[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Chongqing, South West China Nov 20 - Dec 8 2017
participatory design, urban narratives, rapid protoyping, placemaking
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Introduction Mappings have agency because of the double-sided
composed of a series of psychological transformations
characteristic of all maps. First, their surfaces are
by which an individual acquires, codes, stores, recalls,
directly analogous to actual ground conditions.
and decodes information about the relative locations
[…] The other side of this analogous characteristic
and attributes of phenomena in their everyday spatial
is the inevitable abstractness of maps, the result
environment.”2
of selection, omission, isolation, distance and codification. […] The analogous-abstract character of MAD.LAB strives to explore how the desires, culture the map surface means that it is doubly projective: it
and behaviors of people shape the urban fabric. You will
both captures the projected elements off the ground
engage in a detailed research-based mapping process
and projects back a variety of effects through use.
drawing on a range of morphological, interpretive,
Hence, mapping is a projective device that may allow
critical, emotional, experiential, derive-like strategies
place projecting.
to record the thoroughfares, pathways, hierarchies,
Dodge, M., Kitchin, R., Perkins, C., (eds.), 2011, The Map
continuities and discontinuities of a selected site or
reader: Theories of Mapping Practice and Cartographic
urban space. The process of creating and reinterpreting
Representation, Wiley
these mappings of the city will inform and support a design proposal.
Design proposals and solutions are the result a broader constructional process informed by design research.
There are up to 25 places available in the program. We
Regardless of discipline, developing a command of
have secured Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
design process implies that designers have developed
(DFAT) New Colombo Plan Mobility Funding to provide
a critical capacity to make evaluations of the elements
financial support to up to 17 students ($2,000 per
produced throughout the design development (study
student to assist with travel expenses). This support is
drawings, sketches, diagrams, models) and their
available by application (see section on New Colombo
respective pertinence for the final result (Providência
Plan Scholarhips).
Paulo & Moniz Gonçalo Canto, 2012). In design programs that seek to intervene in urban contexts the process of rigorously mapping the details, flows and minutiae observable to the eye and the senses provides a basis for design research that can lead to the development of a design proposal. In practice we can refer to this more specifically as a form of cognitive mapping. As suggested by Downs and Stea (1973), “Cognitive mapping may be defined as a process
Chongqing, South West China Nov 20 - Dec 8 2017
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
“…the function of mapping is less to mirror reality than to engender the re-shaping of the worlds in which people live…” (Corner, J., 1999).
Studio tutorial at LP Space Gallery, Chongqing, mad.lab 2016
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
participatory design, urban narratives, rapid protoyping, placemaking
Units of Credit: 6UOC Times and Location: November 20 - December 8, Chongqing, South West China Convenor: Dr Ian McArthur email:
[email protected]
Course Description
In mad.lab 3 the theme of “weaving the city”, is applied to the city with “digital threads, articulating data and cultural exchanges, social interactions and conversations facilitated by digital media. The studio is focused around Jiu Jie Street and Guanyinqiao, the booming ‘civic’ core for the city, where it all converges.”
(Luke Hespanhol, 2017)
mad.lab Chongqing (literally the mapping and design lab) is a unique short-term mobility program for art, design, media and architecture students held in Chongqing, China. In 2017 mad.lab 3 (because this is the third iteration of the lab) focusing on notions of ‘weaving the city’ returning to the vibrant downtown precinct of Guanyingqiao that has been a key focus in 2015 and 2016. Although most in the West remain unaware of its existence, some reports suggest Chongqing is the largest and most rapidly expanding city in the world. Chongqing is situated in the east of southwest China, about 2,500km up the Yangtze River from Shanghai. Under its jurisdiction there are 40 districts, cities and counties. It covers an area of 82,000 square kilometres with a population of around 32 million. An estimated 10 million people live in urban Chongqing city. Downtown Chongqing lies at the point where the Yangtze River and the Jialing River merge. Known as the Mountain City, Chongqing is built against a backdrop of hills and rivers, and is characterised by zig-zagging roads and overlapping houses. It is also known as one of the four ‘Furnace Cities’ for its hot summers and the Foggy City for its misty winters.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
“Urban Mantras” (2015) Image: Jacinta Stewart-O’Toole Urban mapping to learn how citizens describe and feel about Chongqing
mad.lab Chongqing immerses students in an intensive
mad.lab Chongqing utilises mapping as a research
three-week program where they (1) work with local and
methodology to create urban narratives through
international professionals on a live brief developed
experimentation, observation, story-telling, journeys,
with project stakeholders including mad.lab co-
film, audio-visual recordings and a range of cartographic
founders Priestman Architects (priestmanarchitects.
techniques and explorations.
co), CQubed (cqubed.co) Chongqing industry and government (2) collaborate with their peers from Sichuan
mad.lab Chongqing explores how the desires, culture
Fine Arts Institute and other educational institutions;
and behaviours of people shape the urban fabric. A
and (3) engage directly with the citizens and unique
range of morphological, interpretive, critical, emotional,
culture of Chongqing. The program includes, briefings,
experiential, derive-like strategies are used to record
lectures, field trips, collaborations with the art & design,
the thoroughfares, pathways, hierarchies, continuities
architecture and urban development industry sectors
and discontinuities of a selected site. Creating and
and cultural institutions, local communities and public.
reinterpreting these mappings of the city informs and
This culminates in a peer and industry critique where
supports development of a design proposal.
students pitch their project outcomes to local industry and government representatives.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing mad.lab Chongqing participants are encouraged to: - engage in research about Chongqing prior to and during mad.lab Chongqing - acquire basic Chinese language in workshops conducted by UNSW Confucius Centre. - formulate strategies for engagement with the urban fabric of Chongqing and to map the opportunities this process reveals and develop interventions and conceptual proposals. - develop design concepts and rapid prototype their ideas in urban space in interdisciplinary collaborations. mad.lab Chongqing is a unique opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the dynamics of transcultural and interdisciplinary collaboration in the context of one of the fastest growing cities on the planet. These processes are at the heart of the program and students will be encouraged to seek out collaborators from the participating cohort. Critical thinking and collaborative open discussion are integral to this project - and to China’s future. mad.lab Chongqing strives to begin outlining a manifesto for the city, proposing a progressive way forward for Chongqing and in turn, China.
The tactic in this program is to take one specific piece of the city – a site earmarked for redevelopment – where to focus these broad questions, and where the interaction and consonance of ideas can be investigated and expressed. (Matthew Priestman, 2016) Course Learning Outcomes 1. Use culturally appropriate mapping and design processes in studio and fieldwork environments. 2. Apply interdisciplinary design processes and technologies to develop design concepts in response to a brief provided by industry stakeholders. 3. Develop strategies and tactics for site-specific urban design research. 4. Prototype experimental, responsive designs using analogue and digital production technologies. 5. Reflect on and evaluate interdisciplinary, transcultural design research and collaborative studio processes.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
madlab Background Founded in 2012 by Sam Priestman (CQubed) and Dr Ian
2. gathering feedback on local issues, emerging trends
McArthur (UAD), mad.lab Chongqing is a collaborative
and place-making in the Chongqing municipal area in
urban research lab and prototyping platform in
addition to collective content generation.
Chongqing, South West China. It’s activities focus on
3. working to develop diagnostic protocols and tools
intensive studio and fieldwork processes for developing
for identifying how participatory mapping and urban
and utilising mapping instruments, technologies, tactics
media can be deployed in public space to create
and strategies as design research methodologies to
dialogue about the needs, expectations and interests
explore, record and test how the desires, culture, and
of stakeholders. This will help create more community
behaviours of people shape the urban fabric and healthy
engagement, sustainable value and innovation in new
city development.
urban developments. 4. evaluation of the synergies between novel
mad.lab Chongqing aims to build on the achievements
participatory mapping processes, urban media, data
of mad.lab in 2015 and 2016 by:
visualisation, and human-computer interaction (HCI)
1. continuing to prototype and test a range of design-led
for engaging stakeholders in planning processes and
collaborative mapping processes using experimental,
activating feedback loops that dynamically inform
cognitive, situated and participatory mapping, and urban
public policy for Chongqing and other Chinese cities.
media to facilitate audience engagement around specific urban planning initiatives.
“Goi Tai Square Undercroft”, Jiefangbei, Chongqing (2016) Designer: Shibanee Roy
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Chongqing In hilly inland terrain at the confluence of the Yangtse and Jialing rivers - with a sub-tropical continental climate varying from 40degC in Summer to 5degC in Winter - Chongqing is a feisty, energetic, dense and rapidly changing city of 12m people within a wider
Studio Enquiries
municipal area of 38m. How do denizens and citizens perceive this unique Historically a major river port, manufacturing centre and
city, how do they behave and interact, what do they
seat of Chinese Government in the 2nd World War years,
do, who are they?
it is now a strategic hub in South West China having international shipping access along the Yangtse via
How does this self-sustaining city-construct function
Shanghai, Wuhan and other cities.
3-dimensionally, dynamically and commercially?
The city’s complex layout arises from the geographic
How does it smell and taste, what music does it play,
constraint of hills and rivers, from the connective facility
what poetry does it recite, what is Chongqing-ness?
of elevated mass transit systems and bridge crossings, from multiple CBD cores and from planned urban
How can the metropolitan, building and human scales
expansions to North, South and West.
be described and how do these interact?
Chongqing (2016) Image: Ian McArthur
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
“Haide Hotel Reactiviation”, Nanping, Chongqing (2016) Designers: Nazmul Azim Khan, Yinjing, Nadia Xu, Lauren Wallace, Gao Ti, Emma Size, Alex Tanazefti
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
mad.lab Processes The 3 - week period in Chongqing will start with introductions in the form of Petcha-Kutcha presentations by participating students, site visits followed by research time. Short presentations during the studio will introduce ideas that could be used as guidance for students, or not.
This form of lived experiential studio learning is deeply congruent with theoretical and speculative approaches to design activity and thinking that can be defined as Metadesign. The role of Metadesign in designing educational spaces that provoke culturally adaptive synergies-of-synergy (Fuller, 1975, Wood, 2007, 2008, 2009, McArthur 2015) frames mad.lab’s applied approach to transcultural and interdisciplinary design education.
mad.lab Chongqing seeks to harness interest and support from client and local government, and local universities and will promote collaboration with them. Priestman Architects and CQubed are the local organisers of the program. They will explain basic constraints, suggest some general ideas of physical change and provide layout plans in DWG, PDF etc. and a 3D model in Sketchup. Following the Chongqing fieldwork, the project outcomes can continue to be developed by the participating students. Rapid protoyping and testing of concepts is strongly encouraged. It is also hoped that interactive multi-media or video assimilating and summarizing all of the projects can be produced after the studio to document and record the achivements.
learning and teaching in mad.lab The pedagogies applied within mad.lab facilitate a collaborative process where project stakeholders and partners work together to create intensive, experimental, networked and situated learning environments where students, academics and practitioners from diverse cultural and language backgrounds can develop shared understandings and envisage new scenarios through collaborative modes of interdiciplinary and transcultural practice developed by Dr Ian McArthur.
mad.lab’s theoretical and pedagogic framework forand Figure 21: The relationship between metadesign as characterised in C8 Research the framework for transcultural and interdisciplinary collaboration in design education interdisciplinary and transcultural design education (McArthur, 2015)
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Chongqing (2016) Image: Ian McArthur
Notes about Chongqing
“Chongqing is the economic hub of southwest
The Chongqing studio trajectory presents the option
Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). Chongqing is
to engage in an intensive overseas study experience. It
situated in the east of southwest China, about
is suitable for students who are interested in engaging
2,500km up the Yangtze River from Shanghai.
in a critical interrogation, transcultural discussion
Under its jurisdiction there are 40 districts, cities
and story-based/narrative mapping of the city of
and counties. It covers an area of 82,000 square
Chongqing, China. A site-specific brief, studio facilities
kilometres with a total population of 31 million. An
and a intensive program of studio, field trips and social
estimated 6 million people live in urban Chongqing
activities will be facilitated by the project partners.
city. Downtown Chongqing lies at the point where
China and the fourth Municipality in China (after
the Yangtze River and the Jialing River merge. Although the most in the West remain largely unaware
Known as the Mountain City, the whole city is built
of it’s existence, some suggest that Chongqing is the
against a backdrop of hills and rivers, characterized
largest and most rapidly expanding city in the world. The
by zig-zagging roads and overlapping houses. It is
Chongqing Handbook – a guide for expatriates living in
also known as one of the four Furnace Cities for
the city reports that,
its hot summers and the Foggy City for its misty winters.”
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Through the cognitive mapping of Chongqing’s urban space, “mad.lab strives to demonstrate and record in a clear manner how the desires, culture and behaviors of people shape the urban fabric. You will engage in a detailed researchbased mapping process drawing on a range of morphological, interpretive, critical, emotional, derive-like strategies to record the thoroughfares, pathways, hierarchies, continuities and discontinuities of a selected site or urban space. The creating and reinterpreting these cognitive mapping of the city will support your design proposal.
“Chongqing has grown rapidly by all standards and this has brought with it an urban environment scattered with awkward, disused and dysfunctional sites. Roads to nowhere, buildings battling against each other for gaps and light, unfinished parks and inconvenient public spaces. As well, Chongqing possesses a unique typology, guarded by mountains and carved by rivers. This in turn brings a built environment teetering on the edges, skirting along the sides and vying for views. In other words - problems. It is arguably not yet in the mind-set of the citizens to fix such problems however they can often been changed with very simple solutions. In doing so we demonstrate the importance of design in a situation of rapid change and begin to break down the barriers to a more considered future” (CQuBED, 2012). Furthermore, there is the issue of Chongqing’s invisibility beyond China and the challenge of “branding” the city. This brief asks you to consider and explore opportunities to advance urban Chongqing’s public face through place-making, new services, products, applications and site-specific innovations.
Students will be encouraged to: (1) engage in research about Chongqing prior to and during mad.lab. (2) to learn some basic Chinese language. The Confucius Centre at UNSW holds free Chinese workshops each week on Tuesdays. (3) formulate strategies for engagement with the urban fabric of Chongqing and to map the opportunities this process reveals and the possible interventions that might be proposed.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
mad.lab 3.0 Travel Information Flights A direct flight is the fastest and most cost effective. Try to book a flight departing Sydney on Friday November 17 with Sichuan Airlines. This ensures we have time to adjust to the climate and settle into Chongqing in time for the start of the program on Monday November 20. Flights to Chongqing at this time of year cost around $800 to $1000. Visas Visas for China can be complicated. You will need to have a confirmed hotel booking (we will arrange this) or an invitation letter from a host organization (we will arrange this). We will request details from you including: Date of Birth Passport Number Departure and Arrival dates You will be able to add this information to an online form (TBA) When applying for your China visa you will need to take with you: - The completed form with photograph - Two photocopies of the picture page of your passport - An invitation letter or you hotel booking confirmation (A letter of invitation will be provided to all mad.lab participants.) Regular visa service takes four days. Visit the Visa processing Centre website here: https:// www.visaforchina.org/SYD_EN/
Applications 1. Send an expression of interest and/or a completed application form to Dr Ian McArthur at:
[email protected] 2. If you are considering applying for New Colombo Plan support see the additional application instructions below. 3. Once accepted into the course students will be able to enroll in the UAD elective course Special Project 3801 (6UOC).
New Colombo Plan Scholarships mad.lab is supported by the Australian Federal Government’s New Colombo Plan through the Department of Foreign Affairs. For 2017 UNSW Global has seventeen New Colombo Plan scholarships of $2000 for Australian UNSW undergraduate students participating in mad.lab Chongqing. Students can apply for the NCP scholarships via the application process outlined in the mad.lab application form available by contacting Dr Ian McArthur at:
[email protected] On returning to UNSW: In addition to the obligations set out in the scholarship acceptance form, students will be asked to complete the Return Student Questionnaire upon return from the program. UNSW Travel Insurance FAQ is available as a pdf here: http://tinyurl.com/zxuaeot
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
What to bring
Accommodation
Pack as you would any trip, bearing in mind:
We will confirm accommodation and costs as soon as possible.
It will be winter and rain at any point is likely In 2015 and 2016 accommodation cost approximately There will be plenty of opportunities for sports -
280RMB per night per room including breakfast (We
football, tennis, the gym, running, badminton,
put 2 persons in a room). A refundable room deposit
basketball
will usually be requested and we will advise about when hotel and rate is confirmed.
Much of the working day will be outside and therefore relatively casual, but there will be smart occasions, so bring a shirt/skirt/dress/blazer or two
Travel Insurance
Lots of nightlife
Travelling as a UNSW student on a UNSW project you are covered by travel insurance but you must register
Most ATMs accept foreign cards - no need to bring huge
your travel at: https://student.unsw.edu.au/travel
amounts of cash Essentially the cut down instructions are as follows (this If you can, bring a spare/unlocked phone with you
can be done by all students going on the program including those not receiving NCP scholarships):
Hopefully you’ll all be learning something so a good
note/sketch book and anything that will be useful in your
Pre-departure and Travel insurance:
project work would be advisable. However art equipment
Prior to leaving on the program students should go to
is cheap to purchase – you just need to travel to get it.
the following website for the final preparations tutorial: https://student.unsw.edu.au/globaltutorial
Please do bring your laptop if you have one as we don’t have enough spare computers for all of you!
Prior to departure students should: 1. Complete the Pre Departure tutorial. (Enrolment key
A camera/video camera
is PDSTU2014). 2. Read the UNSW Travel Procedure.
China uses a variety of electrical outlets, but the safest
3. Register their travel for insurance purposes
adaptor to bring can be seen here (click).
at: UNSW Travel Portal.
Chongqing is by all standards a safe city. As with any travelling however, we highly recommend travel insurance.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Food The people of Chongqing love food more than any other
VACCINATIONS
activity or pastime. From restaurants, noodle shops,
May be required consult your doctor for advice if you are
street barbecues and markets come the most insightful
concerned.
viewing as citizens of all type frequent together and there are few hours in the woken day when the city’s
CRIME
inhabitants are without some form of food in the hands.
Limited to hot spots.
Food in Chongqing often tends to be spicy and exotic
Opportunistic and petty crime is more frequent in some
very tasty. However if you start to crave Western food,
areas; foreigners may be affected but overall Chongqing
it is available. See our list the small costs of living, in
is a safe place. Just take the usual precautions with
particular meals and breakfast.
valuables and move about the city with your peers.
Also read the government travel advisory information https://smartraveller.gov.au/countries/china
Travel Basics
Arrival It is best to travel direct by taxi. The monorail does not stop directly in the airport and will take you to Guanyinqiao, then you’ll have to find the taxi stand with
It is important that you read and understand the
long queue, which will cost you around 11 or so RMB,
Australian Government Travel Advisory information
depending on the traffic. Also some of you will arrive very
https://smartraveller.gov.au/countries/china
late, so the monorail may be closed.
If you purchase your ticket via STA at UNSW you will
To take the taxi:
receive travel advice as well.
Once out of the airport (International), turn left, you’ll see the taxi stand immediately. The taxis are yellow. It should
MEDICAL CARE
cost under 70rmb to the hotel. It will sit 4 people with 3
In Chongqing sound medical care is available but for
squashed at the back. The only issue is it does not take
foreigners can be expensive. Quality care is typically
too much luggage in the boot - 2 or 3 cabin cases only!
available in major cities. Elsewhere standard is significantly lower.
Make sure you have the Chinese writing of the hotel available, as they rarely can speak English. The hotel
WATER
details will be provided as these arrangements are
Tap water unsafe to drink. Food in good quality
confirmed.
restaurants and hotels usually safe.
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
“Dong Shui Yi site reactivation”, Dong Shui Yi, Chongqing (2016) Designers: Lifan Zhang, Jiangnan Gu, Renchi Wang, Liz Kruchkoff
[Elective] SDES3801 Special Project mad.lab Chongqing
Nexus (2015) Designers: Larissa Silva , Adriana Prasnicki
To apply to participate in mad.lab [UNSW elective SDES3801] email Ian McArthur at
[email protected] For information about mad.lab visit these links: https://twitter.com/_madlab_ https://www.facebook.com/mappinganddesignlab/ https://issuu.com/ianmcarthur/docs/cqmad.lab_iteration3 https://vimeo.com/190416240 https://vimeo.com/125972852 https://vimeo.com/135865992 www.priestmanarchitects.co www.cqubed.co
Front cover: Media Architecture, Guanyinqiao (top image) “Long Ba” Guanyinqiao, Chongqing, (2015) Designers: Christopher Tee, Jordan Blanket (bottom image)