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Public Space Acupuncture

Casanova + Hernandez architects
SALT Beyoğlu Walk-in Cinema

“Public space acupuncture” can be defined as an effective urban strategy involving regeneration of the city’s public spaces and urban life based on independent, but coordinated, small interventions. Examined by Casanova + Hernandez architects, the concept has been researched extensively and spread via articles in specialized magazines; this year, it is also the central theme of a one-year studio at the Berlage Institute in Rotterdam. Further illustrating the concept are plans and urban interventions to be developed in the urban centers of several European and Asian cities. These interventions explore new ways of dynamizing the use of public space based on concepts like “flexible processes,” “button-up strategies,” “citizens’ participation,” “short-term interventions” and “nomad interventions”.

Casanova + Hernandez architects is an office for architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture founded in Rotterdam in 2001 by Jesús Hernandez Mayor and Helena Casanova. Both studied at the Architecture University (ETSAM) in Madrid. Before establishing their own practice, they joined West 8 landscape architects and urban planners in Rotterdam, assisting Adrian Geuze on different international projects. After this collaboration, Hernandez joined Claus en Kaan architecten, while Casanova worked with Neutelings-Riedijk architecten. Currently, they are developing and realizing several projects across Europe and Asia, and are engaged in ongoing research around “public space acupuncture” with the support of the Dutch government. They have taught at different European universities and currently are guest lecturers at the Berlage Institute. Casanova is a thesis mentor at the architecture school of Rotterdam (AvB) and commission member of the Dutch Architecture Fund (SFA / Stimuleringsfonds voor Architectuur). The office has won several international competitions, including Europan 6, Groningen (2001), Europan 7, The Hague (2003), the competition for the Cool Tower in the center of Rotterdam (2010) and the Ceramic Museum and landscape intervention for the 2013 World Landscape Art Exposition in Jinzhou, China (2011). Over the latest 10 years, its projects and ideas have been disseminated through several exhibitions, debates and publications throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia.

The talk will be held in English.