UIA

Turin, 5^th July 2008

Giancarlo Ius, Vice-President of the UIA (International Union of Architects) since 2005, died last night after suffering a heart attack in his room at the hotel Le Meridien - Lingotto in Turin where he was staying.

Giancarlo Ius was a candidate for the presidency of the UIA, a position assigned at the end of the XXIII edition of the World Congress of Architecture which has just drawn to a close in Turin.

This morning, members of the assembly which has brought together representatives of architects from around the world, united in paying their respects to his wife Caterina, who gave a moving address reading the speech that Giancarlo Ius was to have given to the assembly.

"Good morning dear friends,
architects coming from all over the world, it is with pleasure that I am here today. On behalf of the Italian architects, who had the honour of organizing this event,  and myself, I thank you all for your convinced participation. The issues that were discussed and decided during the congress and in the final manifesto that was presented on Thursday represent an epochal turning point for a renewed commitment of architects in a global society. It is the victory of a widespread quality architecture that takes care of mankind's needs, with a vision of the future based on solidarity and sustainability while respecting the cultural and geographic differences. We have to "make peace with nature". My candidacy as President of UIA is exactly the expression of this renewed commitment. Even if I belong to the values of Italian culture (but also Mediterranean and mitteleuropean), I have always showed my wish to promote the general interests of UIA: I have worked on issues such as CPD, Validation, Communication and Competitions,  and promoted the sectors of education and  professional practice. I have supported the promotion of various activities for the development of the improvement in urban and rural landscape on a global level. I am ready to support the high objectives we have set. I pick up the challenge to build up the UIA of the future with you, and if you will support me, I commit myself, because I truly think we can:
1.    give continuity to the work we have done so far, high on the history of UIA, by reinforcing the coordination between the international organizations of architects, and especially by strengthening the role of the sections and harmonizing the regional organizations (CAE, ARCASIA, UAA, FPAA, ACCEE, CAA) with  the new political and cultural needs, to overcome the barriers that separate us, bearing in mind the clear commitment  to "have no fear in using culture and solidarity to open the political barriers among the people!";
2.    improve work conditions of architects in all the world, to have more and more quality in architecture. This is part of a positive vision of the universe, where "Beautiful" is a synonym of "Good". The target is to modify the territory so as to have quality in life and "safety and happiness for people".
3.    consolidate the structure of UIA on an international level as a GLOBAL network that is devoted to the profession of architects, and reinforce the presence and the connections of UIA with the international organizations and with the other non governmental bodies, promoting  a widespread importance of the centrality of the figure of the architect and of their work, above all the modification of the environment from a natural to an artificial one (built);
4.    Promote communication. The aim is to raise awareness on the figure of the architect and his/her job more and more, because architecture is for everyone. Thanks to our colleagues from Singapore who have decided to help us with their powerful means in this action.
5.    develop the culture of architecture as a way to improve the environment, preserving it in the interest of mankind and for those to come, by means of an action of Urban Democracy where "the ethic of many must take the place of the aesthetics of few";
6.    sustain the respect for cultural, social and geographic  diversities, working for the well being of all the men and women of the world in a new global humanism to be architects and provide quality architecture for the future of our children.
7.    in collaboration with science, politics and economics, promote a better use of intelligent energies and of those that come from renewable energy sources, with a non ideological or interested vision, aware that all this does have its consequences;
8.    promote good professional practice according to ethical principles and respecting human rights;
9.    defend the intellectual property of our work against the attacks of global unscrupulous speculators ;
10. approach students, so that  they will be architects that are aware of the future, propellers of knowledge and the first force for a sustainable development of mankind in the third millennium, by helping them to get organized, and express themselves by means of work experiences and qualified training ;
11. aware that the third millennium will be the era of  the knowledgeable workers, develop innovation by promoting:
- competitions and international awards in architecture where architects and clients become the main characters of a sustainable development;
- Continuing professional development by reinforcing what we are already doing with the help of our Spanish friends. We thank you and we hope that others will join in.
From knowledge to innovation
12. allow free circulation of architects, starting from mobility and finishing with internationalization of the profession, so that academic and professional titles will be accepted worldwide, harmonizing the rules that have been fixed in the UIA/UNESCO agreement on the validation/acrediting of the schools of architecture. With regard to this, I would like to thank our English colleagues who have decided to help us by improving the criteria of application of the international standards based on fair criteria that take quality into account  first of all.
From mobility to internationalization
Solidarity allows everyone to satisfy their primary needs: health, food, peace and safety, suitable houses in pleasant and comfortable towns: let's preserve monuments, "trade in" our suburbs and build towns that draw hope. Let's build a new world together!
As President of IUA,  I mean to take part in the renovation process that ideally starts today from the "Piazza/Square" of Turin to reach the cultural specificity of Tokyo.
From "Piazza/Square to Oriental Style"
From "Italian Art to Japanese Culture"
from modernity to  internationalization, to  eco-mega cities where culture and economy develop and merge respecting the environment, going beyond the deep religious and political barriers.
We are working for the wellbeing of all the men and women of the world in a modern global humanism to be architects and provide quality architecture for the future of our children.
I wish all of you keep up the good work, so that after Torino, also Tokyo will be a great success!


Giancarlo Ius was born in Zoppola (province of Pordenone, Italy) in 1953. In addition to his many undertakings and commitments in professional institutions, he stood out for his role as architect and planner, with a well-known practice in Pordenone. He is remembered, among his many professional activities, for his commitment to salvaging and restoring buildings damaged in the 1980 earthquake in the Irpinia region of Italy. In addition to his position as Vice-President of the UIA, he currently held the position of Head of the Italian Delegation to the ACE (Architects' Council of Europe).

The members of  Consiglio Nazionale Architetti PPC and of the UIA, and the architects from around the world assembled in Turin for the XXIII World Congress of Architecture mourn the passing away of Giancarlo Ius, and his example of ethical and civil commitment to architecture.