Research focuses

1st Axis | Architectural design and engineering : atmospheres, innovative devices and sustainable city

Scientific context

Thinking and studying the architectural project as a process and as a method of investigation presupposes the need to think in depth about the architectural conception as a complex task that requires to master as many architectural project-related parameters as possible. These various parameters include artistic, philosophical, political and social aspects and extremely practical considerations (structure and material, standards and regulations). The complementarity, interaction and adequacy between those various parameters ensure now more than ever a successful architectural project. This first Research focus has been an opportunity to explore how places, stakeholders, uses, forms, materials, human relations, lights, topological, climatic and historical conditions etc. take part nowadays to the architectural conception and to the changes affecting the profession of architect. Understanding these confrontations is a key challenge for some researchers : the systematic survey of the limits and the way of a doctrine or a set of concepts in the design process is the privileged place of their expertise and research projects. Other social sciences researchers explore with architects and artists the design of innovative knowledge devices to meet unexplored, orphan or decried urban areas. As for the engineering sciences researchers, they explore in this research focus the energy resilience of buildings and neighborhoods and the innovation and transfer of technology and knowledge in the field of renewable energies. Their research aims at developing an architectural, constructive or technical modeling to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and to promote the energy transition towards renewable energies, especially solar and geothermal energy in the building sector. In synergy with the competences of the private and public parners, the team wants to speed up the process of researching and developing innovative and economically viable technological and/or organisational solutions.

Originality

Architectural design analysis from various parameters, complementarity of approaches, practices and perceptions of space (sound, visual and olfactory etc.). Integration of the theoretical artistic positioning along with new technologies for energy transition. Articulation between quantitative and qualitative analysis of space aiming at the “democratization” of skills. Conciliate inductive and theoretical-conceptual approaches and hypothetico-deductive approaches in the analysis of architectural design.

Main events

• MEIER Alexis : organization of the conference cycle Architectural design : theoretical and professional courses, between 2012 and 2015 at the INSA Strasbourg : five to six conferences organized per year around the following themes :  Architecture and Science  (2011-2012) ; Architecture : the issue of the image (2012-2013) ;architecture/experience/installation, new spatiality dialectics (2013-2014) ; learning from experience, a range of professional paths  (2014-2015). Main guests of the last cycle : Akihisa Hirata, architect Lyon d’Or Biennale Venise 2014, Tokyo; Yves Abrioux, literature professor, Paris VIII University; Pablo-Lorenzo Eiroa, architect and theorist, professor associated to the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, New-York.
• RUDOLF Florence : design, organization of projects and et participation to events in the context of the Ateliers de la démocratie de la ville de Strasbourg, in collaboration with La Ville est un Théâtre. Between 2012 and 2016 in Strasbourg : participation to the organization of the theme days dedicated to otherness, participation to the exhibition Découvrir la ville que vous avez dessinée in the context of the closing of the Atelier de la ville de Strasbourg Silhouette urbaine: quelle ville désirons-nous?, design and organization of artistic and urban events on the Esplanade campus and its neighborhood, Du campus au quartier : la ville est là, j'entends sa rumeur, design and organization of an exhibition followed by a round table L’Esplanade et son campus : jouer avec la ville, participation to the round table Ville Artistes : Jeu et Enjeux ».
• MOROVICH Barbara : organization of the  Observatoires des Urbanités et des Ciné-café, conferences, debates and film projections on urban planning, with many organizations including Vidéo- les-Beaux- Jours, JEEP, AMI, in the Hautepierre neighborhood in Strasbourg, 2013-2015.Organization of workshops in Buenos Aires linked to the faculty of architecture of the University on the memories and stakeholders of urban projects, 2014-2016.
• LEBOIS Valérie : animation and organization of seminars Ambiances of the AMUP laboratory De l’exploration sensible de l’espace à la démarche de projet, april 2014, april 2015, at the ENSAS. In order to support the Ambiances research focus in the international research scene, Valérie Lebois has proposed to include this AMUP research focus in the international network Ambiances. More specifically, the aim is to be part of the member teams of the network led by Jean-Paul Thibaud, researcher at the CRESSON, Grenoble and Daniel Siret, researcher at the CERMA, Nantes.
• REYNES Laurent, MAZZONI Cristiana and CONSTANTINIDIS Dimitri : co-organization of seminars and international symposiums on the theme La place des artistes dans la conception de la cité en devenir, with E-Cité Europe, ENSA Strasbourg and the Conseil de l’Europe, Strasbourg, 2012-2016.

2nd Axis | Metropolisation, urbanity and culture of living

Scientific context

In the research linked to this theme, the team has aimed at understanding the images and figures that convey meaning when it comes to the metropolitan space project. The researchers have questioned the territorial scenarios and analysed the metropolis both as a space connected and dominated by the flows of citizen-friendly mobility and as a political space that conveys democratic and cultural meanings. The last generation metropolises are often defined as “metropolitan islands” that are deeply interconnected and form an archipelago of “global cities”. However, the metropolis is defined in parallel as a cultural place of innovation, creation, impetus and creativity, with a strong local identity. This definition approximates the acceptation given in Germany to the word metropolis, which is nearly used as a synonym for Weltstadt : “World city”, at the linkage between the global and local dimensions. The researchers analyse in this research focus the new ways to make and consider the metropolitan areas in the era of climate change and energy transition : both the projects that rely on emerging technologies (digital projects, smart city...) and artistic projetcs (creative cities, urban and rural landscape installations) able to create new ties between the various urban areas (housing neighborhoods, renovated brownfields, infrastructure sectors dedicated to mobility etc.). As for the 1st research focus, the stakeholders are groups or single designers who use architecture as a tool for construction related to institutions and structures with various interests (municipal bodies, multidisciplinary groups, artistic organizations, groups of citizens etc.).

In order to better understand the tools, devices and processes of the metropolitan project, the aims of this research focus are the following ones :

• Analyse both the major strategies and sectoral projects that have influenced the metropolitan development during the 30 last years, with specific regard to the transnational spatial planning of the Upper Rhine.
• Analyse the innovative processes in terms of dialogue between stakeholders that has enabled the creation of “hybrid stages” of exchanges and discussions, especially with the population.
• Analyse the role of infrastructures linked to mobility in the development of major metropolitan areas and their capacity to produce urbanity at a local level.
• Understand the inhabited space and its organization at different geographical scales - buildings, islands, towns, territories - but also at different socio-historical scales.

The participatory way, which is often at the heart of these approaches, and the interactions and conflicts between institutional projects and alternative ones have also been interrogated. This focus implies taking into account the hybridization effects and the mix between different fields of knowledge and urban practices.

Originality

Redefinition of conceptual tools linked to the metropolitan space project. Analyse of the impact of mobility infrastructures on current metropolitan areas (Upper Rhine metropolis and asian metropolises). Participation to the conception of decision support tools in the cross-border dimension. Interest in artistic, or more broadly “creative” approaches and their interactions with existing or projected physical spaces (town, landscape) and social spaces. Research and actions linked to political stakeholders and technicians of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis, expanded to economical stakeholders, in the conception of sustainable territories, post-carbon and resilient technologies. Links between knowledge and know-how. Overcoming the difficulties when it comes to the communication of scientific results and the co-construction of project scenarios with the territorial stakeholders.

Main events

• ZIEGLER Volker and NEIDLINGER Dominik : organization of numerous seminars and study days on the theme  Project cultures in Germany and Switzerland : the IBA Bâle experience , at the Modern Art Museum of Strasbourg - MAMCS and in Bâle, between 2012 and 2014. Main guests : Peter Zlonicky (IBA Emscher Park) ; René Tabouret, around the theme Unusual projects and territorial strategy : l’IBA, an innovative action process   ; Pier-Maël Anezo (IBA Bâle) ; Eric Chenderowsky (Eco-Cité project and the development of the Est-West Axis in Strasbourg).
• MAZZONI Cristiana and D'EMILIO Luna : organization of the international symposium around the theme Strasbourg : laboratory of metropolitan projects , as a closure of the research programme POPSU/MEDDE, with the support of the BRAUP/MCC, ADEUS, CAUE and ENSA Strasbourg.
• MAZZONI Cristiana : creation of the  Observatoire de la fabrique métropolitaine, with Eric Chenderowsky (Strasbourg Eurometropolis), 2013-2014. This platform, which has been renamed  Atelier des mobilités métropolitaines has been an institutional framework (ENSAS-Strasbourg Eurometropolis) for the organization of numerous seminars, workshops and inter-actor Fab-Lab, 2014- 2016 which have involved local stakeholders (ADEUS, SCOTERS, Strasbourg Eurometropolis), french experts (CEREMA, MEDDE, SYSTRA), and foreign scientists (especially Chinese).
• BORGHI Roberta, D'EMILIO Luna and GRIGOROVSCHI Andreea : organization of Citizen Dialogues, platform of dialogue between citizens around modern metropolitan issues in the context of 24 hours of architecture  on behalf of the Maisons de l’Architecture de France Network, Strasbourg, Manufacture des Tabacs, 20th October 2012. Participation to the World Cities Summit _ Ecocity, 2013 in Nantes : Local democracy and sustainable city at the metropolitan scale : “ l'expérience des Dialogues Citoyens à Strasbourg”, 25-27th September 2013.

3rd Axis | Spatial and social forms : genesis, theories and configuration

Scientific context

This theme explores the spatial and social forms on a long-term scale and from various fields : history, geography, archeology, architecture, sociology, philosophy. Since the 60s and the debate on urban architecture as a disciplinary field, the analysis of spatial forms on a urban scale has led to many trains of thought. In this research topic, the researchers intend to understand the influence of theories related to architecture in its relation to the town, and to define new methodologies to apprehend the urban fabric and historically inherited architectural objects. They focus their research on the urban scale and follow “morphological”, “archaeological” and “politico-philosophical” approaches. Towns have long been transformed on themselves, but during the second half of the XXe century, they tend to get rid of their old remnants and were changed with much less superelevation than during the previous phase. During the first phase, the reconstruction “on themselves” had the effect to develop a very specific knowledge that had rarely been studied until now : reusing existing states. In Strasbourg for instance, this knowledge has established itself successfully since the first vernacular or academic architectural programmes, and is still present in relatively more recent projects like “la Grande Percée” (1906-1930), which was the last big intramuros urban project of Strasbourg. Some researchers have carried out more research on this “archaeological” urban projects analysis approach. Others have studied the evolution of the urban fabric based on books by french and german geographers, along with urban planning and development projects by creating theoretical and practical tools to arrange the Upper Rhine metropolis since the 30s. In this research which is more focused on “morphological” approaches, the term “metropolitan project” takes another connotation depending on the cultural context : it refers to the urban or regional planning models of the Stadtlandschaft in Germany and the Rhineland model in France. Finally, other researchers adopt a “politico-philosophical” approach and focus their research on the concepts and processes linked to “urban art laboratories” of the XXe century. The researchers intend to highlight these approaches, theories and processes that have allowed the city to be transformed while adapting and reusing old strata, through juxtaposition or destruction.

Originality

Historical and politico-philosophical approaches in the analysis of urban forms. Theories on urban morphology and morphogenesis. In-depth studies on the theories behind the disciplinary field of urban architecture. Analysis of the specific nature of urban and social forms of Strasbourg compared to other metropolises. Dépassement des faiblesses théoriques du champ disciplinaire de l’architecture urbaine. Décloisonnement des disciplines qui traitent du développement de la ville et des territoires (histoire, géographie, architecture urbaine, gouvernance politique, etc.).

Main events

• ZIEGLER Volker : around the exhibition Interférences/Interferenzen. Architecture, Germany- France, 1800-2000 : many conferences, communications, guided tours, TV and radio interviews (France 3 Alsace, Deutsche Welle, Südwestrundfunk, Saarländischer Rundfunk), creation and moderation of a cycle of conferences in the Mamcs (Strasbourg), in partnership with the Ensas, Goethe Institut of Strasbourg and the DAM of Francfort, between 2013 and 2016.
• ZIEGLER Volker : organization and co-chair (with Klaus Tragbar) of the Third paper session Changing identities? Planning & Building in Border Regions, a difficult European heritage, 4e international conference, European Architectural History Network (EAHN), Dublin, 2-4th June 2016.
• PIGNOL Alexandra : on the work of the artist David Diao and the “Stalker” group, Laboratorio di arte urbana, symposiums and exhibitions co-organized with the research team in Arts EA 3402 of Strasbourg University, 2014-2016. In connection with these symposiums and exhibitions, publication of a bilingual collective work (French/English), David Diao, under the supervision of Stéphane Mroczkowski and Alexandra Pignol, in Presses Universitaires of Rennes, 2014.
• MAZZONI Cristiana, BORGHI Roberta, D'EMILIO Luna and GRIGOROVSCHI Andreea : organization of conferences and debates on  Cultures and architectural and urban process , in relation to the doctoral theses, 2012-2015. Co-publication of many articles and books on the tools of urban architecture, organization of the international symposium in Rome Riprogettare l’esistente. Idee per uno sviluppo senza consumo di territorio, Rome University la Sapienza, 14th October 2013. In connection with this symposium : scientific coordination of  Trasporti & Cultura n°36.