URBAN PLATFORMS Report of results 23 - 25 March 2015
Day 1 23rd March Tour by the other side of Madrid:
"Collective Luxruries" and "Luxury Ruins".
1. Three main ideas 1. Last 15 years cities has been shaped by the economical muscle. 2. The urban model is no longer subordinate to citizens needs, but to the aims of firms and enterprises with the support of the administration. 3. Meanwhile citizens organized themselves to propose new ways to deal with their environment, their neighbourhoods, their cities.
2. The day on the networks
3. Images of the day
Drawing by: 4ojos (www.4ojos.com)
For more information about the day: >on the networks https://storify.com/UrbanCooks/urban-cooks-madrid-meeting
>pictures https://www.flickr.com/photos/urban-cooks/sets/
Day 2 24th March Working Meetings at Intermediae-Matadero
1. Three main ideas 1. Bottom-up processes are raising all around europe, all the local administrations have to deal with them, we want to share these experience. We check the experiences from Viena, Amsterdam, Paris, Belgrade, Skpoje and Madrid. 2. Is it possible to design an international protocol to create urban platforms that allows the administrations and citizens to develop a more conscious city? Workshop with the international experts to draft a proposal. 3. Can we set an international net to share experience and support local initiatives?
2. The day on the networks
3. Images of the day
Drawing by: 4ojos (www.4ojos.com)
For more information about the day: >on the networks https://storify.com/UrbanCooks/urban-cooks-madrid-meeting
>pictures https://www.flickr.com/photos/urban-cooks/sets/
Day 3 25th March Visits to projects in the public space driven by citizens initiatives and the City Council of Madrid.
1. Three main ideas 1. Who and how manages the interstitial spaces? With which purpose? 2. Who are allowed to participate and which are their rights and responsibilities? 3. For how long can we mantain these situations?
2. The day on the networks
3. Images of the day
For more information about the day: >on the networks https://storify.com/UrbanCooks/urban-cooks-madrid-meeting
>pictures https://www.flickr.com/photos/urban-cooks/sets/
"Frankenstein Method" Dynamics for the definition of an office or hybrid platform Developed Tuesday March 24, 2015 - Matadero The workshop was made in Matadero on March 24 2015, congregated 22 people who aimed begin to imagine and define a structure or office intended to channel, support and sustain citizen initiatives that are generated in the public space in Madrid.
1. Methodology The method used "dismantle" this possible office in four parts or functions in order to clearly define the contents of the issue addressed and propose two or three possibilities in some detail. There are multiple ways to define this platform and all have advantages and disadvantages. In this case, the main goal was to get to visualize and define various choices and to see if it was possible to link them. Step 1 - Individual Display To begin the discussion on each team everyone, without first talking to anyone, envisioned a model. Step 2 - Development of alternatives Every one told his visual image, even if it was just an outline, and the group chose to develop one or two of the proposed models. Step 3 - Sharing The teams were showing their parts, their models, and placing on a wall each of the alternatives. We put in common possible connections between each of the presented alternatives. Any group could qualify or question the proposals of the other groups. Step 4 - Final assembly The goal was to define a final model with parts assembled from different groups and developing and completing the proposals from each group. The design of the methodology and monitoring workshop was conducted by Marta Roman and Elena Ă lvarez.
2. Development and outcomes of the workshop The idea is based on the construction of a sort of Frankenstein's monster as a model, where each team contributed one or two possible pieces without first knowing what the others were doing. We ended with several prototypes, some of them almost complete, with more pieces, and other defined partially by some of its parts. Head, body, legs and arms: 4 thematic groups that corresponded to the different body parts with which the Frankenstein were made. Each team worked a different theme and developed the contents. >Human Resources (Head) The team worked on the issue of human resources that the Office should have. Some questions to guide the discussion were: What human resources are required? What profiles are needed? How would be the labor relation with the office? What dedication require? Can you estimate the number of hours? Can you estimate the cost of staff needed?
The working group was formed by: Fabio Silli from the organization Alamesa / Mundo, Spain / Italy Karina Prevost from la Ville de Paris (City Hall), France Juan L贸pez-Aranguren from Basurama organization, Spain Juan Mart铆n Blas Garrido, from CityKitchen, Spain. This group established two models, involving a differential operation in each case.
The multi head: A multiple entity is established, with several offices in the territory (one per district), local resources are used, with a multidisciplinary team, with sensitivity, rapid response capability (proximity to citizens) and a high level of independence in the execution. You will need at least 1 team for each district, consisting of three persons. One person is the manager of the team that will have a horizontal accountability, coordination, to ensure the maintenance of the office, organize intervention proposals and monitoring of the execution of the proposals. The profiles are mainly professionals, from technical staff (engineering, architecture, humanities, social sciences etc.), also technical management personnel, and citizens with experience. The structure will be both physically and digitally. The macro-head This case is focused on a macro-structure, with a more evolutionary process, which will determine their staffing needs as the work increases. At least 3 people must be part of the team, with more complex professional skills. It's proposed hiring professionals according to the projects to be implemented. Participation will be open to citizenship, local associations, proximity teams and associations-platforms (thematic associations with experience and presence in the territory)
>The infrastructure (Body): The main theme was to develop the infrastructure of the office. Some questions with which they worked were: Is it virual or physical? If so, where is it placed? How big that space should be? Does it leverage existing infrastructure? How does it relate with the city? Is it open to the public?
To estimate the investment for the construction or the refurbishment of the space Estimate the cost of maintenance The working group was formed by: China Cabrerizo from O.U.S organization, Spain Jezebel Mecias Reyes from Basurama, Spain Marieke Berkers, from Stad Forum, Netherlands Patricia Alemany, from Intermediae, Spain They established two options of body types, which implies different space applications The Body: The slogan with which they titled this space was "Move your body, is Already fit! Let's use it! The idea of this structure is based on classic look, with physical offices in specific areas. But in this case is set on existing spaces, and the challenge is to diversify its functionality and set up a network that connects them. Thus we can take advantage of all existing knowledge in these structures already created for other uses, such as libraries, cultural centers, abandon shops, bars or even the street itself, drawing emblematic spaces.
Mobility A mobile structure, consisting of trucks, buses, caravans or mobile modules is defined. There shall be at least one per district, which should move in that area of town. Routes will be established to reach all areas of each district. These offices shall be made of transparent materials that facilitate visibility between interior and exterior.
>Services and activities (arms) The team defined a pair of arms with activities that would develop the Office and the services they would offer. They worked with the basis of the following questions: What activities should hold this office? What services should include? To Whom are the services targeted? What kind of actions are promoted? How is the usual operation mode? Does it propose or respond? Estimate a volume of activities. Estimate a basic operating budget. The working group was formed by: Antonio Lucio Gil, from Ecosystems, Spain Maja Lalic, from Mikser, Serbia Manuel Polanco, from Basurama, Spain Miguel Alvarez, from Rotonda Nation, Spain Rafael Ruiz L贸pez de la Cova, from City Hall of Madrid, Spain Sandra San gregorio from Basurama, Spain. They proposed two arms, each of which has different functions and working methods. Right Arm: On the right arm the services were defined. These service would be offered both in person and virtual, creating also an Office 2.0. At physical offices the staff will explain the operation and infrastructure that is available to the public, also citizens could profit from the following services: Mediate between the municipality responsible for projects and proposals for partnerships. Create a service that collect requests, demands and direct them to the appropriate city departments. Create an open space for the interpretation of the city Create a space resource exploitation, making them available to the associations that develop projects with the council resources.
On the Virtual Office 2.0 will be launched services as: Space for voting on interventions in public space, urban planning etc. where citizens can give their opinion and decide how the city develops. There will be a space open Forum, where they can present concrete proposals and then vote on them. It Will collect ideas to transmitting them to the council and professionals. A range of services and activities from offices will be launched Left Arm: EVENTS OUT & IN Develope activities to collect opinions, problems, needs, etc. both internal's (in the office) and external's (the neighborhood, district etc.). Observing reality of the streets, public spaces, etc, not always straightforward, and knowing everything that happens in them. Create spaces both inside the office and out for the development of open meetings and open channels of participation. Make an annual call for ideas, open days twice a month and develop monthly activities in areas where you are working. Meeting days between professionals and citizens to express their needs directly. People of the office, both internal and external, should rotate, and develop different roles (both inside and outside). Bottom-up management based on initiatives from citizens and activists. Importing the figure of the enablers of rural to urban spaces. >The legal basis and funding (legs) The team worked on two main themes: the legal form and financing: Who promotes its constitution? Who takes part? What functions are assumed by each of the parties? How are the decisions made? How is it linked to the Administration? What is the appropriate legal formula? Which must be the budgets? Which are the items included? Which are the expenses assumed by the Office? Estimate a budget to be operative.
The working group was formed by: Barbara Mayen from Urban Renewal Office Vienna, Austria Danko Linder from Ăœberland, Spain Berbiela JosĂŠ Bustamante, from Enxame, Spain Manuel Garcia Pascual from ZULOAK, Spain Maria Alvarez Nistal, from the City Hall of Madrid, Spain Marisol Mena Rubio, from the City Hall of Madrid, Spain Finally they defined an option consisting on three legs. Each of the legs had a clear thematic objective: the legal form, financing and strategy. Legal Form: Developing the idea of a mixed legal form, with a number of independent groups, where the administration, staff, professionals from different areas, businesses and citizens are represented. It must be ruled by a simple statute, that could be fulfilled in a Letter of Trust. They propose that there must be a paid group and another unpaid (open to participation and more specific actions). Special reference for the need for transparency and designing of the job profiles, designing a specific commission in charge of these matters.
Funding: Must be public (initially reaching 90% of the budget, and, once running, it could decrease to 70%). Thus the start of the offices is guaranteed through the council / state funding. It could also be financed through private entities in the form of donations or any other existing formulas.
We have to consider and put into value citizen participation and, economically, give a monetary value to volunteer work, taking it into account for the financing of the offices. The budget for Madrid is calculated between 5 and 10 million euros.
The strategy: The drawings represent the strategy that should be set, from the offices, for operation. There are three main areas: the visibility, flexibility and open spaces. The first project to be developed will be the implementation and development of the office.
The need to make a visible gap is highlighted, emphasizing transparency and image of open spaces as basic motto of operation. The spaces shall be ruled by multifunctionality (work and leisure and cultural) and flexibility, through the creation of different forms of structures, reutilization of existing or creating new mobile offices, in all districts of Madrid.
3. Final assembly The resulting FRANKIE was fairly homogeneous, forming a whole with its different functions. Where there were not major contradictions, nor opposing propositions of work. Furthermore, they complemented almost perfectly, and there were channels of communication between the different parts. In the final debate two management models that could be used are discussed. The first is the model of German management, where it has created an energy agency that is funded by companies related to the sector. The second idea is to apply a percentage to the large public contracts, it would create a fund, for example with 1% of contracts for garbage collection, or maintenance contracts etc. This fund would be managed by an office where the City would be represented (technical and political teams), businesses and citizens.
Urban Cooks is a partnership formed by:
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With the Support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.