MAKINC CITY is not only about technical interventions, but also about the social and spatial aspect of the energy transition in cities!
Can architecture play a role in alleviating the consequences of energy poverty on people’s lives? How can a heritage building become a positive energy and net zero emissions building, while its architectural and aesthetic value is fully respected? Can community centres contribute to raising awareness about sustainability and energy saving behavior?
These questions have been addressed in the research by design study Alleviating energy poverty consequences: Research by design for a new community center in Groningen, NL, conducted in the context of the MAKING-CITY project at the NoorderRuimte Kenniscentrum (KCNR) of HanzeHogeschool, under the supervision of Dr. Ir. Ifigenia Psarra. The study focuses on the transformation of the historical “Bij Van Houten” former school building in the Oosterpark district of Groningen into a new community center, and proposes solutions for the above mentioned challenges.
The results of the study have been presented on Friday 18 November at the 2nd Fall Symposium “Building Beyond Borders: Reflecting on the agency of architecture for regenerative and distributive solutions in the Global North and the Global South”, in Hasselt, Belgium. The study was also selected for publication in the Symposium Proceedings Book.
