«In a moment of socio-economical and urban transition processes taking place in Europe, an increasing number of cities and territories are today facing population decline and its consequences. Population decline is indeed associated to widespread issues: unemployment, declining of property values, fragmentation of the urban environment, lack of participation in the city and neighbourhood life. Moreover with population change social bonds among neighbours are under stress and a sense of community is getting lost. According to the literature, this lack of interaction is clearly manifested in the use or under use of public spaces and infrastructures. In context of post industrial shrinking territories public authorities, stakeholders and designers therefore wonder on how to intervene in public spaces, and which kind of strategies are need to enable them to mobilize local communities. Research shows that public spaces that are designed even with small-scale, low-cost infrastructures, but following the real need of the inhabitants (users), play an important role in social inclusion in neighbourhoods and cities. Therefore, by listening the city how to develop smart low-cost urban design interventions guidelines to reactivate public spaces and to facilitate social inclusion, vitality and wellbeing? »

Keywords: Public space, placemaking, temporary urbanism, co-development, shrinking region.

To read more: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321857695_RECYCLING_LIMBURG_A_co-design_approach_for_transforming_public_spaces_in_Kerkrade_West

Chair: Nurhan Abujidi. Collaborators: Herwin Sap, Cecilia Furlan, Marijn van de Weijer.

Tutors Workshop: prof. Ignacio Grávalos, Patrizia Di Monte, Marc Holvoet.

La entrada Public Space. Tutor workshop «Recycle Limburg, a co-design approach for transforming public spaces.» se publicó primero en GRÁVALOSDIMONTE, Arquitectura Zaragoza.

Gravlosdimonte are invited professors and tutors at MAPPING AND MAKING SOCIAL SPACE BARRIERA workshop, headed by the Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, co-funded by the Compagnia di San Paolo, sponsored by the City of Turin. Together with the support of organizations and local associations (PLUG, KAIROS, Urban 3 Bariera, Politecnico di Torino), it promotes the ability of local communities to define their active demand of use of public space through placemaking and social mapping, in the neighborhood of Barriera di Milano (Turin).

Making promotes the ability of local communities to define active demand of use of public space through placemaking. Collaborative design, co-design, self-construction and self-management of open (both public and marginal) spaces are the tools applied to turn public areas into places to use and share.
The focus is on the construction of social communities, giving support to processes of social transformation stimulated by the economic crisis with the possibilities given by creative economy, inventive and new mechanisms of solidarity.
Making involves different strategies such as: urban interventions, public art, donation of street furniture and development of green areas, creation of facilities, planning of events, street
performances … Critical areas to be strengthened have been identified, subject to analysis and open to participatory design. It includes panel and models presentation, public display of results, project engineering, testing and manufacturing of components, trial, assembly and installation. The DIY Laboratory will develop detailed design, small machining and assembly, focusing on environmental sustainability and recycling. Mapping promotes the construction of a MAP OF COMMUNITY of neighborhood Barriera di Milano, open to all citizens, through digital cartography, to help rebuild the meaning and memory of the urban community. By means of computer, tablet, smartphone, each citizen can upload and share localized information and signs on the digital geographic map. The construction phase of the MAP OF COMMUNITY will last for about two months, the online publication will be the occasion to launch promotional activities, local branding, communication of what is and what could be Barriera di Milano . The project includes training activities with international students in art, design and architecture, participants in the higher education courses of the Accademia Albertina of Fine Arts and the Polytechnic of Turin, along with residents, stakeholders and experts.
The project is coordinated by Monica Saccomandi and Fabrizio Sibona (Albertina Academy of Fine Arts), Rossella Maspoli (Polytechnic of Turin – project manager), and Erika Mattarella, Nella Caffaratti (cultural mediators – Association Bagni di via Agliè).

La entrada gravalosdimonte invited professors at Mapping Making and social space Barriera Workshop_ Galleria Albertina + Politecnico Torino se publicó primero en GRÁVALOSDIMONTE, Arquitectura Zaragoza.