EN/
Parallel Sprawl / Learning from Pristina
Most of the urban discussions that are taking place in Pristina today are around the large scale projects going on in the Lakrïshte district or the construction of a Great Mosque. While both developments are symbolically important, the former placing Kosovo in the map of global capital and later in the cosmology of global Islam, the real needs of Pristina citizens rely most probably in the improvement of the living conditions of its conspicuous suburbs.
This workshop addresses the study of urban sprawl and the possibility for its improvement with fresh eyes, retracting from the dogmatic view against suburbanisation that pervades in European academia. While acknowledging its issues and challenges, a new understanding of urban planning in a post-human condition, i.e. taking into account that we’re not any longer designing cities specifically for the human being but for all species on the planet, takes us to consider the advantages of those urban situations where the natural-artificial divide is less defined. The new set of options and constraints provided by new technologies and environmental challenges calls for a complete re-thinking of the way we inhabit the planet.
On the other hand, the specific recent history of Kosovo has created a suburban landscape that, while remaining problematic, reveals some of the possibilities that can be achieved when collectives and constituencies take themselves the challenge of building their dwellings in the lack of strong public, a scenario that might become more common in other European cities.
The aim of the workshop is to create a detailed analysis of the most characteristic typologies of suburban habitat encountered in 5 different neighbourhoods of Pristina, as well as the uses of its public spaces strictly by using tools specific to the architectural profession (drawing, collage) and others (photography, film, story-telling). The work will continue with the proposal a series of quick actions or urban recipes that could cheaply improve the living conditions immediately after the workshop ends. Finally, the students will be asked to create a speculative scenario that helps bring together the communities around a shared vision for their future.
WORKSHOP LEADERS
Ivan Blasi – Mies van der Rohe Foundation
Agustín Casalia – KdM
Katarina Dacic – KdM
Valentin Kunik – KdM
Guillaume de Morsier – KdM
Charlotte Maltherre-Barthes – ETH Zürich
Ibai Rigby – urbanNext
WHEN
2 – 13 July 2018
WHERE
Kosovo Architecture Festival
Hakif Zejnullahu
S11 H1/4 Pristina
Kosovo
WHO CAN TAKE PART?
The Parallel Sprawl Summer School is open to young people worldwide, studying in the field of Architecture / Design / Urbanism.
LANGUAGE
English
DURATION
2 weeks
EQUIPMENT
Participants should bring their own lap-top computers. WLAN is freely available.
FEE INFO
Admitted international participants are asked to pay a contribution fee of EUR 150,- (incl. taxes) including a two-weeklong design studio, 10 lectures and studio material; snacks on site, a roundtrip trough Pristina, a goodbye party and a Diploma for each attending student.
Travel expenses, accommodation, local transportation, meals and extra studio material are not included in the fee.
The payment of the fee is a condition for admission to Summer School.
APPLICATION
To apply for the Summer School please send an e-mail with your name, affiliation, country from which you will be traveling as well as a short portfolio and CV as one single Pdf of max. 10 MB to ibai@parallel-sprawl.org
The 20 participants will be contacted via e-mail until 26th of June 2018 and will receive further instructions to complete their registration. Contribution fees for admitted international participants are of EUR 150 to be paid within the deadline of 1st July 2018.
The applicants must guarantee their presence during the full program unfolding from 2nd to 13th July.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
18th June 2018
