This Fall, I applied and got acceptance for the third Demola project, Influence from grassroot level. The first initiative to join the project is about the grassroot level in the municipality. Asikkala municipality with over 6000 residents is a typical town in Finland, where the most of population is the middle-aged group. It raises up questions on how to engage the residents in the communal decision-making process. Even though the ideology of participation is mentioned in Finnish law, there is always a gap in communication between the officials and the residents.
Recently, I get some fresh ideas about the new generation of architects. Instead of focusing on the building, the architects nowadays shift their approaches to the building environment. In this video link below, three young architects define their studio's target projects in 3 different fields: the classic clients, the community-based projects and the research.
Recently, I get some fresh ideas about the new generation of architects. Instead of focusing on the building, the architects nowadays shift their approaches to the building environment. In this video link below, three young architects define their studio's target projects in 3 different fields: the classic clients, the community-based projects and the research.
This short interview clarifies my viewpoint about C+ Studio. At this point, I am still working with private clients, as well as urban design research. I don't consider myself as an architect, but a lifestyle consultant for my clients. It is challenging to define my extra projects like Asikkala and Livesmarter in my architectural profile. But these projects complete my study and understanding about the building environment, with the shift toward human behaviours.
For the Asikkala project, our group still works hard on prototyping the final package for the municipality. We figure out our final prototype is a platform, in which consists all possible and affordable tools for the municipality to organise a participation cycle. We also figure out, the participation cycle succeeds only when the officials can focus on specific and proper questions in each project. The participation process is an ongoing and non-linear process. But our platform serves as a bridge to cross over the specific problem in the specfic time phase.
What is the problem? Where is it? ( location-based info raises up the awareness more than non-place information) How much time we have to solve this problem? When will we implement the ideas into the project?
The brief information about the Asikkala project: http://tampere.demola.net/projects/influence-grassroot-level
For the Asikkala project, our group still works hard on prototyping the final package for the municipality. We figure out our final prototype is a platform, in which consists all possible and affordable tools for the municipality to organise a participation cycle. We also figure out, the participation cycle succeeds only when the officials can focus on specific and proper questions in each project. The participation process is an ongoing and non-linear process. But our platform serves as a bridge to cross over the specific problem in the specfic time phase.
What is the problem? Where is it? ( location-based info raises up the awareness more than non-place information) How much time we have to solve this problem? When will we implement the ideas into the project?
The brief information about the Asikkala project: http://tampere.demola.net/projects/influence-grassroot-level
The brief
Municipalities have to develop tools to enable the residents to influence in the decision making.
The background
Asikkala is located by good transport connections and in the middle beautiful nature. There are about 8400 residents in Asikkala. Vääksy channel, which is located in the heart of the town, is the most active inland channel in Finland and during the Summer months vacationers double the population. Over a quarter of Asikkala area is lakes and rivers.
The problem
As Finland has drifted into an era of weak financial growth, we have to acknowledge better the residents’ needs and wants. Asikkala is using ask-answer forum which enables the officials to spot and correct the errors in produced services. We need a new channel or approach to support the decision making, that would replace the rigid and heavy resident questionnaires.
Problem:
- We need more and more the residents’ opinion to support the decision making.
- The time of rapid financial growth ,and therefore the rapid development of services, is over. This is why it is essential to target the remaining resources correctly.
- How to ensure that the residents get the exact services they want?
Challenge:
- Develop informative and user friendly way to gather information about the residents’ wishes
- How to give enough information to the residents in order for them to be able to assess the quantity and quality of the services they want
- How to correctly legitimize and target the financial adjustments in the eyes of the residents