URT at Great Asian Streets Symposium 2018 in Singapore

Zdenka Havlova Opinions, Research Blog
GASS Conference 2018 Singapore
Prof. Akiko Okabe (University of Tokyo) discusses the current situation in public and community design with Prof. Sergio Palleroni (Portland State University) following her keynote speech. Author: Zdenka Havlova.
GASS 2018

URT’s Zdenka Havlova presented her paper at the Great Asian Streets Symposium 2018, held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) between December 14 and 16, 2018. The international conference brought together scholars from several networks, including the Pacific Rim Community Design Network and Social Economic Design Network (SEED), to discuss Emerging Civic Urbanisms and Designing for Social Impact.

URT Member’s Presentation

Zdenka’s paper titled Exclusionary Planning Measures in Elevated Grade-Separated Pedestrian Systems: A Case of Tokyo was presented within the Urban commons and sharing city sub-theme of the event. The paper aims to find exclusionary planning measures in elevated grade-separated pedestrian systems (GSPS) in Tokyo and determine whether such strategies are limited to the privately-produced structures. The paper posits that elevated GSPS are some of the few urban spaces in Tokyo that provide opportunities for activities other than fast pedestrian transit. A further suggestion is that they have the potential to serve as public spaces that encourage communal life in otherwise hyper-functional and profit-oriented urban spaces of the metropolis.

The discussion after the presentation revolved around the issue of private ownership of public space and the intensity of regulatory measures required to ensure the equitable and sustainable use of GSPS. The audience also offered perspectives on the phenomenon in countries outside Japan, such as the US, China, or the Philippines. Finally, there were a few comments on the more covert exclusionary measures observed in the research, such as the fencing-off of the space beneath or creating uncomfortable and prickly surfaces to prevent long-term use of elevated GSPS.

Some Notes from the Conference

The conference proved to be an inspiring and educational experience, primarily due to the focus on community design in urbanism. It was clear from the keynote speeches that people around GASS, Pacific Rim, and SEED have a long history of not only research but also projects engaging with the community.

One of the events of the conference was the award ceremony for the SEED + Pacific Rim Awards For Excellence in Public Interest Design. Among the six winners and nine honorable mentions, a couple of projects stood out. First, it was the Cultural Center Chamanga in Ecuador. The project was led by Prof. Sergio Palleroni’s team from the Center for Public Interest Design, Portland State University, USA; planned and built through a collaboration of three universities. The architecture of a covered atrium between two volumes includes several innovative design ideas, such as the use of diagonally placed bricks to ensure sunlight as well as safety. The many spatial, collaborative, and temporal challenges of such a project are evident from the complex timeline shown in a publication about the project. The second exciting project was Mental Health by Design, presented by its architectural consultant Karen Kubey. It was a collaboration between the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Fund for Public Health when several architectural studios were asked to redesign disused classrooms at schools in the New York City area.