Urban Catalyst
The Power of Temporary Use
2nd Edition
Published in April 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-3-86922-261-5 (ISBN)
Description
In many cities, urban wastelands and vacant structures suddenly metamorphose in exuberant places. After city planners and the real estate market have failed in their initial attempts to develop them, these sites become the setting for clubs and bars, start-up firms and art galleries, migrant economies and informal markets, recreational activities and nightlife. Indeed, it is often precisely here that innovative cultural production and a vibrant public sphere are to be found.
The Urban Catalyst research team explored these unplanned temporary uses in five European countries over the course of several years, and did far more than merely analyze their hidden logic. Building on the team's own participation in a number of different projects, Urban Catalyst examines various ways in which city planning can incorporate informal processes and describes important lessons architects and city planners can learn from temporary users.
Included are seminal contributions by Azra Aksamija, Kees Christiaanse, Margaret Crawford, Jesko Fezer, Florian Rötzer, Saskia Sassen, and others, as well as key projects from European cities such as Amsterdam, Basel, Berlin, London, Rome and Zagreb.
The Urban Catalyst research team explored these unplanned temporary uses in five European countries over the course of several years, and did far more than merely analyze their hidden logic. Building on the team's own participation in a number of different projects, Urban Catalyst examines various ways in which city planning can incorporate informal processes and describes important lessons architects and city planners can learn from temporary users.
Included are seminal contributions by Azra Aksamija, Kees Christiaanse, Margaret Crawford, Jesko Fezer, Florian Rötzer, Saskia Sassen, and others, as well as key projects from European cities such as Amsterdam, Basel, Berlin, London, Rome and Zagreb.
More details
Persons
Philipp Oswalt (b. 1964, Frankfurt am Main, Germany) is an architect and author, initiator and coordinator of the research project Urban Catalyst, Director of the Foundation Bauhaus-Dessau and professor at the University of Kassel; he lives in Berlin and Dessau-Roßlau (Germany).
Klaus Overmeyer (b. 1968, Rhede, Germany) is a landscape architect, initiator and coordinator of the research project Urban Catalyst, founder of Studio UC/ Klaus Overmeyer, since 2012 Urban Catalyst Studio and professor at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal (Germany); he lives in Berlin (Germany).
Philipp Misselwitz (b. 1974, Jena, East Germany) is an architect, coordinator of the research project Urban Catalyst, professor at the Technical University of Berlin and since 2012 member of Urban Catalyst Studio; he lives in Berlin (Germany).
Klaus Overmeyer (b. 1968, Rhede, Germany) is a landscape architect, initiator and coordinator of the research project Urban Catalyst, founder of Studio UC/ Klaus Overmeyer, since 2012 Urban Catalyst Studio and professor at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal (Germany); he lives in Berlin (Germany).
Philipp Misselwitz (b. 1974, Jena, East Germany) is an architect, coordinator of the research project Urban Catalyst, professor at the Technical University of Berlin and since 2012 member of Urban Catalyst Studio; he lives in Berlin (Germany).