Commonly, public space is understood as urban plazas, squares and parks; legally it is defined as space that belong to the public, serve the public and which is (sometimes with restrictions, for example to avert dangers or for protective measures) accessible by the public. Ordinary traffic and green areas, alleys, streets and highways, public buildings such as housing, education, health, culture, and transportation facilities as well as woods, natural areas and water bodies all belong to the multitude of possible public spaces. Throughout different time periods the typological development of theses public spaces was deeply interwoven with cultural, social, and political developments within different societies. They are a vital element of our urbanized areas and an integral part to public life – as an indispensable component for just city life they offer the possibility for participation in a society.

Existing public spaces were and are challenged by the thread of economic changes which lead to the abandonment or sale of public spaces, including many public buildings such as sport facilities, educational and health facilities, but also housing structures. Often it is on the scale of the neighborhood that these losses become apparent for the communities because qualities of urban life get lost, but also on the scale of a whole city, prominently when it comes to the sale of large public housing structures.

On the other hand, with deindustrialization processes and structural changes happening, formerly closed up areas become available and with these new possibilities appear to qualify them as public space, such as former airfields, etc.

With today’s notion of space being a limited resource, the understanding that urbanized areas today should not continue to grow further outwards and the demands of adapting urban spaces to climate change – the public space, as a central place where changes can be implemented, moves into focus.

The studio deals with the topic of public space and its manyfold possibilities for development in the context of transforming societies, both on the large urban scale as well the scale of a building, to transform our urbanized areas today into resilient, climate-neutral, and just urban landscapes tomorrow.

Key elements in this transformation is the affordability for a society, the use of minimal recourses in the transformation processes and the integration of flexibility and multifunctionality, to make public spaces financially and ecologically and socially sustainable for future generations.

Which underused spaces below excising public infrastructures can we activate in-order to densify and diversify our existing urban landscape? How can we re-integrate nature – such as urban woods – into the existing public spaces of the city? Which strategies are there to transformed existing public spaces into blue/ green infrastructures?

Which strategies are there to enhance functional mix and/ or biodiversity within the urban landscape? Can we integrate the approach as space as a limited resource when it comes to the design of new public buildings and urban structures by aiming for flexibility and the multiuse of spaces? And last but not least, which public spaces could play a role when it comes to counteracting on the process of social stratification within the existing city form inner-city districts to the outskirts.

Program

The first semester is roughly split in two parts, during the first part the students will work theoretically and analytically on various themes in relation to public space by analysing potentials, defining strategies, and thinking about new approaches in regard to the potentials of abandoned, underused, or challenged public spaces.

Together we will begin with extensive research on various typological models of public spaces, analyse exiting projects as references and research on new phenomena. Each student will then create her/ his own “Typological Survey Zine” summarizing her/ his findings.

In the second part each student will then choose her/ his own topic of interest/ typology of public space in relation to the studios theme and develop a drawn and written thesis which includes a design hypothesis and the selection of a location.

During the second semester the students will then translate their findings and concepts into projects – small or large scale, architectural or urban. Answering either with a strategy for an existing public space – be it a building or a infrastructure or build situation to transform and activate its qualities for our future urban landscape or by developing an architecture or urban project that explores specific qualities of the structural relations of public space by integrating new technologies, new uses, integrated approaches and many more…

Studio

The studio will be accompanied by guest-lectures and fieldtrips in 2023 and 2024 to Berlin and Leipzig.

Weekly discussions as well as regular pin-ups and two presentations with guest critics will accompany the process. Collaboration and exchange of knowledge, both between individuals and groups, are essential for a successful learning process. I conceive the design studio as research project and would like to encourage every member of the design studio to feel part of this mission.

Semester

2023/24 & 2024

Qualification

The design studio addresses highly motivated students, skilled in drawing, modelling, and other media. You should be curious and open towards a design process, which seeks to explore innovative solutions.

Spring School 2024

As part of our Germany-wide collaboration in the „Young professionals design the future“ program, two to three selected students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop-week that will take place during spring break 2024. Students will have the opportunity to present their work, collaborate with other students, and receive feedback from other teachers. The participation fee and travel expenses for the selected students will be covered by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). The selected projects will appear in a common publication.

Further Information

Go to Moodle or to INCOM & visit the open studio for a Q&A session, Wednesday, October 4th, 05.00 p.m. – 06.00 p.m., Building 08, Studio 0.23