CARIBBEAN WINTER SCHOOL 2014

MA A+U student Aidin Ahadzadegan Ahani, with other students from Manchester School of Architecture, will be participating in the Caribbean Winter School 2014 between 16 February and 9 March. They will be collaborating with students from Munster School of Architecture, Technical University CUJAE, Havana and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona. An annual event, the workshop explores proposals in answer to contemporary issues in Cuban urbanism.

In Havana a period of transition and urban renewal is expected. Besides the renovation of existing buildings the substitution by new structures will become necessary in the central area of the metropolis. By these interventions urban life should be preserved in the central area of the metropolis in order to avoid the trans location of central activities to the outskirts.

The aim of the Caribbean Winter School 2014 is to discuss new design strategies for business incubation that meet the specific situation after the liberalization of economic policies in Cuba. The practicality of the strategies thus developed shall be tested by a design project in the quarter of “Centro Habana” with special focus on organization principles and the relationship to the built environment.

Aidin will use this experience to inform his thesis design proposal to be submitted in August.

Fourth Caribbean Winter School: Havana 18 February - 9 March 2013

MA A+U student Curtis Martyn will be participating in the Fourth Caribbean Winter School in Havana organised by Munster School of Architecture in cooperation with Technical University CUJAE, La Habana Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona From the programme brief In Havana a period of transition and urban renewal is expected. Besides the renovation of existing buildings the substitution by new structures will become necessary in the central area of the metropolis. By these interventions urban life should be preserved in the central area of the metropolis in order to avoid the translocation of central activities to the outskirts. The aim of the Winter School is to discuss new design strategies for housing, that meet the specific social and economic needs of the people of Cuba. The practicality of the strategies thus developed shall be tested by a design project in the quarter „Centro Habana“ in the center of Havanna, with a special focus on organizational principles and the new relationship to the built environment.

Havana

MA A+U students Laura Minca and Rajinder Matharu will be participating in the 3rd Caribbean Winterschool (organised by Munster School of Architecture) between 20 February and 10 March, during which time they will be gathering case study material for their forthcoming thesis projects.

Henri Lefebvre: The Production of Space

In preparation for his participation in the 2nd Caribbean Winter School in Havana Luke Butcher has been reading the influential text The Production of Space by Henri Lefebvre. Read Luke's summary on his blog here.

Fellow MA A+U student Carrie Bayley is also participating in the winter school.