Information


The GAUDI programme is supported by the Culture 2000 programme of the European Union.

B1: Citizen participation in urban development projects

Objectives

The citizens' rights as well as their duties to a pleasant and healthy environment and cultural heritage require access to well prepared, knowledgeable and versatile information about topical plans. It also requires a possibility to voice an opinion about the schemes and a chance to participate in the decision making process. These objectives are shared by all EU member states. European architecture centres and museums hold a key position in making impartial and objective information available. They can, in an unaffected manner, collaborate with the local planning authorities, illustrate the subject in their exhibitions, make use of their archives in setting the current issue into a historic context and organize various stimulating events and public discussions, and by doing so, attract and engage a wide audience.

Named Futuropa, this project will tune up analytic debate on the topical schemes and plans in the participating cities and create a high profile open to exchange of opinions and ideas about city building ; it will involve citizens in debating the future of their schools, hospitals, housing and transportation networks and engage school children and young people in imagining the future of their city. It will bring together local and international speakers from various fields of art and science to discuss urbanism in an interdisciplinary debate series targeted to the general public; it will gather and document information on particular phases of planning and construction of the participating city and illustrate good practice in public participation in urban design. It will create a platform for exchanging information among European decision makers in the questions of urbanism and the emerging challenges of the European city and reach new audiences for architecture and promote understanding and appreciation of European architecture and urban planning.

Nature of action

Each participating institution will customise its own concept and programme suitable to the local conditions and resources by selecting elements from the following: exhibition series illustrating a selection of topical subjects ; public debates, which bring together a wide non-professional audience and the design professionals, organised by the architecture centres and museums in collaboration with the local authorities and citizen groups ; program in local schools, city orienteering for children ; neighbourhood actions fostering grass root level activity urban actions, i.e. informative events on the metro stations, city squares, etc. ; townscape transformations, i.e. environmental art projects ; urban film presentations, urban matinees ; guided walks ; open houses (see project A1) ; virtual actions:and models ; www exhibitions and debates ; city games in CD ROM format

Proposed audience

wide non-professional audience
children and young people
architects and planners
local policy makers
local planning authorities

Products, expected results

Participation Manual:
A manual for participation in the form of book, setting forth guidelines and methods of action and activity for the European architecture centres and museums to help them produce projects and events which engage citizens in the local urban planning and design of environment process

Topical urban library:
A set of 3–5 pamphlet publications, one per city, in a uniform size and format, book (+ cd), in 2 languages (local + English). The publications will illustrate the actions and schemes and will protocol the debates of the Futuropa in the participating cities for the purposes of disseminating information and for current and future urban research. The Futuropa books will form the core of "a topical European urban library".

City games on CD ROMs:
A series of innovative, playful and imaginative Futuropa city games, mainly targeted for children, published as CD ROMs. The games are created on a "design your future city" principle.

Distribution

Before the events : distribution of the co-ordinated programme and schedule of the Futuropa events in the participating cities via the GAUDI network ; preparation and distribution of the Futuropa manual
During the events, Futuropa will brand itself as a Europe-wide name for the theme "participation in urban development". Futuropa will engage local media sponsors and will attempt to attract wide media attention in participating cities. The progress of the Futuropa programme will be disseminated rigorously during the programme on the internet, where each participating city will present their Futuropa actions, schemes and the discussions in a summary format. The website will house a Futuropa chat room, which is open to the local and international public for exchange of views and ideas on the Futuropa topics.
After the events : publications, website

Calendar

Year 1
Preparatory meetings in London and Helsinki
Outline and schedule for planned events ; concept development for publications
Preparation for Futuropa information materials ; preparation and publishing of Futuropa handbook

Year 2
Futuropa actions
Europe-wide distribution of the Futuropa programme ; preparatory and co-ordinative work continues ; events in Helsinki, London, Glasgow, Brussels ; website events ; Production of city games on CD ROMs

Year 3
Dissemination of information
Production and dissemination of Futuropa topical urban library publications

Project leader:

Severi Blomstedt / Museum of Finnish Architecture, Finland

Members of the steering committee:

AZW (Architektur Zentrum Wien), Austria
CIVA (Centre International pour la Ville et le Paysage), Belgium
DAC (Dansk Architektur Center), Denmark
IFA (Institut français d'architecture), France
Catherine Puthod / The Architecture Foundation, United Kingdom
The Lighthouse, United Kingdom

Projects fields

Overview - What is GAUDI?

A: Research, memory and project

A1: Identify and interpret innovative housing in Europe
A2: Merge and develop archival collections on architecture and urban development
A3: Workshops for young professionals
A4: Database on public spaces

B: Education and dissemination to the general public

B1: Citizen participation in urban development projects
B2: Club of Leaders committed to Architecture
B3: European Festival for Architecture

C: Strengthen the network of European institutions

C1: Create and develop a joint web site
C2: Coordination of the agreement