In current times of strife, whether it be from climate change, the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, or the scarcity of resources in some areas of the world, discontent and discouragement grips people’s hearts, especially towards the future of humanity. Discouragement, however, can be a driving force for positive change, and optimism, for it is through struggle and conflict does humanity evolve. Ours is a species of continual struggle, and the ability to overcome struggles is an innately human capability.

To strive towards excellence, one needs an ideal, an exemplar to glean inspiration from, that guides the way forward. In chase of Utopia, we only need to look to history and be inspired. Our ancestors not too long ago manifested their utopian visions in sacred architectural marvels, that stand prestigious and everlasting throughout the generations. An intricate dance of visuals, construction, and even spirituality through acoustics & sound design, instills an inspirational emotion through anyone stepping foot into these historical wonders. It becomes instantly apparent that our ancestors were reaching for the heavens in creating these historical monuments, in their attempts to create a perfect utopia.

IEREK is organizing the 3rd international conference on “Utopian and Sacred Architecture Studies” in collaboration with the University of Pisa, Italy, a city that is well-known for its historically impressive architectural identity. The utopian elements within the city’s buildings shine through and enlighten all those who gaze upon them. Exemplars of sacred architecture such as the Pisa Cathedral, which features Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine, and Islamic architectural styles, and the wondrously gothic Camposanto Monumentale, stand tall through the passage of time, inspiring modern architects and attracting tourists from around the globe.

This conference's main aim is to explore the theories and practices stimulated over the last five centuries in a wide range of areas of thought, historiography, political sciences, social sciences, literary and art studies, social activism, and visualization of possible worlds. Join us, and attain the optimal opportunity to address the disputations that surround Utopia and its successors from its origin to our present age, and explore the impact of the utopian religious, and cultural ideals.

Scope

The 3^rd edition of the “Utopian and Sacred Architecture Studies (USAS)” conference enables academic discourse regarding sacred historical monuments and their effects on societies and cities. Utopian monuments are extensively deliberated upon, concerning their origin, architectural styles, inspirational effects, and artistic expressions. Furthermore, USAS covers sustainable practice implementation techniques for utopian monuments, seeking to shed the spotlight on contemporary conservation & restoration efforts, for both utopian architectural constructs, and the cultural aspects they inspire. 

Statement of Purpose

The history of humanity is filled with aspiration. Our ancestors reached for the heavens in their constructions, creating heavenly architectural marvels that stand the test of time to this day.  USAS’ primary goal is the implementation of sustainable practices in and around utopian architecture, and sacred cultural & societal norms. The conference aims to highlight the importance of utopian architecture in terms of societal influence and religiosity, architectural inspiration, and vivid artistic expression. Furthermore, USAS looks to promote sustainable practices in utopian architecture, encouraging restoration, conservation, and preservation efforts, prolonging the lifespan of utopian monuments.

• 1. Historical Marvels and Utopian Architecture

  1.1. Historical Examples of Utopian Architecture
  1.2. The Role of Utopian Architecture in Social and Political Movements
  1.3. Design Principles and Features of Utopian Architecture
  1.4. Critiques And Limitations of Utopian Architecture
  1.5. Future Possibilities for Utopian Architecture

• 2. Sacred Architecture and Religious Contexts in Construction

  2.1. Religious And Spiritual Significance of Sacred Architecture
  2.2. Historical And Cultural Context of Sacred Architecture
  2.3. Architectural Elements and Symbolism in Sacred Spaces
  2.4. Interactions Between Sacred Architecture and Society
  2.5. Contemporary Approaches to Sacred Architecture

• 3. Cities’ Communities and Collective Living

  3.1. Communal And Co-Housing Arrangements
  3.2. Architectural Design for Collective Living
  3.3. Social And Psychological Impacts of Collective Living
  3.4. Sustainability And Environmental Considerations in Community Living
  3.5. Challenges And Successes of Collective Living

• 4. Sustainable Development and Sacred Architecture

  4.1. The Role of Sacred Architecture in Promoting Sustainable Development
  4.2. Examples Of Sustainable Development Initiatives in Sacred Spaces
  4.3. The Integration of Environmental Considerations into Sacred Architecture
  4.4. The Potential for Sacred Architecture to Serve as A Model for Sustainable Development
  4.5. The Ethical and Spiritual Implications of Sustainable Development in Sacred Spaces

• 5. Visionary, Alternative, and Experimental Architecture

  5.1. Futuristic And Visionary Architectural Designs
  5.2. Experimental And Unconventional Building Materials and Techniques
  5.3. The Relationship Between Architecture and Technology
  5.4. Critiques And Limitations of Experimental Architecture
  5.5. Potential Impacts and Implications of Visionary Architecture

• 6. Architecture and Spirituality

  6.1. The Role of Architecture in Spiritual Practices and Experiences
  6.2. The Intersection of Architecture and Religion
  6.3. The Influence of Spirituality on Architectural Design
  6.4. The Spiritual Significance of Specific Architectural Spaces and Structures
  6.5. Critiques and Limitations of The Integration of Utopian Philosophy and Sacred Architecture
  6.6. The Role of Architecture in Promoting Spiritual Well-Being and Connection to The Divine.

IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, based on the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.

Authors must refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Step 1: Abstract Submission Process

• The author should prepare and submit an Abstract of at least 150 – 300 words through the website.
• The abstract should be concise and clearly state the proposed research study's purpose, results, and conclusions.
• The author should select the most relevant topic for the paper from the corresponding conference topics.
• The author can use/download an Abstract Writing Template prior to submission
• To submit your abstract, you first need to (1) click on the “Register” button on the conference page, (2) click on “Submit Now” and:
  • Select the Topic in which you are making the submission
  • Insert the title of your study in the "Paper Title" section
  • Insert the full abstract in the "Abstract" section/upload a file in the .pdf, .doc, .docm, or .docx format
  • Add in writing 3 – 5 keywords that define the field, subfield, topic, and research area covered by the article to help other researchers understand and find your work.
  • Provide the names, affiliations, and E-mails of all authors/ co-authors involved
  • Confirm your submission by ticking having read the instructions and “submit Abstract”

Step 2.1: Abstract Acceptance

• After acceptance of your abstract of at least (150 – 300 words), you will receive a proforma invoice and specific instructions to complete the payment online or by bank transfer (See Conference Fees) to confirm your participation,
• Once your abstract has been accepted, please refer to the important dates tab and carefully review the announced dates to avoid late payment, as late payment comes at an extra charge (early bird/regular/late).
• After successfully completing payment, you will be issued upon request with the following:
  • A signed/ stamped abstract acceptance letter
  • Please note that acceptance of participation, abstract submission, and extended abstract/short paper submissions all have different deadlines. To stay up to date and avoid paying extra fees, or delaying your paper, please carefully review the important dates tab.
  • Receipt of Payment/ Payment Invoice
  • Visa Invitation Letter, if needed
• After abstract acceptance, you may be given the option to extend the abstract to publish your work in the conference proceedings in ASTI published by Springer Nature (indexed in Scopus/SCImago) (optional not obligatory).

  This is not a prerequisite for presenting your work at the conference. Meaning, you can present your submitted abstract without intending to publish your work.

Step 2.2: Abstract Extension / Short Paper (Optional)

• Your short paper / extended abstract should be 4 – 6 pages long and submitted before the paper submission deadline, in English, and fit within one of the conference topics.
• The Extended abstract i.e., the short paper should follow the research paper structure as follows: Abstract (+keywords), Introduction, problem statement, and study aim, Review of the Literature, Methodology, results and conclusion/ discussion, References list using the Paper Writing Template.
• The submission (short paper i.e. extended abstract) should be made following the same procedure followed for the abstract or sent to the conference email.
• Here: Authors may need more pages than the allotted maximum of 6 to insert figures, tables, appendixes, etc. In this case, they can submit regular papers (max. 12 pages) with the same fixed fee. For a detailed outline of the fees, please refer to the payment table in the conference fees tab.
• The conference does welcome Arabic submissions (with abstracts written in the english language), which will only be considered for publication in BAHETH by IEREK Press.

Step 3: Rigorous Peer Review Process (double-blind)

This process can only be initiated after payment completion and confirmation:

• If submitted, the extension (short paper) will be preliminarily checked (iThenticate plagiarism/ similarity screening Software, readability, and scope) and it will be peer-reviewed. If similarity issues are detected, the following will apply:
  • % from all sources: 10-15%
  • % from one source: 3-5%
  • Higher than 30% (all sources): Reject completely
  • Lower than 30% (all sources): Ask for revision to decrease the similarities
• IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/ taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, on the basis of the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.
• Each paper/ chapter is evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers, after which a final decision by the responsible Editor is made. There is no maximum to the number of times a paper can be reviewed, depending on the quality of the submission.
• If your short paper is accepted by the Editors for publishing with comments/ requested modifications, our Editors (publishing department) will contact you once a decision is made and you will be asked to revise and correct it. After resubmission, it will be re-checked. Note: There may be more than one round of peer review and the decision rests with the editors of the title. Missed deadlines may result in complete exclusion/ rejection from the final publication.
• If your short paper is accepted for publishing without edits/ comments, the corresponding author will be contacted to provide the final version of their chapters/ papers following Springer Guidelines and sign the Springer consent-to-publish (CTP) form to authorize publication in the conference proceedings.
• A back-and-forth process: modifications will be sent back to the responsible Editor/ Series Editor and another round of evaluation conducted where needed. Participants/ Authors should regularly check their emails (Junk/ Spam folders).
• If you are not interested in publishing an extended abstract in the proceedings in ASTI by Springer Nature, please inform the conference support ([email protected]).

Step 4: Extended paper 

• After the conference, the authors of the best papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their research, 8 – 12+ pages in length, (optional) of their short papers for publishing in an edited volume to be published by Springer Nature.
• Publishing your short paper (i.e., extended abstract) in the conference proceedings does not prevent the submission of the full version for publishing consideration after the conference if the similarity percentages (SR%) in Step 3 are taken into account.

Click Here to download the Flyer and Poster.

To Download Conference Program, Click Here

A. Online Attendance

 Payment Terms and Guidelines:

• The Confirmation/Payment Completion period will take place from 1 August 2023 to 15 September 2023. Regular payments are available till November 2023. Read more on Important Dates. For information on payment dates, kindly send a request to the conference coordinator/email and CC [email protected] to receive payment details to complete the payment.
• After online registration and payment, the registration fee cannot be reimbursed.
• Final Acceptance/ rejection of your full/ extended paper can only be given after the peer review process.­­
• Inclusion in the conference program, acceptance letters issuance, and consideration for publication must be preceded by registration and payment completion.
• Payment of the registration fee can be made via the following methods (only after online registration):
  • Bank transfer
  • Online payment gateway
  • Cash in IEREK branches
• Contact our Financial Department for inquiries/ requests.

ORCID, which stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a global, not-for-profit organization that aims to provide unique identifiers for authors, researchers, and scholars. ORCiD effectively eliminates duplication and errors regarding author names, affiliations, previous works, and all related academic data.

IEREK is a proud member of ORCiD, and we contribute directly to their initiative of clear and identifiable markers for researchers and scholars. As the first Egyptian partner to ORCiD in the organization’s history, we strongly believe that by utilizing ORCiD’s database and verification services, we become one step closer to achieving an accurate, and identifiable academic landscape.

We encourage our authors to input their ORCiD ID when registering for one of our conferences, submitting an abstract, or a full paper. By doing so, you directly link your research to your identity and affiliation and can showcase your various academic efforts all in one place. By Registering your ORCiD ID, you also increase your works’ visibility and provide easy access to your entire library of research and academic activity.

Click here to learn more about ORCiD, and here to register your ORCiD ID for free.  

The first version of the International Conference on Utopian & Sacred Architecture Studies (USAS) was held from 11 -13 June 2019 in association with Universita degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. The conference included many discussions that covered extremely important topics and presented theories and practices stimulated over the last five centuries in a wide range of scientific areas such as historiography, political science as well as literary and art studies. It was a very successful conference.

The Conference was held in one of the most spiritual cities –the city of Aversa –, one that contains a real-life model of sacred architecture and spiritual buildings.

The conference was held under the patronage of Prof. Claudio Gambardella (Chairman - Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, Univ. degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Prof. Ferdinando Trapani - National Coordinator of the agreement "IEREK" - Inter - University Network- Department of Architecture, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Prof. Rosanna Cioffi - Pro- Rector to Culture - Universita degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Prof. Luigi Maffei Director of Dadi - Department of Architecture and Industrial Design.

Similarly, reputable figures took part such as Prof. Galal Abada, IEREK’s representative, Prof. Paolo Giordano Ph.D. Coordinator of the DADI - Department of Architecture and Industrial Design in the Universita degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Luca Molinari editorial director of Platform Magazine - Department of Architecture and Industrial Design.

The conference received 73 paper submissions that were discussed over 12 sessions.

First day: Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speeches:
The opening ceremony started with greetings and short-introductions by:

Prof. Mona Helmi - Chair of the Architecture Department, University of Business and Technology, Jeddah, KSA

Prof. Niccolo Casidu - Director of DAD - Department of Architecture and Design, Universita degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"

Prof. Salvatore Frigerio - Head of Collegium Scriptorium Fontis Avellanae

Prof. Alfred Jacoby - Faculty of Architecture, Facility Management & Geo-information at Anhalt University

Imam Muhiddin Gabriele Bottiglioni - Council member of the COREIS religious guides

The opening ceremony witnessed highly important speeches addressing the controversy surrounding Utopia and its successors from its origin to the present and explored the impact on and by utopian, religious, and cultural ideals.

After the lunch break, the Authors began presenting their researches while the session chairperson and moderators listened, discussed, and evaluated.

Second Day: Continuation of the Parallel Sessions & Start of the Workshop

Over the second day, remaining researchers continued presenting their work, networking and debating topics and trends in the field. Sessions throughout the conference were moderated by reputable names from the University such as professors:

Paolo Girodano
Alessandra Cirafici
Adriana Galderisi
Luca Molinari
Ornella Zerlenga
Mara Capone
Antonella Violano
Carla Langella
Sergio Sibilio
Antonio Rosato
Patrizia Ranzo
Gioconda Cafiero
Olimpia Niglio
Luigi Guerriero
Elena Manzo
Chiara Ingrosso
Gianfranco De Matteis
Marina D’Aprile
Corrado di Domenico
Susana Alves
Anna Gianneti
Fabio Mangone
Fabiana Forte

Francesca Muzzillo

After concluding the final sessions of the second day, a closing ceremony was held to discuss final remarks presented by the session moderators and speakers which stimulated group discussions and open debates. Key to identifying the next steps and recommendations that would assist in a buildup on the existing research and outcomes of the conference, the closing session proved helpful and fruitful.

To conclude the day and provide our researchers and academics with an opportunity to socialize and establish new connections and collaborations, participants were invited to attend a Gala Dinner.

Third Day: Workshop & Site Visit

The day started early with a tour visit to Reggia di Caserta, the royal palace and the park. After a lunch break, another tour visit to Belvedere of San Leucio and Museo della Seta Del Real Belvedere took place. Finally, group photos of all conference participants were taken as shown and the conference days concluded.

 A.Physical Attendance

For IEREK's Previous Publications, Please Click here

- 1-Utopian and Sacred Architecture Studies (USAS) - 1st edition, 2019

Springer

Advances in Utopian Studies and Sacred Architecture

Publication Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-50765-7

Resourceedings

Proceedings of Science and Technology

Publication Link: https://press.ierek.com/index.php/Resourceedings/issue/view/46

- The print ISSN of the Conference name "UTOPIAN AND SACRED ARCHITECTURE STUDIES (USAS)" is 2974-3907.

- The Online ISSN of the Conference name “UTOPIAN AND SACRED ARCHITECTURE STUDIES (USAS)" is 2974-3915.