Special Studies in Urban Studies and Planning – The Cardener River Corridor Workshop
Course facts
- Payment: Free, no certificate
- Credits: Non Credit
- Learning style: Self-paced, start anytime
- Resources: Lecture Notes; Presentation Assignments with Examples
MIT OpenCourseWare details
- As taught in: Fall 2001
- Department: Urban Studies and Planning
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Follow a planning studio on Spain’s Cardener River, with site visit, client reviews and a plan for conserving its natural and cultural landscape.
Medieval towns, early textile mills and salt mines line a Catalan river in poor environmental health. This workshop asked student teams to plan its future with real clients, including the Barcelona Provincial Council. Working across landscape architecture, urban design and environmental planning, they used the watershed as the frame for balancing development, community character and conservation.
What You Will Achieve
- Use a watershed as a framework for regional planning
- Balance economic development, community character and environmental issues
- Develop area-wide concepts and specific site designs
- Present a plan to clients, officials and residents
Program Overview
On Site in Catalunya
The first month began with a visit to the river.
- Site visit and charrette
- On site presentation
- Cases and frameworks
Concepts and Frameworks
Teams then explored the whole corridor.
- Area-wide concepts
- Site and zone design explorations
- Planning frameworks
- Midterm review with clients
Plan and Publication
The plan came together over the final months.
- Expert input and role playing
- Specific design development
- Report generation
- Public presentation
Course Completion
Job Outlook
Studio work like this leads toward landscape architecture, environmental planning and urban design practice.
Good for: Planning and landscape students looking for a model of how an international river corridor studio can be run.
Keep in mind: From fall 2001 and built around a site visit and real clients, which cannot be repeated. Materials are limited to lecture notes and presentation examples, and the conditions described are decades old.
Bottom line: A useful template for running a client-based planning studio, but not a way to learn the craft on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Cardener River?
It lies at the foothills of the Pyrenees, about 20 miles northwest of Barcelona, and is a tributary of a river reaching the Mediterranean at the city's southern edge.
Who were the partners?
The Polytechnic University of Catalunya and the Barcelona Provincial Council, and students met clients, public officials and residents during their visit.
How long did the workshop run?
About five months, with a visit in the first month and a public presentation in Catalunya held after the semester ended.
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