Iberian Urbanism: Spain and Portugal
Iberian Peninsula Summer Study Abroad Program
School of Planning
Arizona State University
May 25 - June 10, 2007
The School of Planning 2007 summer study abroad program will expose students to the following contemporary planning issues: mega event developments and their impacts (e.g. Expo’98 in Lisbon), cultural facilities as cornerstones of revitalization strategies (e.g. the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, the 2001 European Capital of Culture in Porto), sustainable transportation planning (the new light rail system in Porto and pedestrianization and bicycle planning schemes in Coimbra and Aveiro), “startarchitecture” and the urban fabric of historic cities (the new Rem Koolhaas’s Music Hall in Porto, Santiago Calatrava’s new intermodal station in Lisbon), strategic planning in Bilbao, orderly suburban development in Madrid, rural development in border regions, waterfront planning and brownfield redevelopment in Lisbon, tourism development and costal erosion management in Portugal. The program includes meetings with planners and architects, visits to monuments, museums and other historic sites, and a hands-on joint studio with Portuguese students on neighborhood revitalization in Lisbon.
Planned Itinerary:
Themes:
• Mega events and urban development
- EXPO98 in Lisbon,
- Porto 2001 European Capital of Culture,
- Euro2004 European Soccer Championship
• Cultural/Architectural interventions to jump-start revitalization
- Guggenheim museum in Bilbao,
- Koolhaas’s Music Hall in Porto,
- Santiago Calatrava’s new intermodal station in Lisbon,
• Sustainable transportation and city form
- New light rails in Porto and Lisbon Metropolitan Areas,
• Downtown and waterfront revitalization
- New urban rehabilitation companies/partnerships.
Logistics:
Program:
Please join the School of Planning on this exciting trip through Spain’s and Portugal’s centuries-old cities and towns and learn how these two neighboring countries in southern Europe are preserving their built and cultural heritages while innovatively planning their urban growth. This is a unique opportunity to visit two of the best kept secrets in Europe on the verge of major socio-economic, cultural and urban development processes. The relevance of the planning practices, the culture, the food, the scenic rural landscapes, the museums and the built heritage, the beaches, the bustling city environments and the interaction with Iberian professionals, scholars and students are some of the reasons why you don’t want to delay your registration.
Locations:
Spain: Bilbao, Madrid and Salamanca (May 25-31)
We will visit these three cities to understand how they are using a myriad of planning strategies to revitalize their neighborhoods, preserve local architecture, deal with urban growth pressures and stay competitive in a global economy. In Bilbao, we will visit Frank Gehry’s stunning Guggenheim Museum and other recently built landmarks. In Madrid, we will experience Spanish urbanism and architecture at its best as portrayed by the famous commercial street Gran Vía, their adjacent plazas, the Royal Palace, and the many other monuments and cultural and institutional facilities. In Salamanca, where the inhabitants speak the “purest” Spanish in Spain, we will visit the Plaza Mayor, one of the finest squares in Spain, the new and the old cathederals and the university district, among other atractions.
Portugal: Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Lisbon (June 1-10)
We will visit several border cities as we enter the country from the Spanish side by bus, only to quickly get to the city of Porto. Famous for its Porto wine, Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the most historic places in Europe. The historic district and the river Douro valley are World Heritage sites and landscapes of the UNESCO. Local planners will guide us through the most recent urban and waterfront revitalization projects in the city. We will understand how cultural strategies (e.g. 2001 European Capital of Culture) and “startarchitecture” (e.g. Pritzer winners Rem Koolhaas’s new Music Hall and Alvaro Siza’s architecture buildings) are being used as cornerstones of revitalization strategies. In Lisbon, we will visit the grounds of the Expo’98 and conclude that mega-events with their associated public investments, including adjacent Santiago Calatrava’s futuristic intermodal station, can have major catalytic effects in cities. We will visit the city center completely rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755 and marvel with the view of the city’s scenic 7-hill neighborhoods from the S. Jorge Castel. The program will include a hands-on joint studio with Portuguese students on the revitalization of a city center neighborhood.
Please take a look at this presentation showing some of the sites we will visit:
Eligibility:
The program is open to undergraduates and graduate students, from ASU, and other Universities, who are interested and committed to learning new contemporary planning practices and processes in European countries.
Academic Program:
Students must enroll for 4 credit hours. For course registration purposes, students may choose PUP494 (undergraduate) or PUP598 (graduate). A student-centered pedagogy will emphasize in situ observation, discussion with practitioners, guest professors and Portuguese students, data collection, group reflection, and integration of theory with hands-on experience. There will be a joint studio workshop with Portuguese students on neighborhood revitalization issues in Lisbon.
Living Accommodations:
Students will be housed in hotels or university residences to take advantage of local places of interest.
Cost of the Program:
The cost of $2,160 (subject to possible change) includes: housing, some meals, local transportation in Spain and Portugal. Not included: ASU tuition and fees for 4 credits, international airfare from Phoenix to Bilbao and from Lisbon back to Phoenix. A limited number of partial scholarships may be available to students in the School of Planning.
Lead Faculty:
Drs. Francisco Lara, Hemalata Dandekar and Carlos Balsas are professors in the School of Planning at Arizona State University. Lara has a PhD in planning from the University of Michigan and his expertise includes the study of urban development and environmental policies on the US-Mexico borderlands for more than 15 years. Dandekar is Director, School of Planning at ASU with a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA. She is a licensed architect in California and her expertise includes the study of urban-rural linkages, gender, affordable housing, and third world development. Balsas has a PhD in planning from the University of Massachusetts and his expertise includes the study of urban revitalization and sustainable transportation planning.
Dr. Francisco Lara
School of Planning
AED 73
Phone: (480) 965-0496
Email: fcolara@asu.edu
Dr. Hemalata Dandekar
School of Planning
Phone: (480) 965-7167
Email: hema@asu.edu
Dr. Carlos Balsas
School of Planning
AED 77
Phone: (480) 727-7336
Email: Carlos.Balsas@asu.edu
Registration:
Students are required to enroll in PUP 494/598 I through the online application process by going to:
http://www.asu.edu/ssc/abroad/application/summer/link.html
Useful Websites and Downloads:
ASU School of Planning Study Abroad Program
- Description: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cbalsas/Iberia.htm
- Downloadable brochure: PDF
- Portugal Tourism Website: http://www.visitportugal.com/Cultures/en-US/default.html
- Spain Tourism Website: http://www.spain.info/