The dynamics of Creativity

The dynamics of Creativity Wi Bus - Hot Stop / Innovative Hospitality Typologies Politecnico di Torino I FacoltĂ di Architettura Laurea Specialistica Costruzione Student: Ana Victoria Faria Delfino

This paper is divided in two parts. The first one talks about the Workshop done during the Summer School of 2010 and the proactive role of students and universities in the city. The second one explains the process of creativity during the last two years in the ASP project, in this case the EXP-Host: Innovative Hospitality Typologies. .

Keywords Workshop: alternative study spaces, wi-fi, mobility, connection. .

Keywords ASP project: hospitality, temporary camps, flexibility, reuse, adaptability

Workshop WIBus HotSpot The cities have changed in an economical, political, social and spatial way and expanded themselves into mega-city-regions transforming the relation between space and society.

Nowadays, thinking about students and universities means to talk about important drivers in the urban development. “Universities need the city and cities need universities.” 1 Therefore, it has carried out a workshop based on the proactive role that students have in the development of the city. In this project we try to understand cities, universities and students as agents of change and innovation that can affect in a positive way the life style in the cities. We proposed a “service to let students to take advantage of every minute of moving by bus/tram in city, giving them the opportunity to exchange information about any topic of their interest and being constantly update on student life, both academic and leisure” 2. This kind of service can be considered innovative for a city in a cultural-technological3 point of view, making Turin a city where intellect and technology can create a service that satisfies the need of all kinds of students.

This project was born from the needs of our group that started to think about alternative places of study and exchange (as in the Imbarchino in Torino) where the student can get all facilities from wi-fi, work space to interesting information about student life and at the same time can move from one university site to another without wasting time. There is a deficit of this kind of spaces which are truly appreciated by students and also help develop the spaces that connect the university with the city. It can be said that based on a service that already exists and thinking about "making the familiar strange," as Gordon says in his studies of creativity, we can improve a partially existing service in the city of Torino through the fusion with transportation 1

Balducci, Alessandro. University Students and their cities.

The nature of design activities in urban and policy design 2 Workshop presentation. July 2010 3 Peter Hall. Cities in civilization.

system. We maintain the ideas of alternative study spaces, Wi-Fi, and freedom, but adding mobility and connectivity as keywords.

After the process of generating the idea, we passed to the point of feasibility. To make this project a reality, it will require the presence not only of the GTT, but also of the three university main sites of Turin as investment, we refer to UniTo (Palazzo Nuovo) and the two PoliTo centers (Politecnico e Castello del Valentino). At the same time it will be the students' participation through partnerships that will be responsible for managing the activities developed in parallel inside the tram. These additional services will include a website which contains important themes to students such as houses, jobs and parties. Also there will be advertising and a virtual wall that make the whole project more interesting and feasible.

This system will be composed by Hot Stops and Wi Bus. The Hot Spot will be the bus stops close to university sites equipped with plug-ins, Wi-Fi connection and notice boards collecting announces like house rental, events in the city, job offers, tutoring offers, lesson notes exchanges, travel advices, ecc. They will create a special route that links all the university main sites. On the other hand, the Wi Bus will be the trams and buses equip with Wi-Fi, walls and special tables for students. These are the alternative spaces that we were thinking about.

To make this project even more feasible it was proposed a payment method where the tram ticket cost a little bit more than normal and at the moment you validate this ticket the machine will generate a code that will allow you to access to the internet. The advantage of this system is not only the fact of obtaining a Wi-Fi connection in the tram but also it allows you to ensure the fact of validate the ticket when you get into the bus.

In this way the WiBus/Hot Stop project become an innovative service for the development of the city that at the same time exemplify the fact that telecoms can encourage personal movement and not reduce it. Also it support in the importance that universities have gained in the development of the city to respond to the needs of transportation and communication for nowadays students.

Innovative Hospitality Typologies The project EXP-HOST: Great events and hospitality is characterized by been a very interesting subject from many points of view. It has an incredible potential if we think about innovation and the infinity of problems that can be resolve in a creative way. One of them is hospitality. Think in hospitality means to talk about city, infrastructure, services, transportation, visitors, citizens, etc; therefore it can be considered a broad topic. Our group, composed of three architects with different specializations, a product service - systems designer and a manager, economics and industrial engineer began to understand the

whole problem with the tutors. Through the study of the previous great events and the cities in the period post-expo, we reach to individuate a number of recurring problems. One of them was for the construction of hotels and hostels which after the big event remained empty. In this way, it started to emerge some questions as: how can we experiment innovative formats of structures for hospitality, which allow to better match the demand of different people attracted by great events? Can we think about new typologies of physical structures, integrating different functions and activities, with characters of flexibility, possibility of re-use according to the changing demand? After a couple of meetings with the tutors we decided that our main problem to solve will be the hospitality intend as a building or place, so we will ha to created Innovative Hospitality Typologies.

Ours has been a progressive analysis of the problem. In the "progressive analysis" is typical the general stand in the planned search of a goal to which we aspire. The attention is focus on the requirement of the target and in the specific notes and requirements of what is to be achieved. The knowledge of the solution process and the comprehension of solution operations are developed gradually, step by step. 4 Thus began a search of different types of hospitality that have been used during the previous Expos. We found some interesting cases such as Seville ‘92 where were intervened some boats and transform them in low cost accommodation. We realized a discussion about possible solutions having always in mind the impact and opportunities before, during and after the Expo, taking into account the expectations of the stakeholders, the community, with principles of sustainability and always maintaining a line of innovation. We think about technology as helper when we talk about creativity and innovation in the project.

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Durkin (1937) How to resolve problems. Cited by Erika Landau. El vivir creativo. (Translated by the autor)

With all this information, there was started in the group a brainstorm of possible concepts for Innovative Typologies of Hospitality. This is how ideas emerged from previous experience, as in the case of Annexes5 that result from a laboratory done few months ago by one of the group’s member or Pay per Sleep6 which is an existing system but with other goals in other members’ hometown. There were others who sought to improve the system of tourism in the periphery as is the case of Reservation Chain and others like Full Booking that took advantage of what already exists to create lower prices through offer and demand. Among all the proposed concepts was chosen Temporary Hosting Camps, because it was considered the most feasible, flexible and consistent solution of the problems posed. The Expo becomes a case study, a start up for the project. We begin talking about cells that can be placed anywhere in the world, removable, sustainable and reusable not only as temporary accommodation but as support for other events.

At this point we began a second part of research about hosting temporary camps and the cells that compose them. We started to generate ideas taking advantage of "native spontaneity of life without experiences, that allows going out to meet the incentives without fear, because it is a life that is not yet mortgaged by traumas"7 in this case information about the theme. Then we did an investigation and realized that many ideas raised during our “spontaneity period” already exist and were solved much better than our original ideas. Therefore we decided to classify the different types of existing cells according to the uses and demand i.e. reuse, recycling, sustainability, flexibility. Concepts and keywords 5

Annex based on a previous design experience of one of us. It was about over-elevations y attached spaces. The idea was readapted and re-studied for our project thinking it as the use of the top of the buildings to set either fixed of temporary hospitality structures that attract particular targets and make the locations part of a circuit of interest for the visitors. It was a way to incentive to better environmental quality architecture taking in count the Piano Casa new prescriptions.

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Accommodation based on the fair payment for services offer and which can be used for short periods of time like hours or days.

7 Erika Landau. El vivir creativo. (Translated by the autor)

emerged for the development of this ideal cell from location to the joint ranging between them giving the possibility to assemble and to obtain different cells sizes and forms.

We had to understand that our project is base on “the combination of “sense of reality” and “sense of possibility” which means the capacity to “hear” and “see” the “here and now” not as something “already complete” and “definite” (…) but as a becoming process which demands the capacity to perceive and think otherwise” 8 After the trip to China to experience the Shanghai Expo 2010, I get to understand the scale of the Expo project and live the experience as a visitor, giving me the opportunity to appreciate the point of view of the startup users of the project. This trip allowed us to think otherwise through transforming the familiar into something strange, look with stranger eyes the daily things. We are a group not only multidisciplinary but also multicultural. In addition, during two years we have been sponges that absorb all the possible knowledge always showing more interest when were present the words Expo, flexibility, hospitality, minimal, assembly…We have grow as professionals during the design process through different medias full of information as newspaper, magazine, internet, book, TV, conference, travel and lessons. With this knowledge plus the expertise of each discipline we have defined the cell that will have its startup with the Milan Expo 2015.

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Maciocco &Tagliagambe. People and Space, New forms of interaction in the city

To achieve a definitive project we had to go through different ideas because "having alternatives is the base of a free behavior, makes sure you always have more of one alternative” says Von Foerster, famous cyberspace. If you have one, you're a slave, says Richard Bandler. If you have two, you're a switch; you are connecting to only say yes / no, on / off, black / white. If you have at least three, you're a free person to behave in a way, you can continue that way if it work or change it if it doesn’t work. 9 There were developed three ideas, all different from each other that allowed us to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each one through the comparison between them.

At the end we decided to take as a cell prototype the one that was based on the concept of barrier pole with retractable tape which can be found in airports and banks to do lines. We take from this element the tape system in the tube but on a larger scale to be applied as perimeter definer.

The tubes become structural elements of the project that will also serve as internal support for the furniture. The basement consists on an assembly platform that would be provided with holes for the insertion of the tubes. Thus three characteristic elements will form the cell.

This could be considered the moment of 10 “illumination” where the idea is more clearly where we focus on one thing and then begins the verification: make this project feasible. We begun to solve problems such as thermal insulation, foundation, furniture, assembly, management, understand better the uses after the expo, etc.

An example of this is the insulation. We needed a material flexible enough to roll up inside the tubes, as well as resistant and to have the ability to insulate the cell. After a tireless search we 9

Santucci, Umberto. Problem solving e creativitá. (Translated by the autor) 10 Wallas, G. The Art of Thought

discovered the ETFE as a material that possessed all the characteristics required by us including the ability to be made by layers that can store gases between then helping to the insulation of the cell.

In the last phase of verification begins the division of the work. Each one of us becomes an expert on an issue at the moment in which we exchange ideas. This expert also becomes a facilitator and generator of information for the others. That’s the case of the manager, economics and industrial engineer when we discussing about the development of a business plan or with the product service - systems designer when we talk about marketing and product advertising. The architects also are developing the interior to be flexible for each use. For example if we thinking about this cell as an accommodation we would like to have a unique space that can be transform into a day o night zone depending of the needs of the user. That will be possible with a flexible furniture design. It is a project that requires many types of knowledge and expertise perhaps there is a lack of specific structural knowledge so a civil engineer would have been very useful to accelerate the design process of the cell.

In conclusion, this project has gone through two phases that had the same line of development that was research, discussion, brainstorming, proposal ideas, comparison, selection and verification, but on different scales. One was selecting the type of hospitality and the other design the elements that compose this typology, it means the cell. We begun with a strong idea of contextualization through the Expo as a great event where you create temporary camps and we ended up creating cells characterized by their decontextualization. They can be in Italy as in China.

It is design to different possible uses due to the elements that composed it and the flexibility at

the moment of assembly. In economic terms we used a great event like the Expo 2015 as a start up for the project and we proposed ourselves as an association that will managed the rental of the cells to different kind of public and private companies. This project has been feed with our experience and knowledge, our multidisciplinary and multiculturalism. We have given birth to a creative project where knowledge, tireless curiosity and motivation have been keys to its development. Without knowledge there is no material, no previous studies of what is around us, and therefore is more difficult to generate a successful response to any problem. Without curiosity there is not interest to gain knowledge, there are not questions. Without motivation there is no curiosity therefore there is no knowledge. Being creative is defies time for their beliefs, tested through knowledge directed by his curiosity and his surroundings and motivated by himself and his challenging beliefs. That’s what we have been for these two years with this project.

Paper’s Bibliography

ASP Project’s Bibliography

 AMABILE, T. M. The social psychology of creativity. Harcourt Brace. New York, 1983.  HALL, Peter. Cities in civilization. Clays Ltd. London, 1998.  LANDAU, Erika. El vivir creativo. Editorial Herder. Barcelona, 2007.  LANZARA G.F. La progettazione come indagine: modelli cognitivi e strategie d' azione. Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia, 26. Italy, 1985.  MACIOCCO G., Tagliagambe S. People and Space, New forms of interaction in the city.

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1998  WALLAS G. The Art of Thought. Harcourt, Brace. New York, 1926.  WEICK K. E. Organisational redesign as improvisation. Oxford University Press. 1995.

 ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY. Design like you give a damn. Architectural responses to Humanitarian Crises. Metropolis Books. 2006.  ARUANNO, M. Unitá abitative per insediamenti turistici e di emergenza. Tesi di laurea.

Politecnico di Torino 1978.  BALCONI, M. and col. Expo 2015 towards a polycentric Milan. ASP Project 3rd cycle. Tutor: Corinna Morandi  BAYON, Fernando. 50 Años del Turismo Español. Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces.

España, 1999. (Chapter about Sevilla 92 and the hospitality sytem)  COLA, Luca. Concorso Living Box-unitá abitative prefabbricate. Tesi laurea. Politecnico di Torino, 2006.  ECHAVARRIA, Pilar. Portable architecture and unpredictable surroundings. Barcelona, 2005.  KLICZKOWKI H. Arquitectura Alternativa.

Movil, ligera, desmontable, modular, adaptable. Loft Publications. Barcelona, 2002  VALENTI, A. Protect me from where I live.

Dall’abitazione all’abito. Forme e figure del rifugio contemporaneo ovvero breve storia dell’emergenza nel terzo millennio. Casabella n° 783, August 2010, pag. 2.

Conferences  Conference by A. Balducci at Alta Scuola Politecnica. Summer School. Title: The nature of design activities in urban and policy design.

July 2010.  Conference by D. Rampello at Alta Scuola Politecnica. Summer School. Title: The city and the dynamics of creativity. July 2010.  Conference by C. Zucchi at Alta Scuola Politecnica. Summer School. Title: Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy) Abduction and Method in contemporary Urban Design. July 2010.

Web  www.designmatters.artcenter.edu/index.php  www.todoarquitectura.com Herrera, Laura.

ETFE. Copolímero de Etileno Tetrafluoretileno.

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