Urban Networks
Urban Networks was a vertical workshop that engaged all of Umeå School of Architecture, staff and students from 28th August to 8th September 2017. It explored the possibilities of interlinking stories, narratives, social groups and initiatives. These groups can include community based social networks, collaboration between local communities, actors and various community based initiatives. I was invited to join as guest tutor.
The method: Spaghettis randomly placed on a map of Umeå identified paths that were explored by the students during these weeks. They explored social, cultural, ecological, economic, initiatives, structure, networks within the path. By moving in an unconventional way along the line of spaghetti, encounters and a broader understanding can take place, challenging preconceived notions.
As a final result of the activity, each student group made a short film, a poster and a brief descriptive text. Through that process students learnt the basics of video editing and audiovisual storytelling. At the end of the course the films were screened. The screening was followed by discussions in smaller groups.
During the workshop there was a comprehensive program of lectures, starting with the basic tools for filmmaking followed by a number of lectures as theoretical input and inspiration. I contributed with a lecture on Radical Cartography.
