Nordic Works Design Sprint

Project

269633

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Submitted

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS AWARDS : existing completed examples

Project title

Nordic Works Design Sprint

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Description

Design Sprint is an award-winning workshop method by Nordic Works architecture collective that combines multivoiced and interactive process with agile architectural planning. Design Sprint consists of a meeting with the stakeholders, commitment, cooperative ideation, expert planning work and the presentation of the results in visual form. With Design Sprint you can test new ideas, activate public discussion and learn about the reactions of city residents, investors, landowners and entrepreneurs

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Has your project benefited from EU programmes or funds?

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Please provide a summary of your project

Design Sprint is an award-winning workshop method by Nordic Works architecture collective that combines multivoiced and interactive process with agile architectural planning. Design Sprint consists of a meeting with the stakeholders, commitment, cooperative ideation, expert planning work and the presentation of the results in visual form. With Design Sprint you can test new ideas, activate public discussion and learn about the reactions of city residents, investors, landowners and entrepreneurs. Nordic Works’ method uses architectural planning as a tool for discussion and problem solving. We specialize in user-oriented and participatory urban planning for municipalities, businesses and communities. This way, we make the planning of cities and urban environments visible while strengthening people’s opportunities to impact their own living environment. Nordic Works brings together a wide spectrum of young Finnish and Norwegian architect offices and urban development experts into a joint company. The collective is a large group of young city planning professionals. The common goal of our multivoiced collective is simply to make cities better. We handpick the best possible team for each project separately. Nordic Works organises workshops that aim at making participatory planning the starting point of built environment planning. Our aim is to encourage municipalities, businesses and communities to use architecture as a tool for discussion and problem solving already before detailed planning even begins.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met

Hearing the residents' voice with participatory design and planning. It is typical for expert-driven planning that drafts are put on display only after the goals and major decisions have already been made. In this traditional model, public critique can shake the foundations of the project. In Design Sprint, preliminary ideas are put on display quickly in a very early stage. This gives the surrounding society the opportunity to react to the change – both constructively and positively. Nordic Works’ bold ideas and concrete solutions serve as conversation starters. That is why we produce large amounts of quick illustrations during Design Sprints. Illustrations and communication have a central role in transparent and interactive planning.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these have been met

Nordic Works is a joint company of user-oriented design offices. Our collective consists of over 80 architects and urban development experts from the leading young offices in the field. We modernise urban planning and utilise architecture as a tool for agile problem solving and interaction. Our work is multivoiced and interactive. In the multivoiced planning process, comparable solutions are examined in an open discussion. Ample time and space is reserved for interaction between stakeholders, in other words, for expressing opinions and listening to others.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion and how these have been met

The multivoiced planning process allows us to explore comparative solutions in an open discussion where all stakeholders get their voices heard. City planning and construction planning often include conflicting goals. The more people the plan concerns, the more conflicts and disagreements are likely to occur. With the help of the interactive Design Sprint, the potential conflicts but also synergies between different participants arise already in an early stage. This way we can react to them strategically – before the actual planning has even started.

Please give information on the results/impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for

After the Design Sprint, we analyse and summarise the results. We deepen the interactive planning process together with the concerned participants in order to recognise possible obstacles and confusions and to remove them before construction begins.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project

Nordic Works organises workshops that aim at making participatory planning the starting point of built environment planning. Our aim is to encourage municipalities, businesses and communities to use architecture as a tool for discussion and problem solving already before detailed planning even begins.

Please highlight the innovative character of the project

The multivoiced and interactive Design Sprint is a strategic tool for urban development that can be used in the early stages of planning. The process is a unique combination of teamwork, architectural planning and service design.

Please explain how the project led to results or learnings which could be transferred to other interested parties

Finnish national broadcasting company YLE documented our work into a six episode documentary series "Renew the City" https://areena.yle.fi/1-3825959

Is an evaluation report or any relevant independent evaluation source available?

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the Awards more than once under the same category and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.