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elop*8Fringe Conditions

QuerétaroProject Fall 2015/16

OrganizationTecnológico de Monterrey - Campus Querétaro

Lead & CoordinationBern University of Applied Sciences

Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering

elop*www.ahb.bfh.ch/elop

elop.ahb@bfh.ch

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elop*8Project 2015/2016

Fringe Conditions

elop* has been engaged since its outset in 2009 in complex tasks that can only successfully be tackled by multi-disciplinary teams. elop* works with stu-dents and faculty from an international network of partner universities (elop* alliance).

After 7 editions that have taken place in Switzerland (4x), China, Germany, and USA, in 2015 elop* travels to Mexico. Tecnológico de Monterrey - Campus Querétaro, an elop*alliance partner, has taken the initiative to orga-nise elop*8.

Context

Querétaro (short for Santiago de Querétaro), in Mexico, is one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America. It has a historical downtown considered a “World Heritage City” by UNESCO. However, even tough the historical site is the hub of the social, governmental and commercial activities, there still is a lack of green public spaces, pedestrian accessibility, alternative modes of mobility, social cohesion and the application of energy efficiency in buildings.

The historical center area has received notorious attention from tourists. Consequently local authorities have enforced rigid construction codes eluding new architectural typologies and urban densities. A few critics have raised concerns for the “disneyfication” or false identity of this area. Others have manifested their preoccupation for the excessive creation of cafes, hotels and restaurants making the downtown area an exclusive location causing gentri-fication, while the surrounding neighborhood have little attention and fun-ding.

The UNESCO-protected downtown is not the only area touched by controversy in Querétaro. Furthermore, some of the neighborhoods in the fringes of the downtown area, like the one known as “La otra banda” (literally translated as “the others”), suffer different challenges such as:

• Urban detachment from the UNESCO-protected area: a ravine crosses through the city, and the underutilised train tracks separate different areas.

• Public infrastructure is deprived: there is a public market, a park, and a cul-tural center that urgently need renovation.

• Local population, tourists, and economical funding disregard the area.

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Project Topic

Situation and Task

In recent years population has grow at a staggering rate due immigration attracted by the economic bonanza of Querétaro. This phenomenon pushes the city to expand further, rather than consider the renovation and democratic redensification of its downtown area.

The objective is to rejuvenate a specific area within Downtown (4.45 km2), just outside the UNESCO site in order to link the different neighborhoods. The idea is to propose a holistic approach that considerers the social, environmental, urban and landscape conditions that rejuvenates the existing location.

If this Revitalization happens it could benefit in several ways:

• It could ease the constant pressure to the UNESCO site, by having more activities outside the historical center

• Promote a more sustainable city

• It could become a model of density instead of expansion

• Link several parks and green spaces that are not connected

• Promote more pedestrian streets

• Promote a more equitable city

Fringe Conditions

98Virtual Kick-Off

Disciplinary Analyses and ResearchWhile getting to know Video Conferencing as a communication tool, the stu-dents receive an introduction in challanges of transdisciplinary working and get a first understanding of the project topic as well as some TD methodolo-gical insight. This important background will allow for a well-founded start into the project and to elaborate adequate goals in a transdisciplinary way. Lectures on Specific TopicsLectures are given to facilitate the start-up for the project with respect to a common nomenclature. Topics will be specified in more detail during the Physical Kick-Off at Finhaut and during the entire project.

(dates are subject to alterations)

Structure of the Course

Phase A | Calendar week 38-40/2015

Sep 2015 Oct 2015 Nov 2015 Dec 2015 Jan 2016 Final Review Querétaro, MX Jan. 22nd

Virtual Kick Off Sep. 17 th

by Video Conference VC

Kick-Off Querétaro, MXOct 3rd-11 th

Review 1

by VC

Review 2

by VC

also possibleby Video Conference

Final PreparationJan.15 th - 20 th

Vir

tual

Coollab

ora

tion

Phys

ical

Pre

sence

A B C D

38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 01 02 03 04 05

> < > << > < >

Project challenges

he elop*8 project provides a multicultural and multidisciplinary platform capa-ble of envisioning the future of downtown Querétaro and one of its adjacent areas, “La otra banda”. Contested urban topics such as centrality, mobility, gentrification, edge conditions and public infrastructure will be discussed in the light of current circumstances.

Students will be faced with a real situation, which is at once physical, social, economical, ecological, cultural and political. To tackle the project, students will analyze, reflect and propose some of the following issues:

• Public space• Social cohesion• Landscape urbanism• Natural resources and the implementation of energy-efficient building tech-niques• Restoration of deprived buildings

In their project, cross-disciplinary teams will answer the following questions:

• How to develop solutions that benefit at the same time a specific given site and still give a holistic solution to surrounding areas?

• How to promote solutions that benefit all the different project actors (inha-bitants, tourists, government officials, homeless people, UNESCO-area neigh-bours and adjacent communities)?

• How to improve the existing conditions of the downtown area?

• How to promote social wellbeing for all people?

• How to implement energy-efficient techniques in a historical context?

• How to develop a system of linear parks that improve the social and environ-mental conditions?

Project Topic

Fringe Conditions

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Phase C | Calendar week 42/2015 – 3/2016

Back at Home University | Virtual CollaborationThe goal of the central third phase is to develop the design, to formulate expertise and to create solutions. After the introductory days, the students return to their home universities. At the same time, they as well form discipli-nary local teams at the different locations to exchange basic information use-ful for all project teams. During Phase C the teams present their intermediary results of their work in two review sessions by using videoconferencing tech-nology. These reviews provide the opportunity for the teams to get feedback from coaches, stakeholders and colleagues.

Between the reviews, the teams organize (weekly) coaching sessions together with their local coaches, and periodically with their team coaches.

Phase D | Week 3 2016

Final Presentation of the Project | at Querétaro, MXThe final presentation has the goal to show the project‘s results to the stake-holders in Querétaro and to the local population and to offer possibilities for a discourse. The final week of project development prior to the final presentation is a cru-cial and exciting culminating moment of the project. This intensive time gives team members the chance to wrap up their ideas and bring the project con-clusions to the fore.

Phase B | Calendar Week 41 2015

Physical Kick-Off at Querétaro, MXWith their physical presence in Querétaro students and faculty members come together mainly for the following purposes:

Team FormationThe students build a profound social link among each other and create a basis for a reliable collaboration during the course of the project.

On-Site Research & ImmersionThe students can visit the site and discover the local situation and are given the unique opportunity to meet the stakeholders and collect information offe-red by the authorities and the academic team.

Project PlanningDefinition of a project process outline: At the end of the week, the teams pre-sent a preliminary plan including work packages, time line, milestones, resource and activity planning etc. Subsequently students return to their home universities with recommendations for the next phase of the project.

LecturesCrucial aspects of the project are addressed by lectures given by experts and project partners.

Instructions on ICTStudents get introduced to collaboration and communication via ICT (tools, methods, tips) and learn how to use tools (video conferencing, blog, data sha-ring, presentation, idea formation, decision making, process management).

Structure of the Course Structure of the Course

1312Students in the master‘s or third year Bachelor‘s program of the following dis-ciplines are welcome to apply:• Architecture• Landscape Architecture• Urban Planning• Regional Management / Agriculture / Forestry• Art / Art Education / Visual Communication / Media Design• Building Technologies / Environmental Engineering / Renewable Energies• Construction and Process Management• Civil and structural engineering• Social Work / Social Sciences• Consumer Psychology• Tourism / Marketing• ...

Costs

All travel costs including insurances are in charge of the participant or his/her home university.Accommodation during Physical Kick Off Week and Final Review week will be organized and offered by the hosting University (project organization).

Credits / Grades

The grading of the students’ contribution is in each home university‘s respon-sibility.It is suggested that students who successfully participate in elop* projects receive academic credits (e.g. based on the ECTS European Credit Transfer System). The workload is estimated to range between 30–40% on average during the entire semester.

Information

Disciplines

Contact

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering / elop*Pestalozzistrasse 20, CH-3401 Burgdorf - SwitzerlandP +41 34 426 41 74 elop.ahb@bfh.chwww.ahb.bfh.ch/elop

elop* lead and coordinationKathrin Merz BFH-AHBKey Portilla-Kawamura BFH-AHB

elop*8 organisation Rodrigo Pantoja, Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey - Campus Querétaro

Documents

Students interested in participation submit:• Curriculum Vitae• Letter of Motivation What value can you bring to a transdisciplinary team? What do you expect to learn from elop*?

Term of Application June 30th, 2015 to: elop.ahb@bfh.chConfirmation of acceptance into the programme will be provided by the elop* team by the end of July 2015.

Application