SSAB_2016

URBAN TRANSITION: Smart Solutions for the Urban Metropole (Amsterdam - Bologna)

Areas: Climate & energy challenges Urban design

Project code: AREC0012_2016-1.5.1-436_P125-02

Programme: Climate KIC Catapult programme 2016

Call: Climate KIC Catapult programme 2016

Developed under the umbrella of the Urban Transition Theme and financed by EIT under the Climate KIC Catapult programme, the project explores the transition towards more sustainable models of relevant areas in the city fabric of two cities, Bologna and Amsterdam, focusing on two sites in particular:

Amsterdam, Buiksloterham - a neighbourhood in the north of the city in a unique position to serve as both a living test bed and catalyst for Amsterdam’s broader transition to becoming a circular, smart and bio-based city.
Bologna, Zamboni District city centre - a quite large area in the heart of the city where the challenge is to re-frame the urban metabolism to improve quality of life and create a “Sustainable Cultural Campus” based on circular economy principles.

The project follows the typical Climate KIC research environment, mixing academic research methodology with market-oriented solutions. The main outcome of the programme is the organisation of an international summer school on Urban Metabolism and Water Management involving both PhDs and professionals from cross-related disciplines and creating tailored solutions within the proposed real-life city challenges. The programme involved several people from across Europe, creating a very intercultural work environment dealing with innovative and effective strategies concerning circular cities, water management and sustainable transition. During the programme, participants worked in small, interdisciplinary design teams to develop innovative solutions for lighthouse projects in strategic areas, applying collaborative, multi-perspective, cross-disciplinary approaches to design unconventional and creative ideas and solutions to boost effective actions in the urban context closely cooperating with international experts, researchers of the University of Bologna, municipality and district representatives, local stakeholders and citizen associations.

Project duration

01.2016 – 12.2016

Department scientific supervisor

Jacopo GASPARI (Dipartimento di Architettura DA)

Coordinator

Dipartimento di Architettura DA (Jacopo GASPARI) con Martine VAN VEELEN

Partnership

University of Bologna – Department of Architecture

City of Bologna

City of Amsterdam

Urban Center Bologna

SENSE - Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment