One territory, four questions, one atlas: Barcelona, 7-13 June 2022

Abstract

One territory, four questions, one atlas arises from the need to rethink the collaboration between the four academic institutions (KULeuven; UMinho; AHO; ETSAB-UPC) after four years of Summer Workshops (3 editions in Belgium; 1 in Portugal). The intention is to generate new synergies and a common theoretical-practical body that becomes the seed for future joint collaborations (Summerschools, BIP, other shared intensive programs). How do we map space and experiences? How do we map global (climate change, monetary flows) vs. local processes? How do we map concepts? (boundaries, regularity, porosity) How do we map tangibles and intangibles? How do we map sensations (noises, flavours, smells)? How do we map paths and movement? How do we represent dynamics in a static drawing? What is the (ir)relevance of geographical precision? The disciplines of architecture and urban design have representation as their main communication tool. However, in recent years, the possibilities of access to information (digital archives, open cartographic sources) and the emergence of geographic information systems have shaken the way of representing and explaining issues that were until recently linked to the physical condition of places. This booklet presents an academic experience, “One territory, four questions, one atlas”, an intensive summer research program between four institutions (KULeuven; UMinho; AHO; ETSAB-UPC), aimed to generate new synergies and a common theoretical-practical body to trigger a joint discussion on how to represent and visualise cities and life, spatial design and spatial reframing, ruptures and permanence, people and time by the act of mapping. Twelve participants (eight professors and five PhD students) worked together grouped in three teams during one week in which four questions were progressively launched to which the participants responded by drawing. The questions triggered assorted 8-hours speed maps, which in turn served as an entry for a common discussion and unlocked hidden hypothesis. The program explored the process based on an expanded dialogue to use domestic digital tools (hand drawings, pictures, video, google maps, cad and GIS cartographies, big data, open-source data, sound recordings) to produce incomplete understandings of the territory instead of achieving a finished product.