1: Landscapes of tourismModerator: Petros Phokaides
Juliana Maxim, Romanian Black Sea resorts in the 1950s and 1960sGeorgia Daskalaki, ‘Aphrodite’s realm’: representations of tourist landscapes as symbols of modernizationDimitris Venizelos, Modernizing the Golden Coast: the United Nations agenda in CyprusMeltem Gürel, Modernizing Florya Coast as a leisure and tourism landscape in the 1950s
14:45 - 16:05 Session 2: Cyprus leisure-scapes: Contested pasts/futuresModerator: Socrates Stratis
Dimitris Venizelos, The constructed and the unspoiled: tourist development in Cyprus through photographic archivesPetros Phokaides, The historiography of leisure and conflict: the Famagusta modern coastlineMaria Hadjimichael, The stealing of the seashore as a second wave of the enclosure movement: examples from CyprusSocrates Stratis, Countermapping the Cypriot coastline
16:30 – 17:50 Session 3: The (geo)politics of leisureModerator: Panayiota Pyla
Sibel Bozdoǧan, Geopolitics, mobility and hospitality: landscapes of tourism in postwar TurkeyPanayiota Pyla, A “clean” industry for Cyprus: the politics and economics of leisure and developmentJiat-Hwee Chang, The dark recesses of the Bali style: architecture, cultural tourism and violent conflicts
18:00 – 18.45 Roundtable discussion
Image caption:
Amathus Hotel, The Architects Collaborative International Inc. (TAC), in collaboration with Fotis Kolakidis, Limassol, 1971-1973.Source: Κολακίδης και Συνεργάτες, ψηφιοποίηση από Mesarch Lab, UCy, 2012
This workshop program, especially with sessions running from 12:30pm to almost 7pm, looks quite intensive and packed with information. During those shorter breaks between sessions, or even just to clear your head, a quick mental diversion can be nice. I often enjoy playing MeowdoKu Game Online to recharge before diving back into deep discussions.
The image caption mentioning the Amathus Hotel from 1971-1973 is a perfect example of how historical architectural visuals ground these discussions. As they explore new perspectives on 'leisurescapes,' I wonder how tools like a Zeva AI Image Generator could be used to conceptualize or visualize future development ideas discussed in the roundtable.
I appreciate that the workshop includes a practical element like the 'Walk/visit Nicosia city center' before the main sessions. For extended periods of walking or standing, I sometimes wear a knee brace support just for a bit of extra stability throughout the day. It's a small thing that can make a difference during a long event schedule.
It's great they're including a 'Walk/visit Nicosia city center' as part of the workshop program, offering a real-world context to the discussions. For anyone taking photos on their phone during the walk, especially if they end up as HEIC files, you might want to check out Heic to MP4 for easy conversion when you want to share them or include them in presentations.
The focus on 'Landscapes of Leisure: Architectural Histories of Tourism and Development' is fascinating, especially how it ties into decolonization and modernization strategies. For anyone who's captured their insights in Markdown during the event, whether from the discussions on Cyprus or international case studies, you might find a Markdown Converter For Free useful for sharing your notes with colleagues or for publications.