Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing

June 16-18, 2025

Call for Contributions

An AESOP Thematic Group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures Event

Dates: June 16-18, 2025

Locations: Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rijeka and Cres (Croatia)

Organizers: Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (Ljubljana), Polygon – Center for Cultural Research and Project Development (Zagreb), University of Rijeka – DELTALAB – Center for Urban Transition, Architecture and Urbanism (Rijeka)

In collaboration with: University of Rijeka, Palace Moise
 

Theme:

We invite you to actively participate in 'Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing,' a unique three-day event exploring the profound connection between our built environments and human wellbeing. We will examine walkability and the role of hope within public spaces through two distinct epistemological perspectives: urban design and artistic expression. This event will explore how the pedestrian experience of public spaces - from streets and squares to parks and community areas - shapes our mood, mental health and sense of community. We aim to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together scholars, practitioners, artists, policymakers and community members to envision and create more hopeful, human-centered urban spaces.

 

The core themes of this event include exploring walkability as a catalyst for social, economic and cultural vitality, understanding the pedestrian's role in politics, urban innovation, art and social change as cultural resistance, and investigating the relationship between urban syntax, architecture and the concept of an error. The event is conceptualised as a combination of lectures, discussions and site visits which will examine urban evolution and adaptation through case studies from Ljubljana, Rijeka and Cres, focusing on balancing preservation of walkable environments with contemporary needs and socio-economic transformation. To differentiate between epistemological approaches in art and urbanism regarding the pedestrian experience and drawing on historical urban pedagogies we will also address human-centered spatial planning and design, focusing on the "errors" in current urban environments and advocating for a renewed focus on human wellbeing, explore the psychological dimensions of spatial experience and aim to understand how urban design and contemporary art can foster positive social interaction and wellbeing.

This event transcends the traditional understanding of walkability, examining it as a critical lens through which we can assess the accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability of our cities and towns. We will investigate how walkability intersects with social equity, environmental justice and the creation of vibrant, community-oriented places, emphasizing the role of art as a tool for critical engagement and transformative intervention. We will address the challenges and opportunities presented by contemporary urban planning, including artistic critical perspectives on emerging urban models. We encourage a discussion that acknowledges both the benefits and potential drawbacks of current trends in urban matters and explores how artistic approaches can illuminate and challenge these trends.

This call is dedicated to the intersection of the two epistemological approaches on how different positions generate knowledge, perception about walking, movement, and public space in relation to the spatial interpretations and transforming experience into identity, atmosphere and consequently the hope.

We welcome contributions from a wide range of disciplines including and not limited to architecture, urban planning and design, cultural studies, heritage studies, social sciences, environmental studies, contemporary art, philosophy, community activism and policymaking. We invite for submissions to be part of the programme provided by local co-organisers. The contributors are most welcome to join the whole 3-day programme but can also opt for attendance at one or more of the three locations of the event.

Preliminary Program:

The event will feature keynote speeches by leading experts, paper sessions presenting selected contributions from this call, discussions, case study visits, on-site talks and a hands-on workshop in a small settlement of medieval origin, exploring historical urban pedagogies.

• Monday, June 16th: Ljubljana Session with a focus on Research and Policy Making
• Tuesday, June 17th: Rijeka Session with a focus on Urban Studies and Errors of Hope
• Wednesday, June 18th: Practicum and the case study of the Cres Neighbourhood, focusing on the preservation of vernacular architecture and Renaissance urbanism alongside contemporary citizen-led urban initiatives

Invited Speakers:

Sanja Bojanić, University of Rijeka, Academy of Applied Arts
Nikola Bojić, University of Zagreb, Academy of Fine Arts
Branka Cvjetičanin, Polygon, Center for Cultural Research and Project Development
Marin Gregorović, Mayor of City of Cres
Blaž Križnik, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts
Ida Križaj Leko, University of Rijeka, DeltaLab Urban Studies
Luka Mladenovič, Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia
Marcell Mars and Miro Šarić

Inge Solis, senior curator, City Museum Cres
Tadej Žaucer, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of the Republic of Slovenia

How to submit the proposal for your contribution:

Write an abstract of not more than 500 words and not more than 5 keywords by 28^th of April 2025, and submit it to walkinghope@uirs.si.

The abstract shall articulate your unique perspective on the “Walking with Hope” event’s central themes, demonstrating a connection between your work and the exploration of walkability’s impact on urban life. This includes specifying how your research or practice addresses walkability as a driver of social, economic and cultural development, and how it considers the pedestrian’s role in shaping urban spaces through politics, planning, art, social change, innovation etc.

Explicitly state the preferred place of your presentation or contribution (Ljubljana, Rijeka or Cres)  - to allow for appropriate consideration within the event’s program.

Abstracts will be peer-reviewed, the final decisions of acceptance will be communicated by May 5^th 2025.

Logistics:

Attendees are responsible for their own accommodation arrangements (June 15-17 in Ljubljana, and June 17-19 in Cres).

Sunday, June 15: Arrivals to Ljubljana

Tuesday, June 17: travel to Rijeka in the morning hours, travel to Cres in the evening hours

Thursday, June 19: Return to Ljubljana

Transportation between event locations (from Ljubljana, via Rijeka, to Cres, and back to Ljubljana) will be provided by the organisers however, seats are limited.

Please note the Ferry-boat location and schedule - Valbiska (island of Krk) to Merag (island of Cres).

Further information will be provided closer to the event.

Publishing options:

A book of abstracts will be published for the event. Furthermore, selected contributors will be invited to prepare full papers for publication in the blind peer-reviewed scientific journal Urbani izziv (Urban Challenge)

Organisational Information:

Local organisers:

• Branka Cvjetičanin, Polygon – Center for Cultural Research and Project Development: branka.cvjeticanin@polygon.hr
• Matej Nikšič, Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia: matej.niksic@uirs.si

AESOP TG PSUC Representatives:

• Chiara Belingardi, LAPEI University of Florence, Italy
• Mohamed Saleh, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• Tihomir Viderman, BTU Cottbus – Senftenberg, Germany

Do not hesitate to contact local organisers for more information.

 

We look forward to your participation in this engaging and thought-provoking event!

We cannot solve modern transport challenges with outdated approaches

A discussion on the transport paradigm shift was organised by the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia on the 16th January 2025

The Transformative transport planning research group  at Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia presented the policy paper "We Cannot Solve Modern Transport Challenges with Outdated Approaches". Over the past 30 years, Slovenia has built numerous new roads to facilitate the country's development and make car travel faster, more convenient, and safer. While road safety on long-distance routes has significantly improved, paradoxically, our quality of life has deteriorated: we spend more time on roads, travel longer distances, and often find ourselves stuck in traffic. Slovenia stands at a crossroads: will we continue with onesided investments in the road network, which are proven to exacerbate societal issues?

Members of the UIRS Transformative transport planning research group  Aljaž Plevnik,  Tom Rye, Luka Mladenovič, Mojca Balant, and Andraž Hudoklin presented the key messages from the policy paper:

1. Slovenia needs a new transport paradigm to improve quality of life.

Current transport planning, focused on road expansion and accommodating the growth of car traffic, results in greater congestion, longer travel times, and reduced accessibility to key destinations. Planning paradigm shift is needed to manage private motorized traffic and prioritize public transport, cycling, walking, as well as digital and spatial accessibility.

2. Implementing a new paradigm requires changes in values and planning methods.

The new paradigm focuses on ensuring accessibility rather than mere mobility. It calls for a shift from a sectoral to an interdisciplinary approach, new values and practices, the adoption of comprehensive and integrated transport planning, and its integration with spatial planning.

3. The transition to the new paradigm is hindered by outdated planning practices and resistance from key stakeholders.

The old paradigm, based on road and parking capacity expansion, dominates due to esteblished beliefs and practices within the profession, financial interests, and distrust in new approaches. The shift requires new knowledge, international experience exchange, awareness-raising, and collaboration among professionals and the public to demonstrate the benefits of a paradigm shift.

***

About STPN:       

Committed to a paradigm shift in traffic planning and management, we operate both domestically and internationally, collaborating with leading experts and stakeholders from the public and private sectors. With over 20 years of experience, we deliver professional recommendations and solutions grounded in research, practical testing, and real-world insights. We provide training for both domestic and international experts, decision-makers, and the next generation of specialists in the field.

The event was as part of the CARE4CLIMATE project.

***

CONTACT AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

E-mail: stpn@uirs.si

Website

Recording of the event

Policy paper

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

Volume 35, Issue 2, December 2024

We are pleased to announce the publication of the latest edition of Urbani izziv / Urban Challenge (Volume 35, Issue 2, December 2024). This edition features six scientific articles, with the editorial highlighting the importance of green spaces for relaxation and relief from everyday stress.

We invite you to explore the latest research and encourage scholars to submit their scientific contributions for consideration in upcoming issues.

We wish you a pleasant reading.

Remote Places, Public Spaces: designing with care in rural areas – European and Slovenian perspectives

Invitation to the Lecture in English

“Human Cities / SMOTIES” is a participatory design project focused on community engagement in co-designing public spaces and transformations across ten European rural areas. Over four years, project partners have explored local narratives, nurtured social imagination, and envisioned potential regenerative transformations. The project seeks to understand how rural contexts can inspire meaningful shifts in place-centred regeneration, offering a different path than the one typically suggested by urban models. What if the radical innovation lies in these non-mainstream approaches? Should we prioritize a dominant futuristic drive or embrace sensitive, caring interventions that honour enduring relationships, as demonstrated through our relational, narrative experiment fostering dialogue with local communities? One European project, four years, and ten stories for ten small and remote places.

Special emphasis will be given to the Slovenian pilot project that took place in Polhograjski Dolomiti Landscape Park and its communities. This project challenged the questions of empowering local communities through the participatory design of public spaces and reconsidering possible new roles of local heritage in fulfilling the demands and responding to the dynamics of contemporary society.

 

Annalinda De Rosa is an Assistant Professor of Design and member of the Polimi DESIS Lab, focusing on social innovation and sustainability. From 2020 to 2024, she co-coordinated the Creative Europe project “Human Cities / Smoties.” Her research emphasizes participatory design and fostering social cohesion in urban and rural communities.

Matej Nikšič is a researcher from Ljubljana who specializes in urban design and community engagement. He coordinated the Slovenian team of the “Human Cities / Smoties” project which aimed to empower local communities through participatory urban design and reinvention of cultural heritage.

 

At the end of the project »Smoties - Creative works with small and remote places« , the book "Remote Places, Public Spaces" was published by Birkhäuser and is available at the following link.

Join us at 6 PM for the opening of the exhibition HOUSE ON THE HILL / TOGETHER, prepared by Zavod CCC.
The House on the Hill/Hiša na hribu has become recognised as an example of good practice in creating or strengthening public and social spaces on the outskirts of a city, in the rural environment of the Polhov Gradec Hills. As such, it has been part of the EU project Smoties – Human Cities in the last three years. Its partner from Slovenia is the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia.

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 35, issue 1, June 2024

The latest edition of Urbani izziv / Urban Challenge has been published, featuring six scientific articles. We invite you to read it here and encourage you to submit your scientific contributions for the upcoming issue. Enjoy your reading!

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 34, issue 2, December 2023

Before holidays, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring five scientific articles.  You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue. Wishing you a pleasant read! 

1st national event of the project “SPOZNAJ – Supporting the implementation of Open Science principles in Slovenia”

Thursday, 5 October 2023, from 9:00 to 15:00 in the ZRC SAZU Atrium, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana and via Zoom with simultaneous interpretation from Slovenian into English

You are cordially invited to the 1st national event of the project “SPOZNAJ – Supporting the implementation of Open Science principles in Slovenia”, which will mark the beginning of the project and, together with the most important stakeholders, outline the guidelines for the implementation of the national open science policies. We will also present some successful practices of this kind in the European Research Area.

Within the framework of the SPOZNAJ project, the Central Technical Library at the University of Ljubljana and 20 Slovenian public research organisations will align their practices with the Resolution on the Scientific Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2030, the Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act, the Public Information Access Act, the Regulation on the Implementation of Scientific Research in Alignment with the Principles of Open Science, and the practices and principles of open science in the European Research Area. Open science encompasses open access to research results, the adoption of responsible metrics for assessing the quality and impact of scientific research, and the engagement of citizens in scientific research activities. The project receives co-financing from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the national Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The 1st national event of the SPOZNAJ project will take place on Thursday, 5 October 2023, from 9:00 to 15:00 in the ZRC SAZU Atrium, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, according to the attached programme. The event will also be live-streamed via Zoom with simultaneous interpretation from Slovenian into English.

Financira EU, NextGenerationEU ; NOO Načrt za okrevanje in odpornost ; RS Ministrstvo za visoko šolstvo, znanost in inovacije

REAL CORP 2023

LET IT GROW, LET US PLAN, LET IT GROW Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities

From 18th until 20th September 2023 the Faculty of Architecture will host a REAL CORP CONFERENCE  LET IT GROW, LET US PLAN, LET IT GROW – Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities (REAL CORP 2023 28th International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society GeoMultimedia).

Partners of  REAL CORP-a 2023 are:

• CORP – Competence Center of Urban and Regional Planning
• UIRS – Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, https://www.uirs.si
• University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture, https://www.fa.uni-lj.si
• ISOCARP – International Society of City and Regional Planners, https://www.isocarp.org.

More about the programm and the conference.

Project SPOZNAJ - Support for the Implementation of Open Science Principles in Slovenia

Autumn Series of Presentations on Open Science (September and October 2023)

In September and October, the SPOZNAJ project consortium will organise a series of presentations on open science, which will take place every Thursday from 10:30 to 12:00 via Zoom. Additional events will also be organised by the University of Ljubljana and the University of Maribor. More information and links to the registration forms can be found here (in Slovenian). The consortium presentations will be held in Slovenian. They will be recorded and uploaded to the Arnes Video platform for later viewing. Subtitles will be added in English and Slovenian in due course. If you would like to receive news about the SPOZNAJ project, you can sign up for email updates (in English). We look forward to your participation!

The SPOZNAJ Project will introduce the principles of open science to Slovenian research organisations

2nd August 2023 marks the beginning of the project "SPOZNAJ - Support for the Implementation of Open Science Principles in Slovenia". This initiative involves the Central Technical Library at the University of Ljubljana and 20 Slovenian public research organizations, all of which will align their practices with the Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act, the Regulation on the Implementation of Scientific Research in Alignment with the Principles of Open Science, and the practices and principles of open science within the European Research Area. Open science encompasses open access to research results, the adoption of responsible metrics for assessing the quality and impact of scientific research, and the engagement of citizens in scientific research activities. The project receives co-financing from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the national Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

The project consortium consists of:  

• Central Technical Library at the University of Ljubljana as the project coordinator,   

• Agricultural Institute of Slovenia,  

• Educational Research Institute,  

• Geological Survey of Slovenia,  

• Institute for Ethnic Studies,  

• Institute for Hydraulic Research, Ljubljana,  

• Institute of Contemporary History,  

• "Jožef Stefan" Institute, 

• National Institute of Biology,  

• National Institute of Chemistry,  

• Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts,  

• Rudolfovo – Science and Technology Centre Novo mesto,  

• Science and Innovation Centre Pomurje,  

• Science and Research Centre Koper,  

• Slovenian Forestry Institute,  

• Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute,  

• Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia,  

• Faculty of Information Studies Novo mesto,  

• University of Ljubljana (under its umbrella, the Slovenian Social Sciences Data Archives coordinates one of the work packages),  

• University of Maribor (under its umbrella, the University Library Maribor coordinates one of the work packages) and  

• University of Primorska. 

 

The project's objective is to raise awareness, educate, and empower the consortium partners' staff by providing them with relevant knowledge and skills in open science. This includes developing educational materials, establishing support structures, and adapting the operational mechanisms of the consortium partners to align with the principles of open science. In addition to the consortium partners, the project aims to engage other significant stakeholders in scientific research activities, such as private research and higher education organizations, independent researchers, public agencies (ARIS, NAKVIS), other public institutions (e.g., Arnes, libraries), business entities, and the wider interested public. 

By the project's completion on 30th June 2026, the consortium will organize a minimum of 30 public lectures on current topics related to open science and four national events with international participation. It will also define the profiles of support experts specializing in open science and research data management, creating a catalogue of their competencies. Specialised training sessions will be conducted for initial specialists in this field, including consortium partners and other interested institutions. Support structures will be established to assist these specialists as they commence their activities. Educational materials on practical applications of open science principles, with an emphasis on research data management, will be prepared in both online and printed formats. Existing documents and processes at consortium partners will be evaluated, proposing formal bases of operation in line with the principles of open science, and pilot adjustments will be implemented. The project will strive to raise awareness about the significance of open science among professionals and the general public. 

The "SPOZNAJ" project is aligned with the broader European development of open science. Namely, open science has been identified by the European Union as a key measure in the Research and Innovation Pact for the period 2022–2024 and was also written into law with the revised Directive (EU) 2019/1024 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on open data and the re-use of public sector information. Slovenia has adapted to these new European guidelines by enacting the Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act in 2021, adopting the Resolution on the Scientific Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2030 in 2022, and implementing the Regulation on the Implementation of Scientific Research in Alignment with the Principles of Open Science and the Action Plan for Open Science in 2023. These legislative acts mandate those engaged in scientific research activities to ensure open access to research results, practice responsible evaluation of research work, and involve citizens in research activities. 

 For further information about the "SPOZNAJ" project, please contact NOO.spoznaj@ctk.uni-lj.si. 

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 34, issue 1, June 2023

In June, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring five scientific articles.

You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue. Wishing you a pleasant read! 

The future of placemaking: Mapping the way forward for a better society

International Symposium, May 8th 2023, Museum of Architecture and Design, MAO, Rusjanov trg 7, Ljubljana

Placemaking refers to the inclusive process of creating and improving public spaces to promote health, happiness, and well-being for individuals and communities. Creating vibrant, accessible, and inclusive public spaces is crucial for building a sense of community and fostering social cohesion. Placemaking can help to create attractive, safe and welcoming spaces where people from diverse backgrounds can come together, interact, and build relationships. If properly designed, such places can also mitigate the challenges of contemporary societies, such as social alienation, mobility issues, impacts of climate change etc. Placemaking can also be an economic driver by attracting new visitors, supporting small businesses, and increasing property values.

This symposium aims to address various aspects of contemporary placemaking through the lectures of the invited speakers and by providing the podium for the exchange of thoughts and ideas on the ways forward for placemaking.

Due to the limited number of places at the venue please register at placemaking@uirs.si.

Alternatively, you can join online at (registration not needed in this case): LINK TO THE ONLINE EVENT.

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

Matej Nikšič, Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia; Neža Čebron Lipovec, University of Primorska; Tim Mavrič, Innorenew CoE; Zsuzsanna Varga, University of Glasgow; Pekka Tuominen, University of Helsinki

This symposium is organised as part of the COST Action CA18204 - Dynamics of placemaking and digitization in Europe´s cities (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18204/) training school METHODOLOGIES FOR RESEARCHING PLACE-MAKING PROCESSES IN CONTESTED HISTORIC SPACES” taking place in Ljubljana and Koper, Slovenia, from May 8 to May 12 2023, co-organised by the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, University of Primorska and Innorenew. Contact the above-mentioned e-address for more information on the programme of the symposium (May 8) and the workshop activities (May 9-12).

Programme

9:00 – 9:10 Introductions by representatives of COST CA18204 and local host

9:10 – 9:50 Janez Koželj: Pedestrianization, a catalyst for urban regeneration

9:50 – 10:30 Leandro Madrazo: A-Place - Linking places through networked artistic practices

10:30 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 11:40 Neža Čebron Lipovec: Group memory-talk: a new ethnographic method in built heritage conservation between heritagisation and place-making

11:40 – 12:20 Zala Velkavrh: Urban Interventions

12:20 – 13:00 Branka Cvijetićanin: Pedestrian viewpoint or how space forms life narrative

13:00 – 13:30 Final discussion

Programme continues for COST Action CA18204 members and speakers, others can join upon a prior request sent to matej.niksic@uirs.si

13:30 – 14:30 Lunch at MAO

14:30 – 15:30 UNIVERSUM PLEČNIK: Between Workshop and Myth – guided tour of the MAO exhibition by Natalija Lapajne, co-curator 

15:30 – 17:00 Ljubljana bicycling tour guided by prof. Janez Koželj (the bicycles will be kindly provided by BicikeLJ)

SMOTIES Travelling Talks series Small Places, Great Ideas - Placemaking in Remote Communities

Public lectures in English on Monday April 17 2023 at 16:30, Urban planning institut of the Republic of Slovenia, Trnovski pristan 2, Ljubljana, followed by a social gathering

We are kindly inviting you to the lectures within the series of Traveling Talks, which are held in various European countries in the period 2020-2024 as part of the SMOTIES project. International project partnership deals with issues of co-creation of public spaces in small and remote places and the roles of the creative sector in these processes. More about the project at https://humancities.eu/smoties/. Everyone is welcome!

 

Public lectures in English on Monday April 17 2023 at 16:30, Urban planning institut of the Republic of Slovenia, Trnovski pristan 2, Ljubljana, followed by a social gathering

 

16:30    Nina Goršič, UIRS, Human Cities network: Introduction and project SMOTIES

16:40    Giulio Verdini, Westminster University: The Oasis of the future: climate adaptation as a strategy in rural Morocco

17:00    Urška Sešek, Smlednik:  The village garden of Smlednik

17:20    Valerija Pučko, Rodik:  The Mithycal park

17:40    Discussion, moderated by Matej Nikšič, UIRS

 

More about the programme

 

©Mitski park – photo by Jan Antonac, VSŠ Sežana

LET IT GROW, LET US PLAN, LET IT GROW – Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities

18 - 20 September 2023, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Urban planning institut of the Republic of Slovenia is a co-host of the 28th International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society Let it grow, let us plan, let it grow Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities. Call for papers is open until 15 April 2023. More about the conference.

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 33, issue 2, December 2022

Before holidays, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring six scientific articles and a book review.  You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue. Wishing you a pleasant read! 

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 33, issue 1, June 2022

In June, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring five scientific articles and a  book review.

You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue. Wishing you a pleasant read! 

Human Cities/Humana mesta/ - SMOTIES

Seminar, study visits, workshops, walk, Ljubljana and Medvode wider area, 29. 6. - 1. 7. 2022

We are inviting you to a number of events organised by Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the international network Human Cities - Smoties between June 29th and July 1st 2022 in Ljubljana and the wider area of Medvode.

WEDNESDAY June 29 2022:
Public Seminar: PUBLIC SPACES AND PARTICIPATORY DESIGN WITH
CREATIVE SECTOR – EXPLORING BEYOND THE URBAN

Venue: Ljubljana, Faculty of architecture, Plečnik Hall, Zoisova ulica 12, Ljubljana

Time	Topic	Speaker
13:00	Registration opens
14:00	Welcome	Matej Nikšič and Nina Goršič, Urban planning institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Smoties Ljubljana Matej Blenkuš, dean, Faculty of architecture of the University of Ljubljana
14:10	Keynote	Matthew Carmona, professor, University College London: Why do we need good urban design
14:45	Slovenian perspectives	Blanka Bartol, Ministry of the environment and spatial planning Petra Vertelj Nared, Urban institute of Ljubljana Anja Zorko, Centre for creativity
15:30	Q&A
15:45	Coffee break
16:00	Introduction to Smoties	Davide Fassi, Politecnico di Milano, Human Cities Smoties lead partner
16:15	EU Best practices review	Presentations of selected practice by Smoties partners: Anke Strittmatter, Austria: Dorfschmiede Gutenstein - "We make the world a village" Aljona Surzikova, Estonia: From waste to diamond. The story of Pram Museum Sara de Gouy, France: Yes. Frontage, minimum project to reveal vegetal Greece Mojca Senegačnik, Slovenia: Hiša na hribu / House on the hill – Introduction and future perspectives Iceland Paola Russo, Italy: A cielo aperto / Open air. The wisdom of time. Poland Portugal Josie King, United Kingdom: Cosmic Colliery, reaching for the stars in disused mine
17:20	Closing remarks

THURSDAY June 30 2022: VISITING SMALL PLACES IN MEDVODE MUNICIPALITY*

Venue: Fieldtrip and workshops, mainly by bus, some walking included

Time	Topic	Speaker
9:30	Bus departs from Ljubljana (departure location will be communicated by email to all registered attendees)
10:15	Short stop in Smlednik (The Village garden)	Urška Sešek
10:45	Bus departs from Smlednik
11:15	Welcome to Topol pri Medvodah Participatory workshop: The future of small places and their public spaces	Municipality of Medvode Local actors and residents moderated by Natalija Vrhunc
13:30	Lunch in Topol pri Medvodah
15:00	Getting-to-know Polhov Gradec Dolomites Appreciating the forest A mindful walk through the lush forests between Topol and Belo and reconsideration of the ways we live and form the community Bringing contemporary art and artists off the bitten tracks Art intervention at Pr'Lenart homestead	Zvonka Simčič, Mojca Senegačnik, Mojca Sfiligoj Vanja Ločniškar
18:00	Smoties exibition opening and performance
18:30	Meeting the locals and the culinary traditions of the remote place
20:00	Transportation back to Ljubljana starts (last ride by van at around 22:00)

* Obligatory registration

FRIDAY July 1 2022

Morning meeting place: Prešernov trg / Prešeren square, Ljubljana

Time	Topic	Speaker
9:00	Meeting Plečnik – Human-centered Urban Design UNESCO Nomination and Listing***	Tomaž Štoka, coordinator of working group nominating Plečnik's work at UNESCO, MAO
10:00	Technical meeting (Smoties partners only), end of session foreseen at 13:00 Venue: Plečnik House, Karunova ulica 4-6, Ljubljana
	When needed, in the afternoon the UIRS premises in Trnovski pristan 2 will be available for small group working sessions or individual meetings. *** Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik considerably changed the image of Ljubljana by his urban design and architectural interventions. His legacy has been recently listed as the UNESCO heritage due to the highly contextual and human-scale urbanistic approach (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1643/). We will spend the early morning learning what was important to Plečnik when creating public spaces.

For the additional programme you may among others consider:

• BIO 27 – Super Vernaculars, Museum of architecture and design (MAO): https://mao.si/en/bio-27-super-vernaculars/
• Street festival Ana Desetnica: https://www.anamonro.si/25-ana-desetnica/
• Imago Sloveniae https://imagosloveniae.net/en/festivali/summer-in-old-ljubljana-town/

Please contact the organisers for any further information (Urban Planning Institute of the
Republic of Slovenia, info@uirs.si):

• Matej Nikšič, matej.niksic@uirs.si , 00386 31 368 334
• Nina Goršič, nina.gorsic@uirs.si , 00386 31 677 433
• Gurvan Seite, gurvan.seite@gmail.com
• Laura Daviaud, laura.daviaud@gmail.com 

The up-to-date programme is accessible at UIRS web-page:

https://www.uirs.si/sl-si/Novice/ArtMID/419/ArticleID/255/Humana-mestaHuman-Cities-SMOTIES

More information on Smoties: https://humancities.eu/smoties/

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

Volume 32, issue 2, December 2021

Just before the holidays, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring five scientific articles, a book review, and a research project presentation.

You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue!

'Women on stage. Discovering the artistic female contribution to the Art Nouveau'

Online lecture series

From January 2022, the Réseau Art Nouveau Network online lecture series, 'Women on stage. Discovering the artistic female contribution to the Art Nouveau', will begin.

Each month, a researcher will give a lecture on one or more women who have left their mark on the Art Nouveau style in Europe.

The lectures are free, but registration is required in advance for each lecture by sending an email to info@artnouveau-net.eu.

You will receive a zoom link that will allow you to attend the lecture.

Find all the info here.

Changing streets in changing cities: Providing streets for all?

Urbani izziv, volume 32, supplement, December 2021

A special issue of Urbani izziv / Urban Challenge journal has been published addressing the role of streets and other public spaces in fast-changing cities. Six international author groups from Europe, the Middle East and South America address the themes of accessibility for all, informal forms of mobility, walkability of housing neighbourhoods, socio-spatial justice, urban renewal, environmental efficiency and sustainable development. A special issue was published in connection to the City Street 4 online conference hosted in by the Urban Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ljubljana September 2020 in Ljubljana in cooperation with the University of Notre Dame-Louaize in Beirut. Enjoy the reading following the free-access link.