URBAN STUDIES are an interdisciplinary university specialist study of spatial and strategic design of complex urban systems, phenomena and transformations. The study was developed and led by DELTALAB — Centre for Urban Transition, Architecture and Urbanism the University of Rijeka (UNIRI).
The innovative curriculum of URBANIH STUDY brings together experts from a wide range of scientific and artistic disciplines in a dynamic educational process that combines a teaching and workshop program, research and methodological practice within a specific thematic focus of the generation, a rich program of guest lectures and a mentored development of individual graduation papers of students. Intended for everyone whose research and practices affect the built and programmed environment, strategic planning, infrastructure capacities and collective imaginations, URBANI STUDI offers interdisciplinary education necessary for a meaningful contribution to the development of open, inclusive and resilient urban systems in the context of contemporary political, environmental and technological crises.
The theme of the generation
The focus of URBANIS STUDIO is on hybridity, resilience, networking, complexity, unpredictability and heritage in crisis situations, with the aim of understanding and developing guided approaches aimed at the challenges of urban futures. While these focus areas are permeated through all educational contents of the study, they are crucially suited through practical tasks of research and methodological testing on a specific problem through a topic of this generation called WATERWORLD FUTURES.
RIJEKA is currently declared a cargo port of great economic and strategic importance in the formation of the dynamics and logistics of the global world, so its improvement is currently one of the largest investments in the country. The narrative that the urban development of the city is proportional to the development of its port is only partially accurate because the port and the city have historically developed as separate entities. To transform the narrative of the future urban development of Rijeka, it is necessary for it to become a common vision of those who live and work in that city and those who decide on this city. In order for this vision to respond to the challenges of climate change and constant crises, multidisciplinary knowledge of different experts is needed, which translates visions into development policies. The expansion of the inland part of the port by backfilling the extracted soil is a continuation of the land-based approach, which, with many limitations and exclusivity for alternative approaches, is endangered and not resistant to risks, as evidenced by a recent study for the Kvarner area (Institute for Physical Planning of PGC: “Vulnerability analysis of the coastal area of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County due to sea level rise”, 2023).
The topic recognizes the territory of the port of Rijeka as a potential for the future development of Rijeka. “Water perspectives” focus on the vision of the future of the city from the position of the sea and sea coast, Rječina and the Rijeka coast, or the Dead Canal as a technical service to the land. These perspectives will serve to create new imaginaries for Rijeka 2050 – port city or city port of the future.
The deadline for applications is 1 October 2024. by 4:00 p.m.
More information can be found in the Call Document or at an e-mail address info@deltalab.hr .
