Context of Workshop
The unprecedented volume of construction in Dublin and the greater Dublin Area over the last decades is now facing an equally unprecedented period of negative growth. With the average vacancy rate of commercial properties reaching 20% and rising, many recent residential developments unfinished or vacant and the value of residential properties dropping by up to 40%, the oversupply of both the residential and commercial market is staggering. Incoherent development and planning decisions have created a patchwork of vacant, unfinished and defunct urban and suburban fragments, a city ON HOLD.
The implementation of NAMA, the new National Asset Management Agency, will amalgamate the vast majority of these fragments under one state authority, crossing traditional divides between the Local Authorities of the Greater Dublin Area and open up new opportunities for the city to consolidate, shrink, reprogram or reconnect.
With some developments predisposed for demolition similar to the phenomena of Shrinking Cities in Eastern Germany and Eastern Europe, other areas will be reinvigorated with both commercial and residential tenants on the move for cheaper and more central locations with proper access to infrastructure and services.
Task of the Workshop
The driving forces behind NAMA, the political, financial and economical agendas are slowly emerging but NAMA’s impact on the future of the cities social and urban fabric and future pattern of development remains to be explored.
The intention of the workshop ON HOLD? is to promote multidisciplinary approaches to the various challenges and opportunities of these city fragments on hold. To find strategies that can help to positively influence and modify the future development of a now defunct urban fabric. It is not the intention of this workshop to find solutions and final answers for the complex challenges of the city but to highlight the potentials of alternative approaches to the economic and social dynamics of future development.
The projects can range from urban studies, architectural interventions, feasibility studies for alternative uses, proposals for short term activism like “legal” squatting or marketing campaigns for threatened suburbia (get three houses for the price of one).
Time Frame and Workshop Structure
13.07.09 – submission of a short description of the intended project and context by all participants (max. 200-300 words by email: nowwhatonhold@gmail.com).
14.07.09 – 10.30am Workshop Initiation, Urban Design Studio, Richview
An initial introduction of the topic through a selection of short lectures by the workshop tutors and a variety of external advisors with different professional backgrounds ranging from Planning, Urban Design to Property Valuation will be followed by brief presentations of the various project submissions. A general discussion about the projects will focus on the potential approach and working methods and facilitate collaboration and synergies between participants.
Participants can then carry out research for their project context and develop initial strategies. The research and strategy development will be accompanied by informal reviews and discussions with the two workshop tutors.
21.07.09 – 10.30am Review 1, Urban Design Studio, Richview
A review and discussion of the various projects with external advisors and workshop tutors.
In the following two weeks participants are asked to develop their projects further and prepare a short final presentation documenting their conclusions in an appropriate format for the scale and context of their project. An intermediate internal review of the projects with all participants and the workshop tutors is planned for week2.
04.08.09 – 10.30am Review 2, Urban Design Studio, Richview
Final review of the projects with external advisors and workshop tutors.
It will be encouraged to further develop the various strategies over the month of August and prepare a presentation for the general exhibition and publication of the NowWhat series and potential publication and further dissemination of the ON HOLD? workshop.
! Please Note that key dates might change to reflect availability of external advisors!
