FLOATING CITIES (Venice, IT)

You are interested in recent developments and social issues.

You are curious about the topics of the Biennale di Architettura Venezia and how you could apply these thesis in your urban design.

You are a creative designer who offers possible solutions for floating cities.

You have a dream of a floating city and you like to design it...

...then you should join this TRACK!

Venice redesigning the FLOATING CITY

FUTURE ISLANDS - New Zealand Pavillion, Biennale Venice 2016
International pilot project FLOATING CITIES
The project Floating Cities would like to share with a broader audience, the work of architects and urban designers who are scrutinizing the horizon looking for new fields of action, facing a natural disaster: the rising sea level and housing shortage.
Floating cities is an international, interdisciplinary urban design project about a sustainable development of Delta areas. In # case 1 Venice you apply your design principles in a unique historical “floating city”: the lagoon of Venice.

Climate Change
Although climate predictions and historical evidence of CO2 levels and sea level are still facing many uncertainties, most agree that humanity must have had a certain influence. Sea level rise, greater intensity and frequency of bad weather conditions, together with urbanization, will have mayor consequences for cities in low-lying delta areas.

Urbanization
In 2007 the number of people living in cities equals that of which are living in rural areas. Every day as many as 200.000 people move towards urban areas.
Urbanization leads to greater vulnerability for natural disasters, because population and economic value become concentrated in confined areas, mostly in coastal areas and near rivers.

Building on water a possible solution?
The issues that have been addressed are not solvable without a diverse spectrum of strategies, local and globally, taking into account transformation of economical systems and the future demands of the global population. Solutions will vary from place to place. Like every other solution, floating development cannot solve all issues, but it can be a means of expanding the spectrum of possible solutions.
Urbanization and water retention can be combined, creating mixed-use developments and floating buildings can cope with sea level changes.

Maintain international market position
Since many centuries The Netherlands has been known for innovative water management delta technology. To maintain this international leading position in future, it is of great importance to keep thinking about and realizing technically advanced projects

Schedule

Concept schedule (September 2016 –October 2016)
            September                                                                                 October
week 36  design week 1  - Deventer                                     week 40  individual feedback in studio
week 37  design principles                                                      week 41 presentation 1
week 38  design principles                                                     week 42 presentation 2
week 39 design week 2 - Venice                                           week 43 presentation 3
Islands of Venice

Design weeks

In this project 2 design weeks are included. In the first design week (5 September – 9 September) you will develop a concept at our design studio in Deventer for your ideal floating city. You will get lectures about the history of the European city and feedback on your presentations.  In the second design week you will apply you concept on the project location in Venice. From Monday 26 September 2016 until Thursday 29 September you will visit the project location: the lagoon of Venice. You will get excursions by foot (in de medieval city), by boot (to the islands San Michele, Murano, Torcello and Lido). We will visit the Biennale di Architettura Venezia (Gardini) and you will learn to sketch 2 churches of Palladio. 

Partners

Saxion University of Applied Sciences, department of urban studies
BAM! floating concrete islands Venice

Course contents

Competences
In this urban nomads program you will develop 3 professional competences: Concept, Urban Design and Being Aware of Surroundings.
During 8 weeks  you will work continuously and integral on these competences. You work individual and you will get weekly feedback in classes on your products. This project includes 1 design week on Schiermonnikoog  and a final presentation.

Feedback on products:
Once a  week (see schedule) you get individual feedback on the design products in the studio of urban nomads. Feedback is at the design studio in Deventer on Thursdays.

Final presentation:
At the end of the course you present your project to professionals.

Portfolio assessment, certification:
After the final presentation your portfolio will be accessed by certificated assessors on the 3 competences. You will receive a certificate.
Period:
05 September 2016 – October 2016

Work load:
20 hours per week

Costs
€ 3800.-