2024 LINA Conference: Community-Led Architecture

Featuring 25 LINA fellows, Léopold Lambert, Meriem Chabani, Irhana Šehović and Dunja Krvavac, this year's LINA Conference will take place in Sarajevo. Taking the lead from this resilient city, LINA will look for ways communities can create change.

LINA is an alliance of architectural organisations that promotes up-and-coming talent. Its members and fellows co-create a year-round Architecture Programme, hosted in 25 countries around Europe and the Mediterranean. This conference is the start of over 80 collaborations set to take place this year.

United around shared values and goals, cities all over the world have flourished when communities, rather than governments or corporations, have taken the lead in developing the city. The 2024 LINA Conference: Community-Led Architecture highlights the importance of the role of communities in the development of the city and their contribution to the promotion of architectural innovation.

It is no coincidence that we are addressing this issue in Sarajevo, a city known for its resilience and inclusiveness. Unlike most European cities, where systematic urban development is carried out with government support and control, Sarajevo's growth has been driven by the empathy and mutual support of its people. Throughout history, and even today, neighbours and friends have proven to be far more reliable than governments. Bosnia is a true bottom-up place with important lessons about resilience and sustainability, and Sarajevo stands out as a great example of a city built on empathy and collective spirit.

These communities have proved crucial to the survival of the city, even as they have been the target of violence and oppression. As key guardians of cities, communities around the world continue to be targeted by violence, leaving devastation in their wake. While it may take years to rebuild physical structures, it takes decades of effort and compassion to rebuild shattered communities.

The power of community is underlined by Sarajevo's rich history, including its Olympic legacy, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The city continues to inspire with its architectural achievements based on the spirit of community. The LINA 2024 Conference will look at these projects not only as architectural achievements, but also as the heritage of the community. At the same time, we want to reveal their fragility, vulnerability and long-term processes of renewal that go beyond physical reconstruction.

The conference will bring together 34 member organisations and 25 LINA fellows, as well as local and international speakers.

The event is produced by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ljubljana in collaboration with LIFT / Days of Architecture. LINA is co-financed by the European Union.