VARES invites architects and spatial practitioners living, studying, or working in the Nordic and Baltic countries to participate in a winter school on the theme of darkness, taking place in Valga, Estonia, 4–8 December 2024.
As the long, dark nights increasingly replace the bright stretched-out days, it’s a good time to ponder regional characteristics as well as historical and contemporary responses to darkness.
This year’s winter school consists of a workshop, lecture, discussions, and experiments with daily life, all gathered under a cozy blanket of darkness. The workshop will explore the conditions of darkness and light in a personal space close to the body, resulting with spaces that balance between a house, furniture and a costume.
The winter school is organised by VARES, Valga’s architecture residency. The workshop will be led by Pablo Encinas Alonso, an architect, spatial and performance artist living in Gothenburg. The lecture will be given by Eik Hermann, an Estonian philosopher, lecturer, and editor of the magazine Ehituskunst. The next issue of Ehituskunst will be dedicated to the darkish conditions of the local winters and architecture’s relationship to them.
The winter school is supported by Nordplus Horizontal, Nordic Culture Point and the Estonian Ministry of Culture. VARES is a part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu2024 main programme.
The 10 participants for the winter school will be selected from among the applicants by VARES curators (Ulla Alla, Merilin Kaup, Mari Möldre, Margus Tammik). Participation in the winter school is free for selected participants, and VARES will provide shared accommodation, meals, and travel support.
