OIKODOMOS CONFERENCE LIVE STREAMING

The Oikodomos team invites you to the live stream of our International Conference on "Innovating, Housing, Learning" that will start on October 27 14h (see program below).

OIKODOMOS IHL Conference:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sintlucas

The conference papers have been collected in this document.

Conference Program Thursday 27 October

(auditorium ground floor in the morning)

14.00 - 14.15
Welcome and Opening by Johan Verbeke, Leandro Madrazo and the Head of Department, Sint Lucas School of Architecture, Dag Boutsen

14.15 - 15.15
Chair Tomas Ooms. Presentations by

• Sedef Ozcelik, Cahide Aydın İpekçi, Tarhan Arıkan, Gebse Institute of Technology (GYTE), Faculty of Architecture, Kocaeli (Turkey): “Designing the Campus Settlement: A Studio Challenge”.
• Stefano Aragona, Department of Urban and Architectural Heritage, Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (Italy): “Does innovation support a better quality life?”
  

15.15 - 15.45
Break

15.45 - 16.45
Chair Kris Scheerlinck. Presentations by

• Alberto Altés Arlandis, Umeå School of Architecture, UMU, (Umeå Sweden), Escola Técnica Superior d'Arquitectura del Vallès, UPC, Barcelona (Spain): “Living Together: On the Role of Architecture in the Production of Habitable Collective Spaces”
• Aaron Sprecher, McGill University School of Architecture (Canada): “Implementation of Mass Customization Strategies in Housing: Survey and Reflections”.
  

17.00
Keynote Lecture “A better life. Appropriation and Energetic Strategies on Housing” by arch. Claudi Aguiló, dataAE Architects/ETSAV Barcelona (Spain)

19.00
Conference dinner

Conference Program Friday 28 October

(room T20, second floor)

9.30 - 10.30
Chair Tomas Ooms. Presentations by

• Luis Carvão (ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, School of Technology and Architecture, Department of Architecture and Urbanism, Portugal) Alexandra Paio (ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, School of Technology and Architecture, Department of Architecture and Urbanism, ADETTI-IUL) (Portugal): “Emergent design for humanized housing: towards a parametric-typological design tool”.
• Ivor Mečiar, Viera Joklová, Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Slovak Republic): “Reflection of the multimedial design in the innovative development of housing structures”
  

10.30 - 11.00
Break

11.00 - 12.00
Chair Beril Ozmen. Presentations by

• Elina Krasilnikova, Maria Prohorova, Yulia Ivanitskaya, Volgograd State Architectural and Civil Engineering University (Russia): “The design of residential complexes in the waterfront areas structure”
• Eva Morales Soler, lapanaderia studio, Faculty of Architecture, Málaga University (Spain): Web platform to promote “Housing as a Process”.
  

12.00 - 13.00
Conference Lunch

(auditorium ground floor in the afternoon)

13.00 - 14.15
OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus: Learning from Experience.

Chair Johan Verbeke. Presentations by some Partner Institutions
Leandro Madrazo, ETSA La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (Spain)
Kris Scheerlinck, School of Architecture Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent (Belgium)
Beril Ozmen, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta (North Cyprus)

Chair Johan Verbeke. Presentations by some Associate Partners
Norbert Kling, BTU Cottbus, (Germany): “Getting Started. Issues Relating to the Introduction of the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus to Existing Modular Course Programmes.”
Mónica García, ETS Arquitectura Valencia (Spain)

student’s presentation
Michal Janak, Guillaume Dopchie, School of Architecture Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent (Belgium)

14.15 - 15.30
Brainstorm session on topics in current housing design and related pedagogic models, led by Paul Riddy (UK)

15.30 - 16.00
Break

16h00
Keynote Lecture “Virtual Learning Environments Supporting Creation of Architectural Knowledge”, by Prof. Dr. Mirjana Devetakovic, Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Servia

17.00-17h30
Moving Forward: strategies to expand the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus.
Conference closure

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

As preparation for the International Conference in Brussels, we have created this FORUM to discuss some of the topics presented in the accepted papers. The topics cover the two areas of study included in the OIKODOMOS project: housing studies and pedagogy.

The purpose of the forum is to engage conference participants -as well as the interested public- in a debate which will continue during the conference and also after it. The discussions will help to identify some of the most relevant topics in today's contemporary housing design and planning which can then be later studied in the learning activities of the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus.

Please sign in the FORUM to participate in the discussion.
If you experience any difficulty to register, please send an email to support@oikodomos.org and we will create a login/password for you.

Innovating, Housing, Learning

OIKODOMOS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Brussels, 27-28 October 2011 at W&K Sint-Lucas School of Architecture
Paleizenstraat 65 1030 Brussels

This conference brings together professionals, academics and experts dealing with contemporary housing studies and with pedagogic innovation. It will provide a forum for discussing current approaches to housing design and planning and the latest developments in pedagogic innovation brought about by the integration of ICT technologies in architectural education. The latest state of development of the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus will be presented and discussed during the conference.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Conference Program Thursday 27 October

(auditorium ground floor in the morning)

13.00 informal meeting project partners and conference participants in entrance hall, ground floor

14.00 - 14.15
Welcome and Opening by Johan Verbeke, Leandro Madrazo and the Head of Department, Sint Lucas School of Architecture, Dag Boutsen

14.15 - 15.15
Chair Tomas Ooms. Presentations by

• Sedef Ozcelik, Cahide Aydın İpekçi, Tarhan Arıkan, Gebse Institute of Technology (GYTE), Faculty of Architecture, Kocaeli (Turkey): “Designing the Campus Settlement: A Studio Challenge”.

• Stefano Aragona, Department of Urban and Architectural Heritage, Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (Italy): “Does innovation support a better quality life?”

15.15 - 15.45
Break

15.45 - 16.45
Chair Kris Scheerlinck. Presentations by

• Alberto Altés Arlandis, Umeå School of Architecture, UMU, (Umeå Sweden), Escola Técnica Superior d'Arquitectura del Vallès, UPC, Barcelona (Spain): “Living Together: On the Role of Architecture in the Production of Habitable Collective Spaces”
  

• Aaron Sprecher, McGill University School of Architecture (Canada): “Implementation of Mass Customization Strategies in Housing: Survey and Reflections”.
  

17.00

Keynote Lecture “A better life. Appropriation and Energetic Strategies on Housing”

• by arch. Claudi Aguiló, dataAE Architects/ETSAV Barcelona (Spain)

19.00
Conference dinner


Conference Program Friday 28 October

(room T20, second floor)

9.30 - 10.30
Chair Tomas Ooms. Presentations by

• Luis Carvão (ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, School of Technology and Architecture, Department of Architecture and Urbanism, Portugal) Alexandra Paio (ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, School of Technology and Architecture, Department of Architecture and Urbanism, ADETTI-IUL) (Portugal): “Emergent design for humanized housing: towards a parametric-typological design tool”.

• Ivor Mečiar, Viera Joklová, Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Slovak Republic): “Reflection of the multimedial design in the innovative development of housing structures”

10.30 - 11.00
Break

11.00 - 12.00
Chair Beril Ozmen. Presentations by

• Elina Krasilnikova, Maria Prohorova, Yulia Ivanitskaya, Volgograd State Architectural and Civil Engineering University (Russia): “The design of residential complexes in the waterfront areas structure”

• Eva Morales Soler, lapanaderia studio, Faculty of Architecture, Málaga University (Spain): Web platform to promote “Housing as a Process”.

12.00 - 13.00
Conference Lunch

(auditorium ground floor in the afternoon)

13.00 - 14.15
OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus: Learning from Experience.

Chair Johan Verbeke. Presentations by some Partner Institutions

• Leandro Madrazo, ETSA La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona (Spain)

• Kris Scheerlinck, School of Architecture Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent (Belgium)

• Beril Ozmen, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta (North Cyprus)

Chair Johan Verbeke. Presentations by some Associate Partners

• Norbert Kling, BTU Cottbus, (Germany): “Getting Started. Issues Relating to the Introduction of the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus to Existing Modular Course Programmes.”

• Mónica García, ETS Arquitectura Valencia (Spain)

student’s presentation
Michal Janak, Guillaume Dopchie, School of Architecture Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent (Belgium)

14.15 - 15.30
Brainstorm session on topics in current housing design and related pedagogic models

15.30 - 16.00
Break

16h00
Keynote Lecture “Virtual Learning Environments Supporting Creation of Architectural Knowledge”,

• by Prof. Dr. Mirjana Devetakovic, Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Servia

17.00-17h30
Moving Forward: strategies to expand the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus.
Conference closure

An e-forum will introduce and accompany the main conference program.
A live streaming of all interventions will be available for external participants.
An exhibition related to the conference topics and to the previous OIKODOMOS activities will take place in the entrance hall of the Sint Lucas School of Architecture.


Registration:
academics/professionals: 50 Euro (participation, digital proceedings, coffee/tea and lunch) or
100 Euro (participation, digital proceedings, coffee/tea, lunch and conference diner)
students: free attendance, maximum forum 20 students (without lunch nor conference dinner), to apply or to receive payment data, please send a mail to oikodomos@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be

Oikodomos International Conference: Call

Innovating, Housing, Learning
Oikodomos International Conference
Brussels, 27-28 October 2011, at W&K Sint-Lucas Architecture School

This conference aims at bringing together professionals, academics and experts dealing with these areas of knowledge and with their interaction: architects, urban planners, sociologists or anthropologists addressing contemporary housing issues, architectural educators concern with pedagogic innovation, educational technologists dealing with the development and integration of learning environments. The conference will provide a forum for discussion of the latest developments in architectural pedagogy, as well as contemporary housing problems in contemporary European societies.

The program of the conference will encompass four main types of activities:
key-note presentations;
paper and poster presentations;
discussion sessions (to facilitate interaction and future collaborations);
a hands-on session and practical information on the OIKODOMOS virtual campus.

Alongside a face-to-face programme, the conference will have a virtual strand which will be accessible in advance and during the conference. This will build on the discussions which will have been taking place via the Virtual Spaces discussion forum, focussing in on key issues which have been raised and which will be mapped to key conference themes. Each discussion theme will be moderated by a speaker at the conference who will bring summaries to face-to-face discussion groups, which they facilitate at this event.


Call for Contribution

The OIKODOMOS partnership calls for contributions on the development and applications of virtual campuses and/or the latest findings in the field of housing studies. It is anticipated that papers will fall into the topics below but other contributions are also welcomed:

Innovating and Housing:

Issues addressing multiples ways to foster innovation in housing, in different ways: at the process level, seeking the participation of the different actors involved in the design, including dwellers; at the construction level, applying open systems approaches; at the design level, proposing domestic spaces which suit to current social needs; etc.



Housing and Learning:
Subject-matters within the field of housing studies developed in different pedagogic contexts: design studios in architecture and urban planning, theoretical courses and seminars, formal and informal educational settings.

Learning and Innovating:
Issues dealing with pedagogic innovation particularly through the integration of ICT technologies in education, as for example: learning design, blended learning, constructivism, virtual campuses.

Papers which reflect the main conference themes will be given priority but all contributions will be considered on merit. Papers for the conference should be tailored to a 25-minute presentation timeframe. A proceedings will be published with all accepted and presented papers (one attendee necessary).

Abstracts should include the following:
The full title of the paper,
The full names, postal addresses and e-mail addresses of all authors,
A summary of the paper in no more than 500 words.

All sent documents should have pdf format and the total of the sent files should not exceed 2MB.
Conference language will be English.


Keynote speakers (to be confirmed):

Lucien Kroll, architect, Brussels, Belgium
Claudi Aguilò, architect, DATAE, Barcelona, Spain
Mirjana Devetakovic, Ph.D., University of Belgrade, Serbia


Scientific Committee

Viera Joklova, Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia
Leandro Madrazo, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain
Angel Martin Cojo, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain
Hifsiye Pulhan, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus
Tomas Ooms, Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst, Department Architectuur Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent, Belgium
Beril Ozmen Mayer, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, North Cyprus
Paul Riddy, University of Southhampton, United Kindgdom
Kris Scheerlinck, Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst, Department Architectuur Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent, Belgium/ Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura La Salle, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain
Stefano Tardini, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
Jan Tucny, Institut d’Urbanisme IUG, Université Pierre Mendès-France, Grenoble, France
Johan Verbeke, Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst, Department Architectuur Sint-Lucas, Brussels/Ghent, Belgium


Important dates:

10th June - First Call
20th June - Second Call
5 September - Deadline for submissions of abstracts.
15 September - Feedback of Reviewers with guidelines for final submission.
1 October - Final papers/posters
27/28 October 2011 - Conference

Please send your files for application to: oikodomos@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be


Conference Fee

50 Euro (participation, digital proceedings, coffee/tea and lunch)
100 Euro (participation, digital proceedings, coffee/tea, lunch and conference diner)


Local organizing committee

W&K, Sint-Lucas Architecture School, Brussels
Project website: www.oikodomos.org; Information about the project: project@oikodomos.org

ISTANBUL WORKSHOP

Workshop participants. Photography by Aminreza Iranmanesh (still running from the camera to the stage), EMU

A Joint Workshop dedicated to the theme "Proximity" took place in the Istanbul from May 2th to 6th. The workshop was organized by the HERA Center from the Faculty of Architecture in Eastern Mediterranean University with the cooperation of the HREC in the Faculty of Architecture of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). 45 students and 14 teachers from the partner institutions, associated partners and students coming from other Schools in Europe participated in the workshop. The workshop provided the opportunity to apply knowledge previously acquired in the preparatory activities to a specific site: the Göksu area, former Ottoman suburbs, located between the Great Bosphorus Canal on the Asian side of Istanbul.

This joint workshop is part of the learning activities designed around the theme "Proximity". Preparatory tasks were carried out first at the participating institutions and in the learning space OIKODOMOS Workspaces. The outcomes were presented by students at the beginning of the workshop.



Structure of the learning activities carried out during before, during and after the Workshop.

During the workshop, students working in international teams carried out two tasks:

1. A visual analysis to identify signs of proximity in the Göksu area

2. Mapping the concept of proximity to the site in order to trigger a transformation process. Further development of the workshop outcomes will continue in the partner institutions and will be evaluated by external reviewers within the OIKODOMOS Workspaces environment.

After the workshop, the work continues in the courses and seminars at the partners institutions, and in the OIKODOMOS Workspaces, according to the following structure:

Post-Workshop: Task 19. Göksu Quarter Revisited.

Reference to the previous task

The previous task (Mapping Proximity: Görku) tried to understand and disentangle the present mechanisms of growth and use of the selected site and propose some possible transformation by adding or reconfiguring housing program.
Using the concept of proximity, all participants read and mapped the site and its direct environment and proposed a sustainable housing project. Developing this task during the workshop week, and based on the visit and all provided information, many of the following questions were answered:

-Can we frame the historical growth of the site, taking into account as well cultural and social factors?
-What accessibility does the site have? On which model of mobility do the inhabitants/visitors rely?
-Which are the morphological characteristics of the site? What does the figure/ground scheme look like?
-Which functions are located on the site and by whom and when are they used?
-Which type of barriers can be detected on different levels and where do they manifest themselves?
-Can we detect conflicts of use(rs)? Are there any underused or unused spaces?
-Which set of (relative)distances can de recognized on different scales?
- Do we recognize patterns of social cohesion on the site?
-What is the level of compactness of the site? Where do we recognize low dense and high dense conditions?
-What is the structure of the site? How does the existing housing program relate to its environment?
-Related to all previous questions and taking into account a given addition of housing program, which solutions/transformations do we propose?


New Task: the proposals revisited

The outcomes of this task were most interesting and proved a critical and coherent attitude related to the site and its potentials. However, the short available time for presentation and its the format did not always allow to frame the urban proposals. The following questions, aiming at a broader reflection about proximity, remain:

How can we relate the proposals at different levels to the concept of proximity, what is the (social) model behind the proposed interventions?
Can we define the proposal as a unique strategy or were reference projects used? If yes, how were they used?
How can we relate the proposals to a broader discourse on low or high dense landscapes and its possible (re)densification? Did we base our interventions on tactics of densification or did we only reconfigure the existing urban fabric and do we know why?
When did we use systematic approaches? When a structural approach? (see feedback and evaluations)
What is the vision behind the proposal and which strategies can be used to implement them?

This task of Revisiting the proposed Urban Projects provides some distance of the work done and will try to frame the proposals. A coherent and critical description of the proposal is to be elaborated by each mixed group with the following objective:

-frame the proposed intervention conceptually (see remaining questions above)
-describe the proposal in a way external students or teachers could understand the proposal


Outputs / Deadline

Please use the available ppt template to develop this task.

Each of the 10 (mixed) groups will upload one document (ppt A4, max 7 MB)
The documents should all be uploaded by June 20, 2011.

TALK TO US!

In order to learn from and further build on our unique Oikodomos experience, we would like to invite all participants to give feedback and talk about the Proximity Workspace experience. We invite all students to describe what they have experienced, learned etc.

A short video of max. 2 minutes per student (please talk to your laptop screen, record and send it) can be sent to: oikodomos@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be
Thanks for your support!

Istanbul'dan selamlar! Greetings from Istanbul!

The Istanbul workshop is on full speed: we kicked off with a series of introductory lectures and presentations about the general theme of proximity and about the site.

Later we took a boat trip up the Bosphorus, to approach the site from the water. A walking excursion through the different neighborhoods introduced us to the specific nature of each area and their problems or potentials.
A first task tried to look for "Signs of Proximity" on the site, as all participants mapped the area by creating a sequences of 10 photographs of the site, posted on the Workspace.
Friday morning, at 9AM, all groups will present their proposals for the site. Feel free to join us!

Final Program International Workshop Istanbul

An Oikodomos Workshop about Housing and Proximity.
International Workshop 2-6 May 2011, Istanbul, Turkey
hosted by Istanbul Technical University, HREC

Proposed Calendar
all activities are located at the ITU, Istanbul

day one: Monday May 2nd, 2011

14h00: Welcome:
-Prof. Dr. Orhan Hacihasanoglu, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, ITU
-HREC Vice-Director, Prof. Dr. Ahsen Özsoy, Vice Rector, ITU
-HERA-C Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turkan Ulusu Uraz, EMU
-Oikodomos Partner Leader: Prof. Dr. Leandro Madrazo, project framework, integrated activities, workshop calendar, planned follow-up.

14h30: Concept of Proximity.
-Introduction general theme by prof. Dr. Kris Scheerlinck.
-Presentation of Integration Outcomes by mixed groups of student participants

16h00: Tea / Coffee Break

16h30: Lecture: “Istanbul: Uncertainties and Transformations” by Prof. Dr. Gülsün Sağlamer

17h15: Lecture “Housing Typologies in the Process of Change” by Prof. Dr. Yurdanur Dulgeroglu Yuksel

18h00: Lecture by Prof. Dr. Beril Ozmen: introduction to the Göksu Quarter site

18h15: Pin-up Projects Exhibition Preparation


day two: Tuesday May 3rd, 2011

9h00: visit Istanbul site

14h00: Urban Context. Working session on site Istanbul.

17h30: lecture “Tale of the City on Water” by Dr. Fatma Erkök


day three: Wednesday May 4th, 2011

9h00: Urban Context. Social Context. Working session on site Istanbul.

14h00: Urban Context. Social Context. Working session on site Istanbul.


day four: Thursday May 5th, 2011

9h00: Urban Context. Social Context. Architectural Strategies. Working session on site Istanbul.

14h00: Urban Context. Social Context. Architectural Strategies. Working session on site Istanbul.


day five: Friday May 6th, 2011

9h00: Urban Context. Social Context. Architectural Strategies. Final presentations ( 10x15min sessions per group + comments, presentations uploaded in Proximity Workspace)

11h30: Discussing Proximities. Conclusions.

13h00: Lunch

Some practial information

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCATION WORKSHOP
ISTANBUL, ITU, MAY 2-6 2011.

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, 
TASKISLA BUILDING- which is the home of ITU’s Faculty of Architecture.
Taskısla was constructed all in structural masonry, 1848-1853 as a military medicine academy for the Ottoman Army. The building sustained some damage in the earthquake of 1894, restored by architect Raimondo D’Aronco. In 1944, the building was handed over to the ITU and restored by architects Paul Bonatz and Emin Onat. Teaching was started in 1950, with the Civil Engineering and Architecture Faculties. In 1983, it was classified as a first degree historical monument. In 1996 the World Habitat Congress was organized partly in the Taskisla building. Ever since, it has been a natural part of the congress valley of Istanbul.

Address: İTÜ Mimarlık Fakültesi Taşkışla Taksim 34437 İstanbul
Phone: 0212 2452753 (Dean' s Office) - Fax : 0212 2514895
see as well: http://www.tubiba.com/itu-taskisla-kampusu

PRACTICAL GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ISTANBUL

Transportation


Istanbul is very easy to reach by many daily convenient direct flight connections from the main European cities and by direct flights from throughout the world. The modern International Terminal is spacious and efficient with all the expected services including an Airport Hotel. An underground passage (15-minutes walk) connects the International Terminal with the older Domestic Terminal and also the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul Atatürk Airport at Yesilköy is located twenty-five kilometers to the Taksim Square. A taxi from the airport to the Taksim Square may cost between 17€ to 20€. You pay extra 50% if you travel between 24:00 (midnight) and 06:00. The trip takes between 35 and 75 minutes depending on stream of traffic. Shuttle busses called "HAVAS" travel between Istanbul Atatürk Airport and Taksim Square every thirty minutes.

 The second airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport at Kurtköy is located 40-45 minutes drive to the Taksim Square. Havas busses travel between Sabiha Gökcen Airport and Taksim Square every 60 minutes.


For more information about transportation visit:
http://www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr/en/default.asp
http://www.havas.com.tr/en/otobus_istanbul_saw.asp

Time Zone 
Time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) in Turkey. 


Electricity


The current in Turkey is AC, 220 volts at 50 cycles. 


Telephones


Pay phones are available at the Conference Venue as well as in the city. Phone cards are widely available in shops. The international dialling code for Turkey is 90 and the code for European Side of Istanbul city is 212, for Anatolian Side is 216. National calls: 0 + city code + telephone number, International calls:00 + country code + city code +telephone number.


Laptops and Internet


Internet is now widespread in Turkey and there are tens of different Internet Service Providers. Access is available via the basic switched telephone network, the digital ISDN network, the high speed ADSL protocol and various satellite and television systems. The Conference Venue provides wireless internet connection in common areas at no cost.


Banks and Currency

Exchange 
Istanbul banks are open Monday to Friday from 9:00- 12:30 and 13:30-17:30. Some banks that are located in touristic and business areas are open daily. The Turkish currency is Turkish Lira. There are banknotes in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish Lira denominations in general circulation. There are also 1 Lira coins. Turk Lira consists of 100 Kurus. There are 5, 10, 25, and 50 Kurus coins. Sterling, Euros and Dollars can be easily changed into Turkish Lira at all banks, post offices (PTT) and exchange offices. There is no problem bringing any amount of money in any form of currency to Turkey. The majority of the banks have ATMs and there can be found freestanding ones at strategic points. They operate in the same way as those throughout the USA and Europe. There is an option on most to choose the language and in some cases to choose Turkish Lira, US Dollars or Euros.


Credit Cards 


Most major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and stores but visitors are always advised to check with the vendor before a purchase is made. Cash machines with 24-hour access are available in many convenient locations.


Climate


The climate of Istanbul is mild. Good weather and sunshine is the predominant weather during July. Current weather conditions and weather forecasts can be seen the internet site of national meteorological office of Turkey and Istanbul in www.meteor.gov.tr.


Clothing


In summer (June-September) it is recommended to wear cool cotton clothing, a hat and sun block lotion but have a light sweater for cool evenings.


Medical Service 


Lots of medical services are available around Taksim area where ITU is located, in case of emergency an ambulance service can be called by dialing 112 in everywhere.



For more information about Istanbul please visit:
http://www.istanbulcityguide.com/
http://www.timeout.com/travel/istanbul
http://english.istanbul.gov.tr/Default.aspx?pid=292
http://english.istanbul.com/?Vst=2
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul
ISTANBUL 2010 - European Capital of Culture / MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
http://www.en.istanbul2010.org/index.htm

Housing and Proximity. Setup Workshop.

The planned international workshop in Istanbul is now fully in preparation! Besides discussing the main theme, we defined the outcomes, the integrated learning activities and their related calendar and, last but not least, the site! Students and teachers from the OIKODOMOS partner institutions are already working on a series of shared preparatory learning activities, investigating the meanings of the concept of “Proximity”. This preparatory work will serve as starting point for the activities to be done in the Joint Workshop in Istanbul.

Outcomes of the workshop

The expected outcomes of the workshop will be multiple:

- a critical reflection on housing and proximity in the contemporary European landscape
- a comparative study of previously studied local areas in different European cities (Brussels, North Cyprus, Barcelona, Bratislava...) The outcomes of this first part will be explained on the first day of the workshop, to introduce and compare different experiences and to define possible methodologies for the in situ project.
- an in situ project: a selected area within the metropolitan area of Istanbul (Turkey). This will be the main part of the workshop activity and includes visits, input sessions and presentations from local agents.

The work done in the Joint Workshop will later be continued at the participating institutions through the OIKODOMOS Virtual Campus platform:
As is the case in the previous local studies, the workshop will focus on formulating and comparing alternative design strategies that respond to the changing nature of the built environment.

Objective of the workshop

The main objective of this workshop will be to analyze or rethink the status and design of the contemporary housing in densification processes taking place in European suburban landscapes. Next to existing theories and practices of the compact city as a way to preserve the natural landscape, control and limit the urban sprawl, reduce energy consume and consolidate social cohesion, reality often shows a contrasting practice of low dense landscapes conditioning an efficient and sustainable functioning of urban systems. This dual reality of the built environment –compact cities vs. low density suburban areas- will be equally considered during the workshop. This workshop focuses on the relation between the housing typology and its suburban surrounding and stimulates critical reflection about recent phenomena in an international context.
The workshop will start from the idea that urban space depends on models of proximity. Proxemic models affect our reading and use of space and refer to an important cultural dimension of the built environment: systems of intimate, personal, social or public distances are based on our education and cultural references. However, proximity can refer as well to the built environment itself, which will be analyzed and discussed during the workshop.
A critical comparison and evaluation of the different concepts and related projects will take place during the presentations and working sessions.


Integration of the workshop with Learning Activities

Learning activities are a structural component of the Oikodomos pedagogic model. Each learning activity is composed of a sequence of tasks which are carried out by groups of students from the participating institutions. The objectives of the tasks can be to comment a housing concept, to map a site coherently, to define an urban strategy, design an architectural intervention or to evaluate previous outcomes to build on.

Related to the planned workshop, the Learning Activities created are:

Defining Proximity: In this Learning Activity, the questions is: what does proximity mean when reading or designing housing projects? What are the constituting parameters defining proximity? What is the theoretical and conceptual framework of proximity?

Designing Proximities: Urban Context
Different models of proximity can be used to read a site and propose some coherent interventions. Here, various strategies will be compared and discussed.

Designing Proximities: Social Context
Proximity is related to social dimensions, inherent to the built environment and its organization: from the domestic scale till the scale of the neighborhood, social concerns should be studied and discussed.

Designing Proximities: Architectural Strategies
Architectural interventions or transformations define in a very precise way how people, activities or buildings relate physically, visually and socially: this learning activity focuses on the architectural implications of proximity.

Discussing Proximities
A critical reflection of all previous Learning Activities will allow the use of the outcomes in later projects and will provide a coherent reading of the contemporary housing landscape.

The work to be done during the Joint Workshop is integrated in the sequence of tasks carried out within these Learning Activities, before, during and after the workshop. This way, the preparatory work done in the Virtual Campus will serve as starting point of the Workshop, and the results of it will feed the activities to be done afterwards.

Concepts applied to the site

During the workshop, we will use the following area to apply the concepts and knowledge previously acquired in the previous Learning Activities, carried out in the participating institutions.
The selected study area for the workshop activities is the Göksu Quarter in the Anatolian (Asian) side of the metropolis, at a further distance from the city and at the footprint of the second bridge (Fatih Bridge), which connect the two continents. The area is situated around a stream, Göksu, which flows to the Bosphorus and a recreative green park adjacent (this was a famous recreation area in Ottoman times). On the other side of this stream, there is a typical sea-side village with vernacular examples. There is castle called ‘Anadolu Hisarı’ that relates to the riverside and to the Bosphorus. This area was once a clearly suburban area; but now it has been absorbed by Metropolitan İstanbul. On the hilly sides, with the sea as a horizon of the district, new development can be observed, based on less qualitative architectural strategies. The area is problematic at this very moment but its potentials allow interesting interventions to upgrade its sustainable potential.


(photograph by Prof. Saglamer)

Housing and Proximity. The Oikodomos International Workshop theme.

The main objective of this International Workshop will be to analyze -or rethink- the status and design of the contemporary housing in densification processes taking place in European suburban landscapes. Besides, existing theories and practices of the compact city -as a way to preserve the natural landscape, control and limit the urban sprawl, reduce energy consume and consolidate social cohesion, reality- often shows a contrasting practice of low dense landscapes conditioning an efficient and sustainable functioning of urban systems. This dual reality of the built environment –compact cities vs. low density suburban areas- will be equally considered during the workshop. This workshop focuses on the relation between the housing typology and its suburban surrounding and stimulates critical reflection about recent phenomena in an international context. The workshop will start from the idea that urban space is based on models of proximity: on a small scale, as well as on a bigger scale. Therefore, we should start asking ourselves: what does proximity refer to?

Proximity

Proxemic models affect our reading and use of space and refer to an important cultural dimension of the built environment: systems of intimate, personal, social or public distances are based on our education and cultural references. However, proximity can refer as well to the built environment itself, or to the general urban patterns.

Manuel de Solà-Morales once stated that urban space can be seen as “a system of relative distances”: systems of distances between housing blocks, between individual dwellings, between leisure facilities and residential neighborhoods, between industrial areas, wastelands and residential development areas. As if they were sets of rules to be decided, coded and decoded at various levels, by various agents. These systems of distances do not operate exclusively on a bigger scale: they penetrate the very domain of the dwelling itself: distances from the street to the front door, from the entrance door to the living room, the distance between the kitchen, as the heart of the dwelling, and the bedrooms, being the more intimate territories within the domestic space. Dwellings could be seen as configurations of distances, where physical distances obtain additional meaning: bigger or smaller distances can mean higher or lower possibility of contact, of sharing space. In other words, proximity also refers to a social dimension: sets of distances define the level of collective use within a project, from the scale of the domicile, to the scale of the neighborhood. Distance can become social distance.

In recent years, social distance is increasingly understood as a buffer, a safety measure: distance has become a device to guarantee separation and segregation. In this context, the following question arises: have territorial mechanisms which prioritize individual identity replaced mechanisms based on collective strategies to share space?