urbaninform Architecture, World Cities Network, Buildings across the Globe

urbaninform : Architecture

Informal City : Tools + Strategies + Developments

1 Sep 2009

urbaninform, Informal City - Architecture

urbaninform network

With one-third of the global urban population living in slum-like conditions, mostly in self-built and self-organized informal settlements, the phenomenon of the Informal City has become an integral part of the world’s cities. As the provision of proper housing, infrastructure, and public services represents a major challenge for urban planning, urbaninform is looking for innovative tools, strategies, and associations that demonstrate the potential of informal processes in urban developments.

urbaninform has developed a new online format for the presentation of exemplary projects through ‘mini documentaries,’ short presentations that help to make ideas accessible to local stakeholders as well as to potential sponsors and institutions.

Squatters, researchers, architects, city officials, NGOs, and other actors involved in the transformation process of the Informal City are now able to publish their projects and contribute to the ongoing discussion about the future of our cities. With urbaninform, microenvironments and their actors will become globally connected to a network for knowledge exchange and exemplary practice.

This is a web-based network for best practice in the Informal City. The project is initiated by Rainer Hehl and Jörg Stollmann, curators of the section ‘Squat – The Informal City under Construction’ of the 4th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, IABR 2009, designed by Luna Maurer and Marije ten Brink.

It is a web tool for the empowerment of local actors negotiating formal and informal urban development processes.

It features professionals and non-professionals explaining their projects through mini documentaries.

It is an online network for research, knowledge exchange, and practical action.

It is a growing community of collaborators, supporters, and members.

It stands for the convergence of micro- and macro-scale interventions for the Informal City.

Information from urbaninform 010909

Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Swiss Architecture

urbaninform Founders
Rainer Hehl, Jörg Stollmann

urbaninform association:
Olivier de Perrot, Rainer Hehl, Jörg Stollmann
Quellenstr. 27
CH – 8005 Zurich
Switzerland

urbaninform Contact
[email protected]

Swiss Architects

Institute of Urban Design

Department of Architecture D-Arch
Prof. Marc Angelil
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETHZ
HIL G46 ETH Hönggerberg
Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 15
CH-8093 Zürich Switzerland

ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich – Situated in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, ETH Zurich is pioneering solutions to the global challenges of today and tomorrow.

ETH Zurich is consistently ranked among the top universities in the world. It is currently ranked as 5th best university in the world for the subject of engineering and technology, just behind the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Cambridge University and National University of Singapore in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Swiss Architectural Designs

Swiss Architecture Designs – architectural selection below:

Swiss Architecture Designs – chronological list

Zurich Architecture Walking Tours – bespoke city walks by e-architect guides

Ispace Installation, Rossa, Moesa Region, canton of Graubünden
Design: Davide Macullo Architects
Ispace Installation Rossa
photo : Corrado Griggi
Ispace Installation Rossa

Weltpostpark site buildings, Bern
Design: SSA Architekten, Basel, Switzerland
Weltpostpark residential buildings Bern
photograph © Ruedi Walti
Weltpostpark residential buildings Bern

Comments / photos for the urbaninform page welcome