Intro .. Home .. Contact .. Join .. Donate .. Newsletter .. Facebook

The urban realm is the public realm.

Urban space is public space.

Public spaces consists of the spaces (streets, squares, alleys) between buildings that are accessible to all. The freedom of access that we all have to public spaces is what enables them to perform a very special and important role in our lives.

As public urban spaces are formed by the space between and around collections of individual buildings, the separate design of each of those buildings is important to the overall quality of the space. If we think of urban spaces, large or small, they are what they are by virtue of the assemblage of buildings that make them up. As examples, we may for instance think of, in grand fashion, Trafalgar Square in Lonodn, England, or, in more intimate form, of a favourite street or market square near where we live.

Belief in the importance of public space is central to traditional architecture. Traditional buildings respect their context and their neighbouring buildings so that they can contribute to the urban environment in general.

But public space comes to mean more than just attractive, functional space where we can enjoy ourselves or work and trade. It comes to represent in physical form our sense of community and society. The development of good urban space is not just an architectural programme. It is also a societal programme. This wider meaning of public spaces is often heightened by the incorporation of monuments or monumental buildings within them.

Public space in the latter half of the twentieth century often became neglected and the emphasis shifted to the proclamation of private space in the urban arena. Buildings were designed more as individualistic statements sometimes deliberately denying the need for any role in the public space. The result was in many cases a disruption of the urban fabric and a degrading of much loved urban places.

But of recent years, a “New Urbanism” movement has grown up in America and Europe that seeks to re-establish the primacy of public urban space. It also seeks to robustly face up to the many problems of the modern city, such as its overcrowding, relentless expansion and transport difficulties.

Good urbanism is a vital ingredient of modern living and modern society.

Only traditional architecture is wholly committed to the development of the urban realm and understands the principles that are necessary to carry this development through successfully.

Order the regular CIAT Newsletter here

This is not the Magazine

A main activity of CIAT is to hold congresses which
will be annual.

The purposes of the congresses are to -

• Create publicity in the world at large for CIAT, its principles and new traditional architecture being built now and having been built over the last 10 or 20 years
  
• Publicise the work of CIAT professional Members to the world at large. ... read more

As well as the holding of Congresses the second principle activity shall be the production of a magazine on traditional architecture featuring work of its professional Members.
The magazine shall be produced in a fine quality, full colour, hard copy only with no internet publication of it – except for certain excerpts ... read more

Here is a mockup. All contents and quality are indicative only.

CIAT shall use its resources to campaign for commissions, especially major public and commercial ones, to go to traditional architectural practices which are Founder Members and Practice Members of CIAT. ... read more

CIAT shall seek by all means possible to provide publicity for its architectural Practice Members.
As well as the congresses and the magazine these shall be promoted on the website with each Member having a listing with links to their website plus information and illustrations on the CIAT website.
The international reach of CIATwill enable Members to gain international recognition and foreign commissions.
... read more

There are three main types of members - Practice Members, Individual Members and Sponsors

Practice Members will.
1. benefit from CIAT lobbying of procurors to employ traditional architectural CIAT Practice Members

2. enjoy the benefits of publicity for their practices in the CIAT Magazine, on the website and at Congresses

Individual Members shall receive the Journal, Newsletters and have preferential rates for Congresses.
... read more

Sponsors shall enjoy the benefits of publicity for their companies in the CIAT Magazine, on the website and at Congresses

... read more

CIAT shall be a non-profit making organisation registered as a single organisation in a single country.
CIAT shall be administered by the Congress Board. The Board shall consist of Members elected for a predetermined term. The elections shall be held at Annual General Meetings which shall be held during the annual congresses.
... read more

Until the advent of Modernist architecture in the early twentieth century there was no traditional architecture because all architecture was traditional. 

Every building was designed by an architect who worked out of the long tradition of architecture that extends back to the dawn of civilisation. ... read more

An annual system of awards for new traditional architecture in a number of categories shall be instigated
It shall be recognised that not only complete buildings but individual elements of buildings should be recognised provided that the building to which they belong is traditional and of some merit. This shall honour the work of artist, craftspersons, subcontractors and suppliers as essential and worthy contributors to the public and private environment.
... read more

DE.

CIAT has already a prominent presense on Facebook, as a ready made resource. This is its page curently entitled Traditional Architecture World. 

It is administered by CIAT Founder, Peter Kellow who edits all the content. Traditional Architecture World has over 5000 subscribers from all over the world which increase by about 40 every week.

When the CIAT site goes public the Facebook page will change its name to Traditional Architecture International Congress and so give CIAT a ready made Facebook presense with a large following. ... read more

.