I. SUMMARY INFORMATION
Project
268649
Status
Submitted
Award category
Regenerated urban and rural spaces
You want to submit
NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS RISING STARS : concepts or ideas submitted by young talents (aged 30 or less)
Project title
Rural Ranaissance
Full concept/idea title
An inclusive strategy for resilient development of the neglected regions in Slovakia
Description
Rural Renaissance proposes an alternative strategy for resilient development, which calls for a revival of moral values, cooperation, tolerance, solidarity and restoration of environment. Rural Renaissance argues against clichés associated with the Slovak countryside, i.e. that it is old-fashioned, powerless and backward-looking and reintroduces it as a place full of potential and new opportunities, where people are able to exercise the right to maintain their locality in a democratic fashion.
Where is your concept/idea being developed or intended to be implemented in the EU?
Slovakia
Presov Region
Sol
Sol
094 35
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
Please provide a summary of your concept/ idea
Alike in other European countries, Slovak rural regions suffer from high unemployment rate, emigration of educated and skilled generation, lack of entrepreneurial activities, and depopulation of the villages on behalf of rapid urbanisation and suburbanisation. Regional inequities and long-term unemployment in Slovakia are among the highest in the OECD and 20.5% of the population at risk of poverty.
To rebalance this situation, the research-design project, the so-called Rural Renaissance, proposes an alternative strategy for resilient development, which calls for a revival of moral values, cooperation, tolerance, solidarity and restoration of environment. Rural Renaissance argues against clichés associated with the Slovak countryside, i.e. that it is old-fashioned, powerless and backward-looking and reintroduces it as a place full of potential and new opportunities, where people are able to exercise the right to maintain their locality in a resilient and democratic fashion.
Rural Renaissance gathers the lessons from the past that rural communities have taught us in order to plan a more sustainable future. The aim is to recover and give value to knowledge, which has been built up over many centuries, and which has been dying away for the sake of a profit-driven development.
The project is manifested on an example of one particular village- Sol. However, it could be adopted by municipalities and local communities in a variety of locations and inform local vision in accord with local potential.
The project Rural Renaissance was developed as part of the author’s study at the University of Cambridge and consists of a comprehensive Thesis and a design proposal.
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of sustainability and how these would be met
Rural Renaissance follows principles, that aim to bring a holistic solutions for sustainable countryside. These principles were developed in line with the EU sustainable goals and focus on 10 main areas: Identity, Transport, Local economy, Local materials, Clean water, Productive land, Inclusive community and culture, Educated countryside, Healthy countryside and Clean Countryside.
The principles of sustainability are manifested in four interlinked projects, run as the collective facilities of the local community: a farm, a spa, a community centre, and workshop spaces with ateliers. Complex development is planned to grow incrementally, together with improvements in the economic and social situation of the municipality.
1. Phase: Education and work
In order to restart the development, the municipality establishes a social enterprise that will give jobs to the unemployed. The enterprise will start the business with conducting simple construction works, and later, it will be responsible for erecting a new community centre with workshops and production spaces – primary for clay products such as earth-compressed blocks, plaster and ceramics.
2. Phase: Ecological agriculture
The village firm extends the scope of its portfolio by the products from a new ecological farm. Unsustainable agricultural production represented by the existent large-scale farm will be gradually replaced by multiple small –to medium-scale agro-ecosystems, supplying the local products. Waste building materials from the dismantled farm will be used for broad infrastructure works in the region.
3. Phase: Environment
The last project – the small medicinal baths will utilise local salt water for the therapeutic purposes. The deteriorated site of a former farm will be transformed into a Wetland Park, which will catalyse the region-wide ecological infrastructure planned to provide multiple ecosystem services, including storm-water management, water cleansing and recovery of native habitats.
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these would be met
Architecture of all new proposals embraces knowledge of Slovak vernacular construction and translates it into contemporary building norms and aesthetics. Locally sourced earth is used as the main building material. The load-bearing rammed-earth walls are supplemented by a secondary layer of walls from the compressed earth blocks. The buildings are covered with an expressive wooden roof, which unifies different functions below. Apart from its positive ecological and health-promoting qualities, earth is material extremely suitable for the regions lagging behind, as it can be implemented almost anywhere, fully independent of lobbies, share prices and industrial price controls.
Linearity expressed in the layout refers to the urban principles of the Slovak settlements, which were predetermined by the former subdivision of land. Within this new proposed layout, the individual ‘houses’ are merged together to demonstrate the common values and cooperative ownership. The new community buildings are arranged around a public space, which can be used for informal meetings, cultural events, or local markets. Open public spaces and a street become again places of social gatherings, with the regulated traffic and surrounded by greenery.
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of inclusion and how these would be been met
Slovakia is home to a population of more than 400 000 people with Roma origin, who, after the Hungarians, form the second largest Slovak minority. The Roma community has settled in 1070 out of 2890 municipalities, and while spread across the whole country, inhabits mainly the eastern and south-eastern regions. The better the spatial integration, the better the living standards of the Roma communities. Fourteen segregated settlements are, however, still without access to any infrastructure facilities, and some have only limited, or no access to drinking water, sewage, gas supply and a quality access road. In the village of Sol, Roma stand for almost half of the village population.
Jobs generated in the new proposal will be provided equally to everyone, regardless their age, gender or nationality. The community centre will be developed along with the school, so that it can deliver informal education and meaningful free-time activities for all generations all day. In order to avoid further spatial segregation of the Roma and non-Roma, the community centre will not be positioned in the Roma ghetto as has previously happened in the case of several municipalities. Rather it will become an inevitable part of village life, fostering the interaction of different social groups, who can learn together and share experiences. Like the community centre, all new housing should be located along the plan’s main axis and in the existing residential zone, filling the gaps and fostering reconstruction of empty properties.
Please explain the innovative character of your concept/ idea
The innovation of ‘Rural Renaissance’ does not stem from inventing new solutions, but rather from learning about time-proven sustainable local forms of production and consumption that are disappearing, in order to reapply them in a new, innovative manner. This involves mainly agricultural practices described below:
-The historic agricultural structures, that have been preserved in several localities (e.g. Hrinova) stood the test of time and still sustainably provide food and livelihood security for the local farmers. Richness in agrobiodiversity is the main characteristic of these areas. Livestock is integrated into farming to achieve synergies among system units and to increase the stability of the agro-ecosystem. Livestock is fed with crops and grass from the site, and animal manure rich in nutrients in turn improves crop production, and increases its quality.
-Between 35 and 60% of the population in Central and Eastern European countries like Slovakia still grow their own food (In contrast it is only 10% in Western Europe) . With a constantly increasing awareness of the impact of the global food chain and long-distance food transport, self-food production is becoming recognised rather as an already existing form of sustainability, that should be valued and protected.
Project also refers to a long tradition of medicinal bathing in Slovakia. Slovak healing spa resorts are defined as places where natural healing water, mud, gases and climate conditions are used for therapy. More than 1600 springs of mineral water make Slovakia one of the richest countries in this respect. In the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, medicinal treatment with mineral water was provided in more than 120 localities, situated mainly in the rural areas. Almost 100 of them, however, gradually declined and nowadays there are only 25 localities in Slovakia where spas - as private enterprises - provide medicinal treatment in accordance with legal requirements.
Please detail the plans you have for the further development, promotion and/or implementation of your concept/idea, with a particular attention to the initiatives to be taken before May 2022
The success of the project will depend on the long-term and active involvement of all inhabitants, as well as those in current and future charge of the municipalities. The further author’s steps therefore include building partnerships with NGOs, residents and those in charge of the municipalities, interested in improving their locality. The aims of the project, together with the research will remain available on the author’s website to support the discussions.
The complexity of the project makes it possible to split the project into several smaller themes, that can be developed individually.
These include:
Further research into vernacular building construction and its translation into contemporary building norms and aesthetics. Earth and timber construction are of special significance.
Searching for similar rural initiatives outside of Slovakia, with whom the knowledge and know-how could be exchanged.
Promoting the project through the social medias to reveal the potential of the rural areas
Author is currently a member of NGO planning affordable housing in Slovakia , with a special focus on housing for elderly people and socially excluded groups of the society. Themes of the Rural Renaissance are an integral part of the projects developed in the rural areas.
III. UPLOAD PICTURES
IV. VALIDATION
By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed concept/idea has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars Awards more than once in the same category.
Yes