trust
THINK TANK ON RESILIENT URBAN SYSTEMS IN TRANSITION |
|
We were on a guided tour of the city of Melbourne led by one of the city council's urban designers, when we walked past this intriguing and engaging public space appropriation called "the free shop". Later, we came to discover that it is a part of the activist group "Occupy Melbourne" (http://occupymelbourne.net/category/actions-protests/free-shop/). Part of their quest is to create an awareness about our future on this world, by questioning how we can live better to create a kinder world to live in. We wondered how something like this might manifest in our cities...free hugs, anyone?
0 Comments
This book summarises the outcomes of a University of Melbourne, School of Design travelling studio to Pretoria. The students experienced a week-long ‘charrette on steroids’ where they were asked to generate context appropriate sustainability interventions in an actual example of a city experiencing dynamic social and environmental transit... You can view an online version here
http://issuu.com/sahrastolz/docs/previewsinglepages Copies of the book can also be ordered from the University of Melbourne. Inbox us for more details. Of the five schemes designed and presented by the students during the travelling studio, the City Council felt that Share the Glow would be the most feasible and easily adapted to their needs of the city, as well as their vision. This exciting project, looks at the Upstream and downstream development of informal trade systems to foster social, ecological and economic value, through the implementation of a social network, modular vendor unit, urban farm and administrative hub. "We are share the glow, our proposal aims to improve the street quality and retail opportunity of Paul Kruger Street by establishing a formal market system. This system would allow entry for micro entrepreneurs while providing opportunities for social integration and environmental regeneration.
Given the limited project time frame we needed to quickly identify key areas where small interventions would provide greatest impact and flow on effects to initiate positive social, ecological and economic change. Through the implementation of a social network, modular vendor unit, urban farm and administrative hub we see opportunities to bridge the gap between the existing informal and formal trade economy. The multifaceted system can be implemented through a stage-bystage roll out; whilst these stages can be interconnected they are not interdependent and can be initiated individually. This system aims to uplift the social and environmental development of Pretoria, South Africa." As part of the 12 day long travelling studio hosted by the University of Pretoria in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, 25 architecture and research students took part in a series of lectures, charettes and pitch presentations, at Thlolego Eco Village near Rustenburg. The purpose of this week was to inspire and generate ideas for possible regenerative design strategies, designs and projects suggested for the Pretoria Inner City, that would later be presented to the City of Tshwane. Today marked the end of the Regenerative Design travelling studio between the University of Pretoria and the University of Melbourne. Twenty-five students spent the last eleven days working together intensively to get to a regenerative design solution and intervention for the Pretoria CBD that would be able to create a ripple of positive change. After putting some finishing touches to their presentations in the morning and practising their pitches, the groups set up the venue and exhibition space in anticipation for their presentation to the panel of judges which included, Lisl Hattingh editor of Earthworks magazine, Bernard Hannekom from the City of Tshwane, Chris Malan from Co-Arc, Pieter Matthews director of the Cool Capital initiative, Arthur Barker from the Department of Architecture at the Univeristy of Pretoria, as well as the internal review panel who consisted of Chrisna, Dominique, Elena and Edna.
Following the presentations, the panel deliberated the projects, looking for one that had systemic complexity as well as could be feasibly implemented as a case study project. The panel felt that the project that address the informal trade market has high potential it would be seen whether it could be presented to the Mayoral office as well as published in Earthworks. Following the discussion, Elena gave a public lecture and the groups again presented their projects to the public who reacted positively to the proposals. The biggest challenge was trying to convey in a few minutes the entirety of what had been accomplished in such a short period of time. The travelling studio closed with a light dinner and the promise of great things to come through the initiatives of a few able and willing agents of change.
"Welcome to Lebone II - College of the Royal Bafokeng. This is an extraordinary school; one that provides both teachers and learners the opportunity to realise their enormous potential. We admit children who demonstrate excellence and, through a holistic education that stresses the importance of both the individual and the community, we develop leaders and agents of change." http://www.lebonecollege.co.za/ Today, Paul and Stephanie organised us a tour of Lebone College, a private primary- and highschool which really inspired us on many levels. A case study of many of the qualities and values that biophilia, regenerative and transformative design aspire to, this campus is filled with examples of how things can be done in order to achieve social-ecological integration between people and their natural environment. As we made our way back home to Pretoria, we had the inspiration of the Lebone College to guide our design and presentation work over the weekend.
Final concepts were presented today to a panel of reviewers which included Paul and Stephanie's objective opinion. Groups were reviewed with a number of criteria that included the story of place, their brief, concept, pitch and lastly, the regenerative impact. Student's were asked after their pitch to reflect on what they thought went well and what could have gone better. The feedback would be used over the weekend to develop the presentations for their final pitch on Tuesday the 11th. After the intensity of the charrettes that took place over the last few days, the group were treated with a visit to a local game park, where they had the opportunity to go for a swim, relax and go on a tour to see lions, leopards, hyenas and a few other indigenous African predators. Back at Thlolego, a walk through the farm reveal a number of adobe homes with an endearing character and charm. Chrisna was involved in designing and building one of them during a building workshop held there previously. After dinner the group went to a local shebeen to enjoy some local brews and headed back home to prepare for their departure the next day.
Day 6 began with a reflection about the challenges we face when investigating an idea or design in its nascent phases or during other stressful situations; the voices we hear in our heads that inhibit progress or create problems in group work dynamics. The group was asked to reflect upon their own voices and how they manifest, to name them and to consider their usefulness in different situations. Armed with this insight, the group was then shown a method for generating a feasible business model for their intervention, and in so doing reconsider parts of their intervention proposal. This included a consideration of the holistic value of the project, the costs and potential revenue streams.
|
A THINK TANK ON RESILIENT URBAN SYSTEMS IN TRANSITION EXPLORING THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING A RESILIENT FUTUREArchives
August 2017
Categories
All
|