Chapter 4

sustainable development, ecology, resilient architecture solutions

Y17+

Number of participants will depend on the possibilities of the activity organizer. If you are able to work with participants who owe bicycles, then limit the group to 15 in order to be able to move through the city/village easier

at least 90 minutes

Each participant should have a bicycle. Prepare papers and markers for the group work. Chose the route for the ride in your city having in mind the capacities of your group. For less experienced participants organize the activity in city parks and open spaces without public traffic.

Through the bicycling activity participants will look for new sustainable solutions for the city development.

Agree with participants the meeting point. If you are renting bicycles that can be the rental station or if participants are coming with their or borrowed bicycles you can go directly to the chosen location. Prepare the exact route and prepare the map with it to share it with participants. Decide on several routes depending on how many groups you will have.

Step 1– After meeting with participants at start point, divide them in groups and share the maps of their routes with them. The task for them is to go through the route and during the ride stop at locations they think could be rearrange or further developed. They should discuss and formulate their proposals for interventions that would lead to achieving more sustainable solutions in architecture.

You should have their location all the time during the activity, so exchange the contacts with them and have GPS location of at least one member of the group. Be sure to explain to participants that you will be following their location only during the activity, that this will not be misused in any way and is undertaken strictly for safety purposes. (Make sure your organization takes care about data protection as well for all other similar online actions).

Participants should be able to ask you everything that is not clear to them regarding timeframe, location, emergencies, communication with facilitators during the activity etc. Give them enough time for this.

Step 2– After the activity participants should join you at the meeting point and exchange with other groups their results. In presentations they should go in details of the locations they have chosen, show the pictures of it and present the new solutions they offer.

Step 3– After the presentation of all groups start a plenary discussion with your participants and debriefing and evaluation session.

In invitation mail remind participants to be prepared for different weather, to bring water and snacks since they will be losing energy due to physical efforts of bicycling.

In introduction of the activity share about urban and landscape architecture major principles to inspire your participants. Make sure to ask from them to be creative and innovative but also to think about the reality circumstances to get the more results that could even be applicable. 

How was it during the ride?

Did the group cooperated and supported each other during the activity?

Was it challenging to decide which location should be „rearanged“?

What was the focus of your sustainable new arhitectual solutions?

Did you lean on existing arhitectual solutions when deciding about your proposals?