Europan 3
Jan 1992 - Jun 1994
At home in the city
Figures Europan 3
Participation
4500 registrations
2230 entries (50%)
85 prizes
44 winners and 41 runners-up
on 48 sites
Countries and sites
EUROPAN 3 - 10 participating countries
Europan Belgique/België/Belgien
Europan Deutschland
Europan Ellás
Europan España
Europan France
Europan Italia
Europan Nederland
Europan Österreich
Europan Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svira
Europan Sverige
EUROPAN 3 – The cities, 53 urban situations
Belgique/België/Belgien: Charleroi, Liège
Deutschland: Berlin, Erlangen, Frankfurt am Main, Koblenz, Landshut, Marl, Neuruppin, Postdam, Schwerin
Ellás: Pyrgos, Thessaloniki, Trikala / Faneromeni, Trikala / Paraskevi
España: Alguazas, Alicante, Arrigorriaga, Calella, Granada, Madrid, Orense, Requena
France: Dunkerque / Grande-Synthe, Grand Lyon / Pierre Bénite, Le Havre, Lorient, Meaux, Mulhouse, Reims, Saintes
Italia: Brescia, Campi Bisenzio, Catania, Milano, Pavia, Quarrata, Torino
Nederland: Den Bosch, Dordrecht, Groningen, Haarlem
Österreich: Graz, Leibnitz
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra: Giubiasco, Meyrin, Sankt-Gallen, Yverdon-les-Bains
Sverige: Gävle, Helsingborg, Stockholm
Theme
AT HOME IN THE CITY
Urbanising residential areas
The theme of the third session of Europan is at the intersection of that proposed for the first competition, which studied the interior of the home as a function of the evolution of lifestyles; and that of the second, the re-evaluation of the place of habitation on urban sites under conversion. EUROPAN 3 poses the following questions. In what way should existing residential districts be developed to make them compatible with changes in lifestyles - affecting the home, work and leisure - and the aspirations of the inhabitants of European towns to live in a multi-faceted citizenship? How can one today, rethink the relationship between the town's public and private spaces? What is the status of transition spaces in light of the evolution of the relationship between intimacy and urbanity?
In a large number of European towns and conurbations, districts where people live are suffering from spatial, functional and social uniformity. Management of space and standardised production methods have led to ruptures that accentuate the polarisations between the public space and the private space. These do not facilitate the diversity of lifestyles and living, and are hardly propitious to the reorganisation of spare-time activities and to the multiple and communal appropriations of a town's spaces.
The use of communications technology and the fragmentation of urban spaces modify the notion of spatial distance and proximity; social relationships are no longer drawn exclusively from life in the immediate proximity, or the domestic circle, they have enlarged to the scale of the town. Many urban facets are brought into play. It is a case of making possible a variation of sociabilities and cultures, favouring the establishment in space of innovative practices, treating the diversity of uses, the home/work relationship, and the ways and means of creating employment locally. It is also a question of fighting against nuisances and the feeling of insecurity, of favouring the quality of life by taking account of ecological values.
The home environment, this forsaken space, must be re-occupied by the town's decision-makers to become the theme of a European architectural reflection that places itself in the context of present social and economic transformation. It concerns the questioning of the architectural categories: interior/exterior and private/public, in the face of urban discontinuities. What are the interfaces between one's living space and the public space? How can one insert mobile spaces into the town, such as the motorcar? How can one organise and lay out housing, and design proximity without creating an indiscriminate mix? How can one take into account the demands of communal services and individual appropriation of exterior spaces? What is the place of urban art?