Creating and Sustaining Urban Spaces for the People, by the People

Public Works is hosting a conversation with the School of Commoning to explore the forms of Commons (social, intellectual, cultural, digital) that impact and influence the urban context.

"The language of the Commons helps us assert a moral entitlement to public spaces again. It lets us challenge the unholy alliance of politicians, developers and professional architects and planners, and insist that city spaces serve our needs as ordinary people."

Re-imagining Urban Design and City Life http://www.bollier.or... (http://www.bollier.org/re-imagining-urban-design-and-city-life/), by David Bollier

Public Works http://publicworksgro... (http://publicworksgroup.net/) is an art and architecture practice working within and towards public space. All public works projects address the question how the public realm is shaped by its various users and how existing dynamics can inform further proposals. Their focus is the production and extension of a particular public space through participation and collaborations.

The School of Commoning http://www.schoolofco... (http://www.schoolofcommoning.com/) is a new kind of educational space, where learning happens in a collaborative, participatory way that contributes to the power to act and bring the Commons alive in our communal life. It is a social enterprise that provides education for commons culture and social renewal, by enhancing individual and collective competences in the creation, protection and governance of commons of all kinds.

We will be exploring what Commons management, governance and co-production could mean in the context of the work of PW. The founder of the Foundation for Peer-to-Peer Alternatives (P2P Foundation) and Advisor to the School of Commoning, Michel Bauwens will be also present and offer his insights on the difference between cooperatives, collaborative projects and the Commons. Public Works will present some exemplar projects related to the issues above. Celine Conderelli http://www.celinecond... (http://www.celinecondorelli.eu/) will present her work on Commons http://www.e-flux.com... (http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/92/) and their historical context.

This may be our last event for 2011; don't miss it!
Participation is free. Place is limited. Please RSVP early.

(Please note that the actual number of participants is much larger than those registered here, because the event is also part of a regular series of Public Works, whose members were not asked to RSVP.)