Quality of space – quality of life

AESOP European Urban Summer School QUALITY OF SPACE - QUALITY OF LIFE hosted by Lusofona University, Lisbon will take place since 24 September till 1 October 2011.
In cooperation with:
European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP-CEU)
European Urban Research Association (EURA)
International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP)
International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP)
 
AESOP European Urban Summer School for young planning professionals
AESOP European Urban Summer School aims at bringing together young professionals and experienced academics and practitioners across Europe to discuss planning issues.
We expect that it will facilitate trans-European understanding of planning matters and, as a consequence, will help with improving quality of life. These aims correspond with AESOP objectives enumerated in AESOP Charter. We wish to involve both EU and non-EU countries into the project knowing that AESOP has no geographical limits of membership.
AESOP has offered its resources in teaching at European Urban Summer Schools. This idea may facilitate trans-European exchange and foster a debate on the most important planning topics. It may promote every involved actors as bodies being able to help politicians and other stakeholders in spatial development and management issues.
This concept doesn't involve economic profit. European Urban Summer School should be a platform of debate and exchange.
 
 
Concept
Urbanized space reflects the society and its culture but also creates spatial dimension of civilisation. In this sense there are two direction of this significant flow – not only space is being produced by the society but also society is being shaped (or at least - influenced) by the urban structure. The question how many facts from our history would not have happened if the urban pattern had been different has to remain unanswered but spatial dimension of our cultural and technological evolution is indisputable.
This is one of the important reasons why topic of quality of urban space is so important.
Since 2007 majority of world population lives in the cities, therefore the problem has global dimension and relates to the quality of life of majority of population. Cites were influencing culture and civilisations even when they were inhabited only by very small portion of population, now, being an everyday environment for majority of world population they are the essential component not only of our future development but also of our quality of life.
During EUSS 2011 we would like to explore the definition and meaning of quality of urban space and its relation to the quality of life. Analysing carefully selected cases we would like to ask numerous questions: do they lack quality? what is quality itself? How it does relate to urban space? what is essential about quality of urban space?  are there components increasing quality of space? what kind of mechanism affect quality of space?
But description and analysis are not our goal. They help with understanding but they do not deliver the answer.
We would like also to look for the methods for evaluation, monitoring and improving quality of urban space. We would like to compose the guidelines for assessment quality of urban space and comprising the set of tools for refining it.
We would like to offer a solution not only ask the question.
But description and analysis are not our goal. They help with understanding but they do not deliver the answer.
We would like also to look for the methods for evaluation, monitoring and improving quality of urban space. We would like to compose the guidelines for assessment quality of urban space and comprising the set of tools for refining it. We would like to offer a solution not only ask the question.
 
The first edition of EUSS in 2010 was hosted by Wrocław University of Technology, Poland (to learn more and download ‘Urban Change. The Prospect of Transformation’ – book being a result of EUSS 2010 please visit (http://www.aesop-planning.eu/en_GB/un-habitat-aesop-european-urban-summer-school)
 
EUSS 2011 will be hosted by by Lusofona University, Lisbon ; future hosts will be selected through a call for proposals procedure.
EUSS 2011 website is open for registration.
 

Fee: 200 Euro (fee includes lunches, and does NOT include accommodation)
Deadlines:
Application process closes 20th August 2011, 21 GMT
Confirmation of the first list of participants and ‘reservation list’ 26 August 2011
Payment till 5 September 2011, 12.00 GMT