IFHP Urban Planning and Design Summer School in Finland
The IFHP Urban Planning and Design Summer School invites students to explore different approaches to urban planning and develop future scenarios in semi-realistic urban projects. The summer school engages participants in an international, multidisciplinary setting with a specific focus on the Nordic context of an advanced sustainability agenda, interesting architectural design, and current debates on urbanism in Finland and beyond.
Organized since 1994, the IFHP Urban Planning and Design Summer School in Finland is the oldest summer course in the field of urban planning and design. The event is co-organized by Tampere University’s School of Architecture‘s Urban Planning Research Group, and Aalto University’s Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering Group, in collaboration with the city of Pori (2023) and the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP).
The City of Being(s)
In 2023, the theme of the summer school is The City of Being(s). Organized in August 14–25, the course consists of high-quality lectures, excursions to Helsinki and Tampere, and an intensive workshop period in the case study city of Pori. The workshop includes hands-on collaboration with diverse actors, such as professional planners, urbanists, local stakeholders, and activists. Some social activities are also arranged during the workshop period, one of which is a visit to Villa Mairea, a house designed by Alvar Aalto (1939).
The first two days of the course are spent in Helsinki. On the introduction day, we hear lectures on Finnish architecture, planning, and culture, as well as socialize and get to know each other. During the Helsinki-day, we learn about the city’s planning practices and do a tour of historic sites and recent urban projects. The program offers inspiration before taking on the design assignment in the case study city Pori.
The core of the summer school is the active workshop period in Pori. Working in small groups, the participants create their own site analyses and design proposals that answer real questions emerging from the given site and its context. The projects are developed in a semi-realistic manner through interaction with planners and experts in planning education and research. The final projects are presented to decision-makers, the general public, and the media.
The call for applications is open until April 30, 2023.
IFHP Urban Planning and Design Summer School in Finland 