We know that it is time for a radical energy transition, by simply looking at the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN and the Climate Agreement made at COP21 in Paris. However, putting these ambitious objectives into practice, is not easy. What can we learn from the recent research by design trajectories on energy transition? How can the energy transition be linked to societal challenges? What other types of land use are conceivable? What alternative energy coalitions are possible and feasible?

Keynote: Dirk Sijmons (curator IABR–2014).
Debate with Leo Van Broeck (Vlaams Bouwmeester), Peter Vanden Abeele (MAAT-ontwerpers, involved in IABR–Atelier Groningen) and Dirk Vansintjan (Ecopower/Rescoop). The debate will be moderated by Joachim Declerck (AWB). More information on the program can be found here.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 8
Time: 19.00 - 21.00
Location: Atelier Flemish Government Architect, Ravensteingalerij 54-59, Brussels
Language: Dutch
Admission: free. Registration via this link.

Designing the Future sessions
This debate is part of the debates program Designing the Future and is organized by AWB and IABR, with the Flemish Government Architect, the Flemish Association for Spatial Planning and the Brussels Government Architect.

Various global and local challenges present themselves increasingly as complex spatial issues: energy transition, the socialization of health care, sustainable mobility, and others. This has resulted in a renewed belief in the potential of design based on the assumption that it can help us realize the future that we want. At this point in time, there is a need to merge the knowledge, insights and experiences that have been produced. What are the lessons learned? And more importantly, what are the next steps? How can we translate intentions into practice? How and with whom do we start? The Designing the Future sessions are devoted to the development of a shared agenda for designing a better future.