URBANMAKING: Vertical Workshop of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture

The 18th edition of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture Vertical Workshop titled “#URBANMAKING: Public Space Elements for Inclusion” was held in September. The “Parking Birds” project won first prize over the other five prototype created.



“#URBANMAKING: Public Space Elements for Inclusion” is the title of the 18^th edition of Taller Vertical - the Vertical Workshop of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture. One week - the first of the new academic year - from 3 to 10 September 2015, where architectural exercise is expressed through the creation of a project designed as a benefit for the community. 



Sustainability plays a fundamental role in the workshop, both in terms of the environment and also in its social aspects. The students here not only learn how to design and build their ideas to a real scale, they have to work together, create a network, interact with the outside world. An excellent way to communicate the educational activities outside the university.





This year's theme, #UrbanMaking, involved six teams at work, which proposed a range of solutions to create a real incentive for promoting change towards a city that belongs to the people. Sponsored by BCN Ecologia and the Barcelona Urban Environment Agency, the students created prototypes of installations that fit into the urban environment like small social enablers. 
The names of the projects actually reflect the intentions of the students: “El Empatizador”, “Let's Park PeopleW, “Human Parking”, “Encajados”, “Pit Box”.



First prize went to “Park(ing) Birds”, an ecological icon with a collective approach, formed of a series of birdhouses raised off the ground on poles and presented in small groups, with the biotype providing nest areas for small birds from spring to autumn, and to provide food for winter birds in the form of herbaceous plants and pulses that attract certain insect species.





“#URBANMAKING: Public Space Elements for Inclusion” has injected major - and more to the point feasible - creative input to improving the quality of life in the city. Because as long as they're carefully planned, sometimes it's the little things that make the difference.

Christiane Bürklein

Vertical Workshop
“#URBANMAKING: Public Space Elements for Inclusion”
from 3 to 10 September 2015, exhibition on 18 September 2015
organised by the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture
http://www.uic.es/en/esarq
Winners: “Park(ing) Birds” (Julia Annie Barnoin, Cristina Orada, Juan Francisco Uría, Antxa de Alfonso, Gullermo Marfá, Nieves Blakstad, Roberto Darvoy, Carles Raiteri, Mibika Rovia, Inés Casals, Richard Tam, Jennifer Vilà, Inés Ladera, Baptiste Langlais, Juan Torres, supervised by UIC lectures Jordi Mansilla and Laia Mestre)
Images: ©Aitor Estevez