IAAU 

Skopje, 14.10-17.10.2014

 

Cities should be places of laughter, loving, working, learning, selling, buying, dying, birth, debating, arguing, politicking; in short a place to fulfil our emotional, social and physical needs.

Skopje, like many of the cities in the neighbouring countries, underwent major societal changes over the past century, a period in which its population grew more than tenfold, and as a result the city was transformed by a diverse set of dynamics.

 

The last twenty years of Skopje’s development are marked with a long and painful transition, a process through which the city is adjusting to the new complexities. The crisis, in which the city is trapped, has lead to the deterioration of the quality of the built environment and the creation of fertile ground for speculative developments. While at the same time it has become clear that planning is no longer able to operate as an instrument of control and development primarily protecting the public interests. Through these speculative developments beating primarily with the pulse of the capital, a fragmentation of the tissue of the city was inevitable, the public space was ignored and the position of the planner was undermined.

 

As a result of such processes, the public spaces and public life in the city of Skopje are slowly disappearing. The new propositions resemble more to leftover spaces designed to connect, rather than spaces that provoke interaction.

Such spaces do not contribute or enhance the city’s qualities; they are empty and unarticulated spaces emerging in the in-between realm producing permanent strangeness calling for an immediate rethinking and action.

Stefano Boeri refers to such a space as a ‘nameless’ space that is “without a sufficient number of distinguishing features”, Ignasi de Sola Morales uses the term terrain vague, Roger Trancik uses lost space, and Skopje seems to have plenty of them.

Re-thinking the public spaces in the city of Skopje means to re-consider a realm that is present and its reconsiderations should emphasize their potentials, but also define the totality of the city. Public spaces should be considered as an essential feature for the image of the city representing key places where the manifestation of the integration of the city is commenced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inclusive public spaces benefit everyone!

 

Inclusive public spaces benefit everyone! Inclusion refers to a philosophy that goes well beyond non-discrimination and takes a proactive approach. For parks and neighbourhood recreation areas an inclusive approach should involve active promotion of places that take into account the needs of various groups of people in the community (children, youth, elderly, people with disabilities) and planning ahead for their participation. The ability to design and develop such places within the local neighbourhoods / communities, meeting the needs of all citizens is the ultimate measure of success. For many individuals (and probably even more for people with disabilities), a feeling of acceptance is the most important accommodation. If we create spaces that demonstrate an attitude of acceptance and welcoming, the experience can be positive for everyone!

 

Outdoor gyms and inclusive urban gardens: Let’s get physical..

 

The urban design greatly influences how people perceive their surrounding environment: as hostile or friendly, attractive or ugly, and vibrant or dull. It also plays a significant role in whether the urban environment provides quality open space and facilities that stimulate higher level of social interaction and conviviality.

 

There are many unused public spaces in Skopje located in city suburbs and urban areas for collective housing, and even in the city centre that people pass by everyday, not even taking note they exist. The time to promote the advantages of a healthy community has never been better. The benefits physical activity can have on our physical and mental well-being are widely known, giving planners the evidence to create supportive environments for outdoors facilities like outdoor gyms and inclusive urban gardens as community places that encourage local residents to participate. Being outdoors in the open-air environment is something that most residents of Skopje enjoy. Well-designed and planned outdoor gym facilities and inclusive urban gardens have the ability to encourage physical activity and social interactions within our micro- communities.

 

The capability of such facilities to influence and enhance the quality of life of an urban population is not well recognized (yet!) Interventions in public spaces are one possible way how we can get citizens to take action and to draw their attention about the potentials and functions of open / public spaces in our immediate neighbourhoods.

 

Applications should contain a short CV. The application should be sent to: urbego@ifhp.org

>> Deadline for applications is 20 September 2014

Successful applicants will be informed by 22 September 2014