STUDIO 1D: DESIRABLE DENSITIES – studies on the sustainable city

Studio 1D is a studio with particular attention to urban form, urban space, urban life and urban architecture. At studio 1D, the main focus will be on designing the sustainable city.

From a sustainability, growth, liveability and urban life perspective, it is urgent to develop desirable urban densities. Accordingly, density and compactness will be key themes at Studio 1D. In that respect, it is essential to emphasize that density is a multifaceted concept combining built density (plot ratios), green density (carbon and biodiversity), the density of habitation, social density (equality and tolerance), programmatic density (mixed use/’mixit ’), and density of spatial experiences.

Besides responding to the severe urban sustainability challenges, Studio 1D will also pay great attention to the paradox that, although more prosperous than ever, our newbuilt urban districts and newly densified urban districts, to a large extent, lack fundamental urban and architectural qualities.

The Studio will address the consequences of market-driven urban development, the implementation of smart city technologies, the implementation of AI urban modeling tools, and the implementation of standardized building components. The projects executed at Studio 1D will have to deal with the current practical challenges of building new cities; however, the Studio works towards provoking and stimulating the production of less predictable, more textural, and more atmospheric urban environments. The intention is to publish the ongoing experimental studio production (the production of evocative models and images of desirable densities). In doing so, Studio 1D will be a forum linking students and practice.

Studio 1D will strengthen basic historical knowledge and awareness about urban form, urban space, and urban architecture. The Studio will include literature and project studies providing basic knowledge about different planning ideologies and a state-of-the-art understanding of urban density and densification processes.