Remaking Cities Congress
Theme Workshops
On Thursday, October 17, the Congress was organized into five Theme Workshops to more deeply examine post-industrial cities. Delegates had the opportunity to discuss the future of post-industrial cities from the perspective of one assigned theme.
all five Workshops:
Sustainability (physical, economic, and social)
Wise allocation of increasingly scarce public and private financial resources ("doing more with less")
Equity (social, economic, and environmental)
Public engagement (inclusion, transparency, and accountability)
Workshop 1
Re-Positioning the Post-Industrial City in the
Global Economy
The
global economy has had a profound impact on cities. The goal of this
Workshop was to build a comprehensive economic agenda for
post-industrial cities. Delegates assessed the economic condition of
post-industrial cities, explored challenges and successful models for
economic revitalization that leverage unique characteristics of place,
examined how emerging industries and the new economy were being
leveraged in innovative ways to build the post-industrial economy, and
discussed issues and opportunities to prepare and equip a workforce
capable of taking advantage of new economic opportunities. (Case
studies: Bilbao, Spain; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Workshop 2
Post-Industrialism and the Physical City
The
goal of this Workshop was to produce a community-building strategy
for the post-industrial city. Delegates considered the urban design and
patterns of development in post-industrial cities, regions and
neighborhood building blocks that included discussions of housing,
preservation, and innovative infill development strategies, as well as
the consideration of industrial legacies and their inherent challenges
in urban regeneration. (Case studies: Ruhr Valley, Germany; Buffalo, New
York)
Workshop 3
The 21st Century City as an Innovation Hub
The
goal of this Workshop was to produce a forward-looking innovation
agenda for the post-industrial city. Delegates explored the use of
innovative technological applications for creative problem-solving,
technological innovations to aggregate data and engage citizens in the
collection and analysis process, the important role of civic innovators
and the use of the creative arts in placemaking, as well as equitable
access to technology, data, and technical jobs—the Digital Divide. (Case
studies: Manchester/ Liverpool Region, England; Toronto/ Hamilton/
Kitchener/ Waterloo Region, Canada)
Workshop 4
Urban Systems, Infrastructure, and the Post-Industrial City
The
goal of this Workshop was to build an integrative strategy for urban
systems and infrastructure in the post-industrial city. Delegates
developed strategic thinking around value-added infrastructure that
includes water, transportation, and other urban systems; the role of
energy at the site, district, and city scale; and the place of
ecological systems in the post-industrial city, including the reuse of
surplus urban land. (Case studies: Rotterdam, Netherlands; New Orleans,
Louisiana)
Workshop 5
Planning and Social Innovations for Post-Industrial Cities
The
goal of this Workshop was to discuss and develop physical and social
innovation strategies for the future of post-industrial cities in the
face of declining populations, increases in vacant and abandoned land
and buildings, and challenged economies. Restructuring land use,
tackling public education, dealing with distressed municipal finances,
transforming an economy, and serving disadvantaged communities are
common problems for post-industrial cities in North America and Europe.
(Case studies: Turin, Italy; Detroit, Michigan)