Scholarly record

URBAN DESIGN AS A WORKSHOP LABORATORY – GOTHENBURG – RINGON

K. Racon-Leja

Abstract

The paper is referring to the design workshop as a method of developing various project proposals for the difficult urban site. The study case was an area of Ringön in Gothenburg, Sweden. Gothenburg is probably just before the major transitions of the river area. Former and present industrial sites separate the city from the waterfront. The Göta River is still dividing the public space, the landscape potential seems unused. Revitalisation of the Ringön became a topic of an international workshop for students in March of 2018. The program was based on the involvement of University partners coming from different parts of Europe, assuming that different backgrounds contribute to the project development and broad understanding of possible outcomes. In Gothenburg several universities took part, involving a coordinator – University of Chalmers, Technical University of Delft, Cracow University of Technology and Technical University of Dresden. Several years of the common involvement into the workshop method resulted in development of particular workshop techniques. Previous study cases involved: Rotterdam, Dresden, Oswiecim, Schierke and Halle Neustadt. The workshop was carefully scheduled, as to improve the quality of final achievements. It involved the site analysis, assisted by the social interviews and study of a wide background provided by the local experts. The main part of the workshop was devoted to the planning strategy, which was further developed and illustrated with the ‘zoom-in’ examples. International mixed teams were directed to formulate different urban, still comprehensive solutions. Final workshop proposals could be further developed by individual students in a course project or diploma thesis form. Within this perspective, short workshops seem to provide a very successful way of educating young architects, if conducted within the real context, where students may acknowledge complex historical, political, natural and cultural conditions and confront them with present spatial and social situation of the city. The certain quality is achieved if the proposals may be discussed with the local government and inhabitants’ representatives. The added value is also the possibility of exchanging ideas, especially if the participants come from various study courses – involving architecture, urban design, spatial planning and landscape architecture. Workshops as a short educational form, seem to contribute as an important element of urban design education. It can be also regarded as an urban design laboratory.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2018/5.2/S19.038

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