INTERNATIONAL SCHEME: RESEARCH

SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE

As they look to encourage the culture of social distancing, their insights were particularly beneficial to part of our scheme depicting the native modernised grassland area. This informed how we may shape public spaces and thus reform public life standards, and from this we were able to gain inspiration as a group to realize the positive effects social distancing would have on a community.

Though it appears counterproductive, the composition of our Urban Grassland plantation can passively orientate people and groups to maintain distance from another group, yet still initiate their own activities within the same close area. The intention is to introduce a slightly tweaked version of our current perception of social life within urban vicinities, particularly in pandemic and post-pandemic scenarios.

This notion may potentially benefit a large population that is left vulnerable.

Similarly, many of the students from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile analysed their proposals according to dystopian measures, with intention to build toward a post-utopic circumstance. The resolve to reach new heights for resilience in a post-pandemic era explores algae farming, nature’s harvesting techniques, seclusion and among other seemingly restraining factors that would actually increase the quality of life for community benefit on a larger scale than that of an individual.

It is observed and learned here that from their project schemes, they have similar foundation of ideas as to the University of Melbourne’s groups as a holistic scheme, despite triggers being vastly different.

On a experiential level, this gives a strong impression our generation is much less selfish and is able to empathise and realize the larger impact of value that a community has, rather than only caring for the individual self. With the ongoing pandemic, the modern generation has at least been able to develop a more holistic view of the world, likely a result of globalisation and internet networking, as compared to previous generations.

With a change of mindset and open-mindedness, collaboration has begun to benefit all, that expands beyond the individual, group, and even for those who they design for.

The A.A look towards promoting a work-life balance, as well as finding more keys to achieving a superior quality of working for what is classified as ‘non-essential’ jobs. They appear to strive for radical change at a major urban scale, which serves almost opposite to our scheme, as they intend to reclaim specific types of environments, some of which may be considered as ‘natural’ to us, although not in the standard sense of ‘nature’. The design proposals continue to be vastly human-centric and in contrast, we developed our proposal in opposition.

From here, as the Urban Grassland group, we learn that the self-centredness of human-centric design, while not necessarily unwarranted, may not garner maximally optimized solutions for the current circumstances.

To allow for sustainability, both human and nature must give each other the environment, the opportunity, to thrive and serve each other.

Nature has given us her land, prize enough already. We should look to other ways that provide more than a one or two-way road to this built relationship.

UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES CENTRAL DE VENEZUELA

University of Buenos Aires students explore the notions of growth, flow, escape and artificial systems, alongside reconfiguration of the new city and urban structures according to the high rise of need for resiliency.

The tactics of their perception of urbanism enables insights into their support of the economic value that small businesses may contribute to, such as the importance of side street vendors. An insightful impression is that these vendors are also a pedestrian driving force, encouraging flow of finances into the area whilst physically serving as a ‘obstruction’ to which may promote social distancing culture.

Universidad Central de Venezuela investigates the storage capacity and capabilities of the urban realm, and how the virtual realm can coexist alongside this physical reality. Where reality has become somewhat blurred, it is interesting to note their attempt to indicate that major social amenities have now been crossed into the internet instead.

Insights gained from Universidad de Los Andes-- they challenge the notions of denaturing events that are currently ingrained into societal expectations, and these expectations have not necessarily been beneficial for human or the environment. They seek to transition between defining the social status quo and levels of the city, thus restructuring urban ‘life’ anew.

Reconciliation with the natural environment appears to be a recurring theme in many of the international design schemes. It is important to note this change in perception, that this is the beginning of a new type of continuity and sustainability.

Changes in mindset per generation is what ultimately affects the growth trajectory of mankind’s realm, after all.

As the studio focuses on the concept of habitats at a variety of scales, such as the city, suburbs and the individual home, the students of University of Monterrey delve into notions of community and social organization, that inherently affect the future of social living and wellbeing support after the pandemic. Many factors of progressing to a state of new life lies in tandem with the schemes of University of Melbourne’s group of students as well. Whilst we have less concern over the politics that affects the community’s mental welfare, we also attempt to question the existing status quo and ultimately, seek redemption through designs that implement a nature bias.

In relation to the scheme of our Urban Grassland, the clean and logical drawing styles of the Los Andes studio helped determine our direction in how to depict the functionalities of the grassland system within a drawn image. Figuratively, the information provided us with other alternatives to maximise the utility of the bakery whilst minimizing support systems, so as to compose a scheme that encapsulates one core idea with minor sub branches of ideas to support this core.

COLLAGE OF URBAN GRASSLAND BY AUTHOR (JOO).