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The challenge of this competition was to encourage participants to imagine a city where public space goes beyond the traditional conception of a park, a square or a street. The idea was to experiment with new urban scenarios able to promote social exchange, community activities and citizens’ interaction through the implementation of multifunctional designs.
Awarded projects were able to reinterpret the concept of Tactical Urbanism in unconventional ways, experimenting with original solutions capable of redefining the paradigm of contemporary public space. With a creative and unusual vision, the selected proposals conceived unique and innovative scenarios within the city.
1st PRIZE
Project title: Rebirding for Social Impact
In the context of climate change, where the biodiversity is disappearing in the large metropolises and where the presence of birds is rapidly diminishing, we propose through our concept to repopulate the public space with local birds. We chose this axis for a tactical renewal in a deserted plot in the heart of Paris. The site has remained for years an inhabitated ruin.
The current tendency of the city is to transform the streets into pedestrian areas. The site we chose responds to the same strategy, it is currently car free and close to a pre‐school.
We imagine an evaluative project in three phases that can be readapted in many other similar situations in Paris. The first phase includes vegetal strata, integrating a flora dimension to the street. A wooden floor is plugged-into the site highlighting the pedestrian area. The second phase proposes urban furniture for the public as well as nests and an adapted environment for the birds. The birds’ habitat is made of seven recycled wooden towers. An observatory tower is also provided for visitors. The purpose is to be able to host and observe fauna. The last dimension is a synthesis of the scenario, creating a local community around the birds.
The rebirding project aimes to develop a collective imaginary that puts enviromental issues on the frontline. The project acts as a catalyst for the wider neignborhood redevelopement.
2nd PRIZE
Project title: Musical Ecosystems in Budapest
Alternative music venues in Budapest allow marginalised groups to express themselves politically and socially, whilst providing a space for NGO’s to operate effectively away from the stigmatisation experienced throughout the city. The current illiberal regime in Hungary seeks to weaken these crucial institutions, both directly through venue closures or restrictions, and indirectly via negative press and propaganda. A rapid gentrification process throughout forward-thinking areas only exacerbates these issues, pushing venues out of the districts they are most effective in. The COVID-19 pandemic now threatens the existence of these independent, free-thinking outlets. Musical Ecosystems in Budapest has proposed that these essential initiatives need urgent help. Analysis of existing venue infrastructures indicates that event spaces require a greater urban presence to improve outreach and strengthen their image within the city. The proposal would provide mobile space extensions and make use of the abundant derelict buildings found in the Magdolna quarter.
This versatile module would firstly facilitate easy storage and transportation of music equipment around the city, providing opportunity for spontaneous musical concerts; it would provide an adaptable and transformative structure, acting as a bandstand for performances, or to workshop arrangements for interactive events within the community. Thirdly, it would serve as an intuitive urban soundscape to advertise venue spaces. These mobile musical ecosystems would enrich the soundscape of Budapest’s public spaces and enable vulnerable independent music venues develop their urban presence. Advertising their diverse musical scheduling to the city encourages marginalised groups to immerse themselves in music, through spectating, performing or learning.
3rd PRIZE
Project title: Eventopia: the Superficial Monument
Milan is a city full of events. Events are extraordinary, transformative, and evanescent. They turn on and off. Events are the new social ritual and they build the community.
Eventopia is the possibility to design public architectures for public events. With an app for smarthphone and a public monitor you can organize your event and report it on the public screen of Eventopia. Everyone is invited to participate! Personal performances, theatrical performances or improvised film projections: Eventopia is available to everyone and it’s ready to satisfy every kind of desire!
A platform full of technological equipment rests on a painted floor designing the intervention area. Sound systems, projectors, removable monitors. When Eventopia is activated, all its devices can be used and, if necessary, a magical plastic dome inflates electronically, transforming the spatial and lighting quality with its LED systems.
During the daylight, when Eventopia sleeps, Eventopia is a huge bench for the whole community, in a place in the center of Milan, Piazza Edison, now invaded by parked cars.
Its bright and reflective colors reveal its presence and importance. Eventopia is a new monument of the city, but an ironic one. You can sit on it, you can dance inside! You can use it however you want. It even has a power station to charge your electronic devices! Welcome dear Eventopia.
For more information visit: https://www.terravivacompetitions.com/tun2020_results/
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