Urban space and forms of public life
Studio Urban design is based in the professional field of Urban Design situated in the overlap between architectural design and urban planning. Within an Urban Design approach the focus is on the design of urban space and the relation between buildings and the space between buildings. The overall purpose of Studio Urban Design is to teach students basic tools for analysis and mapping, concepts and design competences, as well as ways of project presentation within the field of Urban Design. Another purpose is to give the students an overview of the theoretical discussions and different positions within the field.
In Spring 2013 we will focus on public space addressing specific design problems in inner city areas and investigating relations between pubic life and urban spaces .
In Denmark and most European countries we are very used to the idea of public space as something initiated, maintained and controlled by the public. We attach positive feelings to this and link the open public space directly to the idea of the open and democratic society. But this is not the reality in many other places in the world. Since students are expected to work professionally outside a European context, one of the main purposes of this semester is to introduce and understand a non-European context.
Work throughout the semester will focus on a concrete situation. We will work in Seattle which is an example of a large American city where public space works quite differently than in Europe. Here the whole notion of public space does not have a typologically nor a culturally well-defined status as it has in Europe. We are especially interested in the semiprivate space, in the ground floor of skyscrapers, transportation hubs, residual backsides, infrastructures etc., which in many parts of the world are an essential part of the public realm. How to design the borders and edges between the different realms of private and public spaces is a central question to be worked with. The students will work with individual urban space projects within the city center. The departure point is an analysis of the city center done by Gehl Architects.
We are seeking to understand the different aspects of contemporary public space from this situation. We will through the analysis of Seattle, through design work, and through a series of lectures and discussions of literature discuss spatial, programmatic, political and cultural aspects of contemporary urban space.
The semester will include a study trip to Seattle in late April – beginning in May 2013. It is not obligatory to participate.
