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Cross-fertalisation of Be Ready, CICADA4CE and URBIO BAUHAUS projects for Climate Resilience of Cities in Slovenia

Slika: Cross-fertalisation of Be Ready, CICADA4CE and URBIO BAUHAUS projects for Climate Resilience of Cities in Slovenia
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Cross-fertalisation of Be Ready, CICADA4CE and URBIO BAUHAUS projects for Climate Resilience of Cities in Slovenia

We started with the cross-fertilisation of the Be Ready (INTERREG Danube Region Programme), the CICADA4CE (INTERREG Central Europe Programme) and the URBIO BAUHAUS (INTERREG Central Europe Programme) where the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the City of Kranj will closely collaborate on tackling climate change through innovative solutions and stakeholder engagement from different aspects. The collaboration aims to synchronise efforts and methodologies, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change.

The project Be Ready

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The project Be Ready

The project Be Ready (co-financed by the INTERREG Danube Programme) and its comprehensive online toolkit for assessing cities from the urban heat island aspects were recently presented during as a part of the lecture titled "The Role of Urban Planning Concept in the Design of Settlements and Reducing the Impact of Climate Change". This event was a part of the regular series of lectures for architects and urban planners organised by the Chamber of Architecture and Spatial Planning of Slovenia (ZAPS), where more than 30 professionals attended.

Barbara Mušič from the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia led the lecture, showcasing the Be Ready project, which was designed to empower local decision makers, policy makers, urban planners and architects with the tools and knowledge needed to create sustainable and climate-resilient settlements. The online toolkit will provide practical resources, guidelines and best practices to help professionals efficiently integrate climate change mitigation strategies into their urban planning processes.

We are proud to see such proactive steps being taken towards creating a more sustainable future for our communities. Let's continue to innovate and collaborate for a greener tomorrow!

 (photos by Branko Lenarčič)

Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing

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Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing

June 16-18, 2025

More information on AESOP Thematic Group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures series on Hope can be reached HERE.

Call for Contributions

An AESOP Thematic Group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures Event

Dates: June 16-18, 2025

Locations: Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rijeka and Cres (Croatia)

Organizers: Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (Ljubljana), Polygon – Center for Cultural Research and Project Development (Zagreb), University of Rijeka – DELTALAB – Center for Urban Transition, Architecture and Urbanism (Rijeka)

In collaboration with: University of Rijeka, Palace Moise
 

Theme:

We invite you to actively participate in 'Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing,' a unique three-day event exploring the profound connection between our built environments and human wellbeing. We will examine walkability and the role of hope within public spaces through two distinct epistemological perspectives: urban design and artistic expression. This event will explore how the pedestrian experience of public spaces - from streets and squares to parks and community areas - shapes our mood, mental health and sense of community. We aim to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together scholars, practitioners, artists, policymakers and community members to envision and create more hopeful, human-centered urban spaces.

 

The core themes of this event include exploring walkability as a catalyst for social, economic and cultural vitality, understanding the pedestrian's role in politics, urban innovation, art and social change as cultural resistance, and investigating the relationship between urban syntax, architecture and the concept of an error. The event is conceptualised as a combination of lectures, discussions and site visits which will examine urban evolution and adaptation through case studies from Ljubljana, Rijeka and Cres, focusing on balancing preservation of walkable environments with contemporary needs and socio-economic transformation. To differentiate between epistemological approaches in art and urbanism regarding the pedestrian experience and drawing on historical urban pedagogies we will also address human-centered spatial planning and design, focusing on the "errors" in current urban environments and advocating for a renewed focus on human wellbeing, explore the psychological dimensions of spatial experience and aim to understand how urban design and contemporary art can foster positive social interaction and wellbeing.

This event transcends the traditional understanding of walkability, examining it as a critical lens through which we can assess the accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability of our cities and towns. We will investigate how walkability intersects with social equity, environmental justice and the creation of vibrant, community-oriented places, emphasizing the role of art as a tool for critical engagement and transformative intervention. We will address the challenges and opportunities presented by contemporary urban planning, including artistic critical perspectives on emerging urban models. We encourage a discussion that acknowledges both the benefits and potential drawbacks of current trends in urban matters and explores how artistic approaches can illuminate and challenge these trends.

This call is dedicated to the intersection of the two epistemological approaches on how different positions generate knowledge, perception about walking, movement, and public space in relation to the spatial interpretations and transforming experience into identity, atmosphere and consequently the hope.

We welcome contributions from a wide range of disciplines including and not limited to architecture, urban planning and design, cultural studies, heritage studies, social sciences, environmental studies, contemporary art, philosophy, community activism and policymaking. We invite for submissions to be part of the programme provided by local co-organisers. The contributors are most welcome to join the whole 3-day programme but can also opt for attendance at one or more of the three locations of the event.

Preliminary Program:

The event will feature keynote speeches by leading experts, paper sessions presenting selected contributions from this call, discussions, case study visits, on-site talks and a hands-on workshop in a small settlement of medieval origin, exploring historical urban pedagogies.

  • Monday, June 16th: Ljubljana Session with a focus on Research and Policy Making
  • Tuesday, June 17th: Rijeka Session with a focus on Urban Studies and Errors of Hope
  • Wednesday, June 18th: Practicum and the case study of the Cres Neighbourhood, focusing on the preservation of vernacular architecture and Renaissance urbanism alongside contemporary citizen-led urban initiatives

Invited Speakers:

Sanja Bojanić, University of Rijeka, Academy of Applied Arts
Nikola Bojić, University of Zagreb, Academy of Fine Arts
Branka Cvjetičanin, Polygon, Center for Cultural Research and Project Development
Marin Gregorović, Mayor of City of Cres
Blaž Križnik, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts

Ida Križaj Leko, University of Rijeka, DeltaLab Urban Studies
Luka Mladenovič, Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia

Marcell Mars and Miro Šarić

Inge Solis, senior curator, City Museum Cres
Tadej Žaucer, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of the Republic of Slovenia

How to submit the proposal for your contribution:

Write an abstract of not more than 500 words and not more than 5 keywords by 28th of April 2025, and submit it to walkinghope@uirs.si.

The abstract shall articulate your unique perspective on the “Walking with Hope” event’s central themes, demonstrating a connection between your work and the exploration of walkability’s impact on urban life. This includes specifying how your research or practice addresses walkability as a driver of social, economic and cultural development, and how it considers the pedestrian’s role in shaping urban spaces through politics, planning, art, social change, innovation etc.

Explicitly state the preferred place of your presentation or contribution (Ljubljana, Rijeka or Cres)  - to allow for appropriate consideration within the event’s program.

Abstracts will be peer-reviewed, the final decisions of acceptance will be communicated by May 5th 2025.

Logistics:

Attendees are responsible for their own accommodation arrangements (June 15-17 in Ljubljana, and June 17-19 in Cres).

Sunday, June 15: Arrivals to Ljubljana

Tuesday, June 17: travel to Rijeka in the morning hours, travel to Cres in the evening hours

Thursday, June 19: Return to Ljubljana

Transportation between event locations (from Ljubljana, via Rijeka, to Cres, and back to Ljubljana) will be provided by the organisers however, seats are limited.

Please note the Ferry-boat location and schedule - Valbiska (island of Krk) to Merag (island of Cres).

Further information will be provided closer to the event.

Publishing options:

A book of abstracts will be published for the event. Furthermore, selected contributors will be invited to prepare full papers for publication in the blind peer-reviewed scientific journal Urbani izziv (Urban Challenge)

Organisational Information:

Local organisers:

AESOP TG PSUC Representatives:

  • Chiara Belingardi, LAPEI University of Florence, Italy
  • Mohamed Saleh, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Tihomir Viderman, BTU Cottbus – Senftenberg, Germany

Do not hesitate to contact local organisers for more information.

 

We look forward to your participation in this engaging and thought-provoking event!

We cannot solve modern transport challenges with outdated approaches

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We cannot solve modern transport challenges with outdated approaches

A discussion on the transport paradigm shift was organised by the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia on the 16th January 2025

The Transformative transport planning research group  at Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia presented the policy paper "We Cannot Solve Modern Transport Challenges with Outdated Approaches". Over the past 30 years, Slovenia has built numerous new roads to facilitate the country's development and make car travel faster, more convenient, and safer. While road safety on long-distance routes has significantly improved, paradoxically, our quality of life has deteriorated: we spend more time on roads, travel longer distances, and often find ourselves stuck in traffic. Slovenia stands at a crossroads: will we continue with onesided investments in the road network, which are proven to exacerbate societal issues?

Members of the UIRS Transformative transport planning research group  Aljaž Plevnik,  Tom Rye, Luka Mladenovič, Mojca Balant, and Andraž Hudoklin presented the key messages from the policy paper:

  1. Slovenia needs a new transport paradigm to improve quality of life.

Current transport planning, focused on road expansion and accommodating the growth of car traffic, results in greater congestion, longer travel times, and reduced accessibility to key destinations. Planning paradigm shift is needed to manage private motorized traffic and prioritize public transport, cycling, walking, as well as digital and spatial accessibility.

  1. Implementing a new paradigm requires changes in values and planning methods.

The new paradigm focuses on ensuring accessibility rather than mere mobility. It calls for a shift from a sectoral to an interdisciplinary approach, new values and practices, the adoption of comprehensive and integrated transport planning, and its integration with spatial planning.

  1. The transition to the new paradigm is hindered by outdated planning practices and resistance from key stakeholders.

The old paradigm, based on road and parking capacity expansion, dominates due to esteblished beliefs and practices within the profession, financial interests, and distrust in new approaches. The shift requires new knowledge, international experience exchange, awareness-raising, and collaboration among professionals and the public to demonstrate the benefits of a paradigm shift.

***

About STPN:       

Committed to a paradigm shift in traffic planning and management, we operate both domestically and internationally, collaborating with leading experts and stakeholders from the public and private sectors. With over 20 years of experience, we deliver professional recommendations and solutions grounded in research, practical testing, and real-world insights. We provide training for both domestic and international experts, decision-makers, and the next generation of specialists in the field.

The event was as part of the CARE4CLIMATE project.

***

CONTACT AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

E-mail: stpn@uirs.si

Website

Recording of the event

Policy paper

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

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New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

Volume 35, Issue 2, December 2024

We are pleased to announce the publication of the latest edition of Urbani izziv / Urban Challenge (Volume 35, Issue 2, December 2024). This edition features six scientific articles, with the editorial highlighting the importance of green spaces for relaxation and relief from everyday stress.

We invite you to explore the latest research and encourage scholars to submit their scientific contributions for consideration in upcoming issues.

We wish you a pleasant reading.

Remote Places, Public Spaces: designing with care in rural areas – European and Slovenian perspectives

Slika: Remote Places, Public Spaces: designing with care in rural areas – European and Slovenian perspectives
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Remote Places, Public Spaces: designing with care in rural areas – European and Slovenian perspectives

Invitation to the Lecture in English

The Lecture will be in Kresija Gallery, Stritarjeva ulica 6, Ljubljana on Wednesday, 16th of October, 5.30 PM.
Free Admission.

Human Cities / SMOTIES” is a participatory design project focused on community engagement in co-designing public spaces and transformations across ten European rural areas. Over four years, project partners have explored local narratives, nurtured social imagination, and envisioned potential regenerative transformations. The project seeks to understand how rural contexts can inspire meaningful shifts in place-centred regeneration, offering a different path than the one typically suggested by urban models. What if the radical innovation lies in these non-mainstream approaches? Should we prioritize a dominant futuristic drive or embrace sensitive, caring interventions that honour enduring relationships, as demonstrated through our relational, narrative experiment fostering dialogue with local communities? One European project, four years, and ten stories for ten small and remote places.

Special emphasis will be given to the Slovenian pilot project that took place in Polhograjski Dolomiti Landscape Park and its communities. This project challenged the questions of empowering local communities through the participatory design of public spaces and reconsidering possible new roles of local heritage in fulfilling the demands and responding to the dynamics of contemporary society.

 

Annalinda De Rosa is an Assistant Professor of Design and member of the Polimi DESIS Lab, focusing on social innovation and sustainability. From 2020 to 2024, she co-coordinated the Creative Europe project “Human Cities / Smoties.” Her research emphasizes participatory design and fostering social cohesion in urban and rural communities.

Matej Nikšič is a researcher from Ljubljana who specializes in urban design and community engagement. He coordinated the Slovenian team of the “Human Cities / Smoties” project which aimed to empower local communities through participatory urban design and reinvention of cultural heritage.

 

At the end of the project »Smoties - Creative works with small and remote places« , the book "Remote Places, Public Spaces" was published by Birkhäuser and is available at the following link.

Join us at 6 PM for the opening of the exhibition HOUSE ON THE HILL / TOGETHER, prepared by Zavod CCC.
The House on the Hill/Hiša na hribu has become recognised as an example of good practice in creating or strengthening public and social spaces on the outskirts of a city, in the rural environment of the Polhov Gradec Hills. As such, it has been part of the EU project Smoties – Human Cities in the last three years. Its partner from Slovenia is the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia.

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

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New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 35, issue 1, June 2024

The latest edition of Urbani izziv / Urban Challenge has been published, featuring six scientific articles. We invite you to read it here and encourage you to submit your scientific contributions for the upcoming issue. Enjoy your reading!

New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

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New issue of Urbani izziv/Urban chalange journal scientific edition

volume 34, issue 2, December 2023

Before holidays, the new issue of the Urban Challenge was published, featuring five scientific articles.  You are kindly invited to read it (link) and submit your scientific contributions for the next issue. Wishing you a pleasant read! 

1st national event of the project “SPOZNAJ – Supporting the implementation of Open Science principles in Slovenia”

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1st national event of the project “SPOZNAJ – Supporting the implementation of Open Science principles in Slovenia”

Thursday, 5 October 2023, from 9:00 to 15:00 in the ZRC SAZU Atrium, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana and via Zoom with simultaneous interpretation from Slovenian into English

REGISTRSTION (in-person attendance)

REGISTRATION  (Zoom)

PROGRAM

 

You are cordially invited to the 1st national event of the project “SPOZNAJ – Supporting the implementation of Open Science principles in Slovenia”, which will mark the beginning of the project and, together with the most important stakeholders, outline the guidelines for the implementation of the national open science policies. We will also present some successful practices of this kind in the European Research Area.

Within the framework of the SPOZNAJ project, the Central Technical Library at the University of Ljubljana and 20 Slovenian public research organisations will align their practices with the Resolution on the Scientific Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2030, the Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act, the Public Information Access Act, the Regulation on the Implementation of Scientific Research in Alignment with the Principles of Open Science, and the practices and principles of open science in the European Research Area. Open science encompasses open access to research results, the adoption of responsible metrics for assessing the quality and impact of scientific research, and the engagement of citizens in scientific research activities. The project receives co-financing from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the national Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The 1st national event of the SPOZNAJ project will take place on Thursday, 5 October 2023, from 9:00 to 15:00 in the ZRC SAZU Atrium, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, according to the attached programme. The event will also be live-streamed via Zoom with simultaneous interpretation from Slovenian into English.

Financira EU, NextGenerationEU ; NOO Načrt za okrevanje in odpornost ; RS Ministrstvo za visoko šolstvo, znanost in inovacije

REAL CORP 2023

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REAL CORP 2023

LET IT GROW, LET US PLAN, LET IT GROW Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities

From 18th until 20th September 2023 the Faculty of Architecture will host a REAL CORP CONFERENCE  LET IT GROW, LET US PLAN, LET IT GROW – Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Resilient Smart Green and Blue Cities (REAL CORP 2023 28th International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society GeoMultimedia).

Partners of  REAL CORP-a 2023 are:

More about the programm and the conference.

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OUR ADDRESS

Urban Planning institute of the Republic of Slovenia
Trnovski pristan 2
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia


  + 386 (0)1 420 13 00
  + 386 (0)1 420 13 10
info@uirs.si
@UrbanInstitut
UIRS

LIBRARY

Open:
Monday to Friday: 9.00 – 13.00
Tuesdays also: 15.00 – 17.00
Summer, July–August:
Monday to Friday: 9.00 – 13.00

  + 386 (0)1 420 13 00 ext. 31
  knjiznica@uirs.si

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