Urban Design Theory

Can Altay has transformed The Showroom into the production site of a single edition newspaper: The Church Street Partners’ Gazette. The second issue continues tracking the redevelopment processes through the inhabitants' voices, while touching upon issues of domestic labor and homelessness.

O acampamento militar foi entendido explicitamente como simulacro urbano pelo menos desde as Historiae de Políbio, uma das principais fontes antigas. Os procedimentos para o alojamento dos exércitos constituíam matéria usual nos livros de arte militar, tendo sido alvo de interesse renovado na cultura arquitectónica do Renascimento. No contexto do século XVII e em particular na formação dos engenheiros militares, cujo ensino organizado em Portugal não é perceptível antes de 1647, incluiu-se ainda a castrametatio como objecto de estudo nos seus con-tornos clássicos. Através da análise do Tratado de Castramentasão ou Alojamento dos Exercitos, de Luís Serrão Pimentel, procura-se relacionar a genealogia deste conhecimento castrense com o potencial exercício de habilitação para o desenho urbano.
The military camp was explicitly understood as an urban simulacrum, at least since Polybius's Historiae, one of the main ancient sources. Procedures for army's lodgings were usual topics in military art books, having known renewed interest in the Renaissance architectural culture. In 17th century context, specially in the military engineers training (whose organized teaching in Portugal is not clear before 1647), the castrametatio was still studied in its classical outlines. e analysis of the Treatise on Castrametation or Armies Lodging, by Luís Serrão Pimentel, seeks to relate the genealogy of this military knowledge with the potential qualiication for exercise on urban design.

What will come with the passing of time? What will be the scenarios of tomorrow? The future and its many possibilities has been the core of the experiences organised for the Masters of Design and Innovation students during their trip to La Granja de San Ildefonso, in Segovia. A unique common personal development experience, with team building activities, outdoor experiences and seminars on the conceptual relation of future environments.

This experiential journey is part of the first cross-curricular unit, common to the four programs, coordinated by Pablo Jarauta. In this transversal stage the students’ way of thinking is reconstructed to have a collective social consciousness that acts as an engine for innovation and gives them a necessary initial approach to the field of design and project culture.

The trip took place in a unique place: The Royal Glass Factory of La Granja, a unique environment with a history and trajectory close to design, innovation and creativity. Thanks to the support and the care given by the team of workers and artisans, the students were able to enjoy a guided tour of the factory and interact with the working of the glass in the workshop.

The central theme of the trip was reflection on the future in its broadest sense and the role of the designer in the future. These possible scenarios were explored through a multitude of subjects such as the limits and possibilities of future cities, or the web as a space of the future with a hidden, dark side, from which emerges creativity and innovation.

The intention of the visit, beyond that of reflection, was for the students to have an unforgettable experience that would allow them to know themselves, interact with the environment and experience new sensations. Experience solitude, meditate and activate the senses of smell and touch through such basic actions as feeling the cold of snow under bare feet were essential experiences in this “retreat”.

On the other hand, in the midst of this being in tune with themselves, the environment and reflection, the creatives discovered the power of visual language, used to generate ideas and communicate them, and also the power of storytelling: the ability to listen and empathize.

The activities were carried out under the vision of outstanding professionals from very different sectors, such as Carlos Goga, an entrepreneurs coach, professionals of Musarión, a consultancy firm specializing in leader coaching, Pedro Medina, director of the IED Madrid Publishing House, Marisa Santamaria, Director of Institutional Relations of the IED Madrid, Javier Maseda, Creative Director of IED Madrid, Elena Urizar, UX designer, Andrea Morpurgo and Santiago Rubin, Tutors of the first unit of the masters.