Hanover, Herrenhausen Palace, 1st – 3rd Sept. 2015

Summary

The symposium „Let ́s Walk Urban Landscapes” seeks to explore new pathways to transform and qualify urban landscapes through innovative approaches in design research. The symposium aims to gather an interdisciplinary international group of people who deal with urban landscapes and/ or new research approaches in their scholarly and practical design work.

The format of the symposium can be described as experimental, as the core of the event will take place “in the field” on day two. All participants will be involved in actively exploring one of six different areas of Hanover ́s urban landscape through walking. Immediately after returning to the Herrenhausen Palace people will be asked to present their findings in a collective pop-up exhibition in the foyer of the palace. Hence, all participants will become active contributors to the symposium who integrate research and practice. On day one the ‘walkers’ will be prepared for this specific way of exploring urban landscapes by introductory lectures and workshops on innovative design research methods, while the focus of day three will be on reflecting on the exhibition outcomes from different disciplinary perspectives. At its end, the symposium aims to provide proposals of new pathways for design research.

In summary, the symposium tests a new design research approach linking experimental, intuitive and rational capacities by integrating every participant in the creation of new knowledge. The assumption is that “teaching” people methodological design research tools and engaging them – physically, mentally, emotionally – in walking will immediately allow them to become part of Hanover ́s urban landscapes and thus enter a creative process of understanding. This then will lead to fresh insights and questions and design ideas that contribute to both a collective product by all participants and reflections on future pathways in design research.