The Productive Region

TEAM DATA

Team Representative: Marc Rieser (DE) – urbanist

Krefelder Strasse 37, 50670 Köln, (DE)
+4917631326426- marc.rieser@hotmail.de 

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^{M. Rieser}

VIDEO (by the team)

INTERVIEW

1. How did you form the team for the competition?

I really like to work in a team, but thanks to my interdisciplinary academic education and work experience from different offices, I wanted to try this task alone as a starter for my professional future.

2. How do you define the main issue of your project, and how did you answer on this session main topic: the place of productive activities within the city?

In addition to the overflowing development pressure from the surrounding large cities - such as Cologne and Düsseldorf - the region is also affected by global megatrends. These challenges are of particular importance in regards to spatial, social, economic and ecological development, as well as the future of mobility. Such challenges also offer enormous potential for the region and the premise should not only be the reaction to external development. Rather, it should be in the region's own interest to learn from the mistakes of the big cities, to develop an address for the qualitative connection of housing, working and living from an ecological point of view and then to establish itself as THE productive region in Germany. The intention was to present the course of productivity from the regional strategy to the adaptation, to an urban planning concept and the exemplary implementation of this concept in the quarters of the respective locations. The concept comprises of four measures clusters: concrete spatial measures in the district (SPACE); Measures to revitalize these areas (LIFE); Measures for the ecological and sustainable development of the neighborhoods (ECOLOGY); Measures that enable access to the created qualities (MOBILITY). In addition, there are processes such as the DAILY-LIFE-SYSTEM, which are intended to network and optimize the synergies within the neighborhoods.

The four very different locations and their individual problems are exemplary for the entire region and its urban and rural areas. In addition to the common regional strategy, this also required four individually coordinated interpretations of the developed concept. Furthermore to these example projects in Solingen, Ratingen, Wülfrath and Hilden, this concept could be applied to anywhere in the region.

4. Have you treated this issue previously? What were the reference projects that inspired yours?

You have to deal with this issues all the time, both in your studies and at work. The principle 'Productive City' is only a current program that summarizes the challenges of the different developments. There are many projects that were an inspiration, but you still had to find your own individual solution.

5. Urban-architectural projects like the ones in Europan can only be implemented together with the actors through a negotiated process and in time. How did you consider this issue in your project?

A long-term successful and productive development is only possible if you bring all actors together and work together in a participative process. This cooperation extends from the region to the individual actors in the districts. The result of the Europan competition can be seen as the first impulse. Through this you can acquire users and uses and then create the optimal development in a common process. It is also about designing a development in several phases, which can then be readjusted in each new phase to correct any shortcomings. Such participatory processes must be designed to be inclusive in order to involve the widest possible audience. In addition to discussions with the region, the cities and any investors, citizen participation and events for cooperation an temporary uses at the locations are also part of a fair process. Like the concept, you have to find the right scaling for each location due to the different starting positions. Finding that should be the next step for each city and location... the team will be happy to help.

6. Is it the first time you have been awarded a prize at Europan? How could this help you in your professional career?

In addition to the Europan, I have already achieved success in national and international competitions, like the 'Schlaun-Wettbewerb' or the 'if-Ideas Forward Competition'. A lot of offices were founded out of the success of the Europan competition. Maybe there will be another one in the near future.

TEAM IDENTITY

Office: …
Functions: Urbanism
Average age of the associates: 30 years old

Has your team, together or separately, already conceived or implemented some projects and/or won any competition? If yes, which ones?

In addition to the Europan, I have already achieved success in national and international competitions like the 'Schlaun-Wettbewerb' or the 'if-Ideas Forward Competition'.