GREATER HELSINKI VISION 2

_international ideas competition_

Greater Helsinki municipalities and State of Finland (Ministry of Environment) organize an open ideas competition for the future land use and spatial vision of Greater Helsinki. The organisers are expecting refreshing entries to participate the competition and vision the future Greater Helsinki 2050.
The aim of the competition is to find innovative ideas for the future land use planning and develop sustainable strategies and concrete solutions for strengthening the status and competitiveness of Greater Helsinki as an attractive region to live and conduct business in. The competitors are expected to present their general vision for the Greater Helsinki in 2050 together with the detail study supporting it.
Total of EUR 500 000 will be awarded as prizes and purchases.
The sunmission of entries is 31 May 2007.

All the information here: http://www.greaterhelsinkivision.fi/

80th Anniversary of the Bauhaus Building in Dessau

From December 2nd 2006 is running an exhibition for celebrating the 80th anniversary of the building designed by Walter Gropius that hosted the Bauhaus school in Dessau. The exhibition will be open till March 11th 2007 and it explores the topic on three levels:
-the restoration of the Bauhaus Building
-the building’s impact on the media
-its interior architecture as a prototype of modern spatial organisation

Official web site:
http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/
Short article on the building’s restoration:
http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/images/body/sanierung_7_2006_en.pdf

1st ARCHITECTURE, ART AND LANDSCAPE BIENNIAL OF THE CANARIES

To creatively involve the people of the Canary Islands, its residents and visitors in a reflection on the conservation of its unique natural surroundings whose beauty and variety never fail to surprise us, with a view to promoting the interest of different social groups and collectives in the configuration of a large space for shared co-existence, preserving the natural environment, valuing the urban landscape, promoting dialogue between the different islands for a better understanding of the needs of the people of the Canaries and of its visitors, instigating actions and debates with renowned architects, urban planners, landscape architects, artists and sociologists, while also attracting young generations of creators and experts. The seven islands making up the Canaries could be seen as a metaphor of the diversity of man or microcosm, conceived as a complete summary of the universe or macrocosm. Starting off from the term microcosm we will then pose questions affecting man’s encounter with his surrounding environment and his optimum use of it. To encourage the setting in place of the necessary synchronicity between “celestial bodies” represented by the conjunction of man and the environment in which he develops and inhabits. Questions pertaining to the preservation of the natural environment and the urban environs, the infrastructures and equipment most suitable to the characteristics of each island, will make up the central axis of the actions, even when the importance of certain equipment already in place in various countries makes an exhibition event essential, required, and even exemplary. We want to offer residents and visitors examples of actions by leading urban planners, architects, landscape architects and artists which stand out for their suitability, respect for the user, the environment and the surroundings in which they are emplaced, and for their innovative character and the proportion and beauty of their lines.

Rosina Gómez-Baeza, Director

Official web site:
http://www.bienaldecanarias.org/

world events blog launch

This permanent blog as part of the web site urbanistika dot ee belongs to the section of World Wide blogs and its intention is to serve as source of information to all those interested in the City as a topic to be studied, thought, analysed and planned. We would like that this little corner of the cyberspace is used as an easy way of being aware of all those events related to the Urban Studies all around the world. It is our will that this blog serves as a complement to the other ones in urbanistika dot ee. Therefore, we will try to list the interesting information commented or proposed in the other blogs for all those interested. Openings, exhibitions, courses and seminars, competitions, books and publications, magazines, documentaries or films and any interesting links related to our topic will be included in this blog.

The task of being updated and aware in a world wide scale is difficult, and certainly something will be missed. Therefore this blog is open to anybody willing to participate. The more participants the better this blog will be. Any suggestion will be also welcome in order to improve this little enterprise.

Text by Ines Novella