COST Action Urban Agriculture Europe Training School «Urban agriculture inside the city:alternatives for vacant lots and public space»

The third Training School of the Action took place in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque country, Spain) from 24th to 26th September 2014. Vitoria-Gateiz has experimented an important urban outgrowth in the last decade, mainly through the planning and development of two new neighborhoods, Zabalgana and Salburúa, situated at the eastern and western border of the city, by the Greenbelt. These new development are well-equipped and designed according to sustainability principles. Nevertheless, among the main problems they present is their over-dimensioned public space, which creates some areas lacking enough density and mix of uses. On the other hand it is very expensive for the municipality to maintain these public space with the high Vitorian urban standards for public space. The proposed solution for this problem is a strategy of "re-densification" through the insertion of new uses The debate has arisen about which are the most adequate uses to insert in order to get an increasing of urban vitality, specially considering that housing has reached its peak and that Vitoria-Gasteiz is well served with social and sport amenities. The main goal of the TS was to offer an opportunity for the reflection about how urban agriculture might be an optimal alternative for the re-qualifying of this over-dimensioned public space in the new neighbourhoods, especially considering it synergic potential as a tool for production, leisure and landscaping, including the possibility of energy crops within the limits of urban space. Continuity with rural and natural surrounding area through alternatives for urban fringe at the small scale is a relevant issue to be considered as well within the reflection. Taking Zabalgana neighbourhood as a practical field for experiment, the Training School is conceived as a practical and intensive design charrette to be held during a whole day after two days of local knowledge-deepening through field visits and presentations.

Bio-climatic Design Handbook: designing public space to reach urban sustainability.

The "Bio-climatic Design Handbook: guidelines for the development of planning regulations" is a tool for urban planning and design professionals planning for the construction of public space taking into account bioclimatic and environmental standards. Based on environmental conditions assessment, urban design guidelines are given. These take into account various scales; from the territory to the microclimatic reality. From these general keys for the design of public space the handbook performs recommendations on specific case studies. The application of bioclimatic techniques in urban design promotes comfort in the public space and the respect for the existing environment, while it influences the energy consumption of buildings that conform this open space. The tool was developed in the context of BIOURB project, where Spain and Portugal cooperate writing this bilingual handbook. The case studies are located in this cross-border region.