“广场！正向收缩”展览

爱沙尼亚建筑中心将在第17届爱沙尼亚馆举办由Jiří Tintěra、Garri Raagmaa、Kalle Vellevoog、Martin Pedanik和Paulina Pähn策划的展览 "Square! Positively shrinking "，将在第17届威尼斯国际建筑展（2021年5月22日-11月21日）的爱沙尼亚馆中展出，该展览将在阿森纳建筑群中举办。展览探讨了高质量的城市空间在提升那些面临人口减少危险的小城镇未来发展中的作用，引发了一场关于城市化的讨论。

The Estonian Centre for Architecture will present the exhibition “Square! Positively shrinking” www.positivelyshrinking.ee curated by Jiří Tintěra, Garri Raagmaa, Kalle Vellevoog, Martin Pedanik and Paulina Pähn in the Pavilion of Estonia at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (May 22nd - November 21st, 2021), which will be hosted in the Arsenale complex. Exploring the role of high-quality urban space in enhancing the future development of small towns that are in jeopardy of depopulation, the exhibition sparks a debate on the lesser known facet of urbanisation.

"人口减少的原因是全球性的，但后果却是局部的。应对这一现象的方法之一是注重提高民众的生活质量，加强地方意识和认同感。我们传递的信息是，优质的城市空间在其中发挥着关键作用，而城市和建筑师可以做很多事情"，爱沙尼亚的策展团队说。

“The causes of population decline are global, but the consequences are local. One way to combat this phenomenon is to focus on improving the quality of life of the population and strengthening local awareness and identity. Our message is that quality urban space has a key role to play in this and cities and architects can do a lot”, asserts the Estonian team of curators.

城市萎缩的现象在整个欧洲都很普遍，这也是1989/1991年转型期间根本性变化的结果，后社会主义东欧受到了强烈的影响。城市化和郊区化进程对当地社区的影响往往比国家层面的外迁或低出生率影响更大，因此，自2000年以来，爱沙尼亚47个城镇中有45个城镇人口保持了负增长。

The phenomenon of shrinking cities is widespread throughout Europe and as a consequence of fundamental changes during the transition in 1989/1991, post-socialist Eastern Europe is strongly affected. The influence of urbanisation and suburbanisation processes on local communities often has a greater impact than out-migration or low birth-rates at national level. As a result, 45 in 47 Estonian towns have lost a significant percentage of their population since 2000.

城市萎缩最明显的后果是导致了大量的建筑与土地空置，其原因主要是住宅质量低下以及投资环境不足，这对居民产生了负面影响，形成了恶性循环。 在质疑去城市化对社会、经济和环境影响的同时，项目展示了通过建筑拆除、积极的住房政策、历史建筑修复和城市空间活化来塑造萎缩城市新身份的解决方案。

The most visible symptoms of shrinkage in urban space are building vacancies and brownfields, the predominantly low quality of residential premises, unsightly dilapidated buildings and an underinvested environment, which negatively impact residents and amplifies the vicious circle of decline. While questioning the social, economic and environmental implications of de-urbanisation, “Square! Positively shrinking” showcases solutions to shape the renewed identity of shrinking cities via building demolitions, active housing policies, historic building restoration and urban space revitalisation.

展览以视频放映为中心，集中展示了在爱沙尼亚100建筑计划框架内组织的 "大公共空间"（Hea avalik ruum），这是城市空间在萎缩的城市中进行干预的一个显著例子。该计划是在爱沙尼亚100周年之际提出的，目的是在2020年之前对爱沙尼亚15个城镇的中心和公共空间进行再生。Tõrva、Põlva、Valga和Rapla的市中心广场已于2018年完成，Võru和Kuressaare的更多广场于2019年再生，Elva和Rakvere的其他广场于2020年完成。 

The exhibition, in which video screenings play a central role, focuses on “Great Public Spaces” (Hea avalik ruum), organised within the framework of the Estonia 100 Architecture Programme, a remarkable example of urban space intervention in shrinking cities. Conceived on the occasion of the country’s 100th anniversary, the initiative aimed to regenerate the centres and public spaces of 15 Estonian towns by 2020. Town centre squares in Tõrva, Põlva, Valga and Rapla were completed in 2018, further squares were regenerated in Võru and Kuressaare in 2019, and others in Elva and Rakvere were completed in 2020. 

2021年建筑双年展由黎巴嫩建筑师哈希姆萨基斯策划，主题为 "我们将如何共同生活？"，鼓励策展人考虑建筑如何应对需要协调行动的全球挑战。在这个意义上，爱沙尼亚的展览响应了萨基斯对展馆的呼吁。"无论我们将在哪里、如何共同生活，对良好生活环境的需求都在增长。项目有助于提高人们对建筑师在捍卫我们共同生活环境质量方面的重要作用和责任的认识。"策展人解释道。

The Biennale Architettura 2021 is curated by Lebanese architect Hashim Sarkis under the theme “How Will We Live Together?”, and encourages curators to consider how architecture can address global challenges that require coordinated action. In this sense, the Estonian exhibition responds to Sarkis’ call for pavilions: "The demand for a good living environment is growing, no matter where and how we will live together. The project "Square! Positively shrinking" helps to raise awareness of the architect's important role and responsibility in defending the quality of our common living environment” explain the curators.

随着COVID-19的大流行彻底改变了我们的生活，这场辩论变得更加迫切。"当我们失去某样东西时，它的真正价值就会显现出来"，爱沙尼亚馆馆长劳尔-雅尔格补充道，"今天的情况已经生动地证明了人类对面对面交流的需求，也证明了这种交流可能发生的空间质量。"

As the COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed our lives, the debate becomes even more urgent: “The real value of something becomes apparent when we lose it” adds Raul Järg, Commissioner of the Estonian Pavilion “today's circumstances have vividly demonstrated the human need for face-to-face interaction, and also the quality of space where this interaction could happen.”

Exhibition: “Square! Positively shrinking”

Location: Arsenale — La Biennale di Venezia

Address: Sestiere Castello, Campo della Tana 2169/F

Curators: Jiří Tintěra, Garri Raagmaa, Kalle Vellevoog, Martin Pedanik, Paulina Pähn

Commissioner: Raul Järg (Estonian Centre for Architecture)

Production: Eve Arpo, Maria Kristiin Peterson (Estonian Centre for Architecture)

Exhibitors: Mari Rass, Ott Alver, Alvin Järving, Kaidi Põder (Tõrva main square project), Helen Rebane, Egon Metusala, Kaie Kuldkepp, Liis Uustal, Vilve Enno (Põlva main square project), Gianfranco Franchi, Chiara Tesi, Rea Sepping (Valga main square project); Siiri Vallner, Indrek Peil (Rapla main square project), Villem Tomiste (Võru main square project); Häli-Ann Tooms, Mari-Liis Männik (Kuressaare main square and street project); Ülle Maiste, Diana Taalfeld, Anne Saarniit, Roomet Helbre, Taavi Kuningas (Elva main square and street project); Risto Parve, Kai Süda (Rakvere main street project), Liisa Hirsch, Patrick Tubin McGinley (music, sound); Anna Hints, Joosep Matjus, Ants Tammik, Tushar Prakash, Urmas Reisberg, Kairid Laks (film)

Photo Credit: Tõnu Tunnel,Tiit Veermäe, Siim Solman, Anna Hints