Urban Landscapes in Tension – Erasmus+ international workshop in Greece

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Urban Landscapes in Tension: Between Memory and Modernity

OPEN CALL FOR 10 HUNGARIAN STUDENTS | ERASMUS+ BIP WORKSHOP | ATHENS & VOLOS | APPLY BY 10 MAY 2026 | Application form

Objectives and Description

Many cities around the world are confronted with a critical question: on the one hand, they strive to safeguard their historical heritage; on the other, they must manage the pressures generated by ongoing urbanization. This dual challenge often gives rise to conflicts, both social and spatial in nature.

Such tensions are manifested, for instance, in the clash between the demands of tourism and the needs of local populations, as well as in the friction between nationally constructed identities and the pressures exerted by the globalized economy.

On this basis, the workshop is structured around three main objectives:

  • To examine the evolution of the historical urban landscape, as well as the tensions it entails, through case studies of a major city (Athens) and a smaller urban center (Volos) in Greece
  • To compare these two cases in terms of scale, as well as their national and local significance
  • To discuss parallel case studies situated in diverse cultural contexts, including China, Morocco, and Europe

Methods and Outcomes

The workshop will consist of a series of academic lectures delivered by invited scholars, educational visits to archaeological sites, and student-centered workshops. The program will also involve the active participation of local institutions and museums, fostering collaboration between academic and cultural stakeholders.

The workshop aims to:

  • Raise awareness of the tensions between the preservation of historical heritage and the pressures of urban development
  • Collect and analyze case studies, and identify and disseminate examples of good practice
  • Produce a final publication (both print and digital), including scholarly contributions, documentation of the workshop activities, and the outcomes of student work

Practical Information

Physical period: 29 June 2026 – 4 July 2026

Locations: Athens (29–30 June, 1 July) | Volos (2–4 July)

Organizing HEIs

  • University of Thessaly (Greece)
  • National Technical University of Athens (Greece)
  • Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary)
  • Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Germany) (to be confirmed)
  • École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Val de Seine (France) (to be confirmed)

Visiting HEIs

  • Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (China)
  • Euromed University, Department of Architecture (Morocco)

UFLab Tutors

Olívia Kurucz DLA / Botond Dobos DLA

I want to apply!

Interdisciplinary – Project Based Design – Dankó Courtyard

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Interdisciplinary – Project Based Design – Dankó Courtyard
Urban Living Lab Budapest – Inclusive space for active communities

In this six-week project, we explored a municipally owned, multi-plot site in Józsefváros, the most multicultural district of Budapest. The project focused on creating an inclusive space that responds to social and climate challenges while attracting a diverse range of users – a place where people of different ages, social backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities can meet, interact, learn, and form communities.

At the center of the planning site, an already active community space, Dankó Courtyard, hosts various ongoing activities. However, the lack of heated indoor facilities limits its use during the winter months. The task is to propose experimental architectural interventions based on spatial analysis, while the developed conceptual designs provide enclosed spaces that support the site’s role as a year-round Urban Living Lab. The pavilions and other amenities should be constructed using environmentally conscious materials and structures, and their energy demand must be minimized.

Interdisciplinary, Project Based Design – 2026
Tutors: Olívia Kurucz DLA / Erik Havadi / Tímea Csaba
In association with: Department of Building Constructions – Lajos Takács PhD, Csilla Patkó Perlakiné PhD
[Students: Alba Chico García / Alix Marez / Anacecilia Barajas / Axel Kristen / Beliz Dila Kazancı / Clara Faine Jaudet / Eliana Feresin Cichero / Elif Simsar / Emilie Van Bellinghen / Faustine Ferrer / István Simófi / Jakub Tomczak / Janita Kitzmüller / Jannat Hafeez / Juline Lacroix / Kinga Karcz / Lili Penneçot / Lucía González Lancho / Lylian Brun / Manon Pelletier / Maria Michalik / Markel Ugartemendia Barreto / Randza Ranaivo / Réka Jóna / Romain Boucabeille / Sebastian Pottie / Simon Diederichs / Thomas Lemius / Veronika Mária Bertová / Weronika Kujawa / Zainab Ibraheem]

Adaptive Reuse – Complex Design Studio 1.

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Adaptive Reuse – Complex Design Studio 1

Our question is constant: what can we do to change the Earth for the better? What are the possible ways to curb the climate crisis? Can we slow down the accelerating processes? Are today’s interventions sufficient, or are alternative solutions requiring greater sacrifices?

This year, in the framework of the Complex Design Studio 1, we have tried to sketch together possible solutions for the re-use of abandoned urban sites and buildings. The reuse, or ‘non-dismantling’, of vacant functions and buildings is perhaps one possible way to move away from the scourge of the climate crisis.

Cities have a large number of currently unused sites and buildings that should not be demolished, either for their architectural value or simply to avoid increasing the climate footprint of cities. The function of these buildings is no longer needed, so the key to ‘re-use’ is to find a function that can re-interpret the structure. A derelict historic building in Budapest and three vacant buildings in Budaörs, built in the 1960s and 1970s, were given a new function, with the aim of finding the most cost-effective and lowest possible climate footprint solutions.

 

Complex Design Studio 1 – 2024
Tutors: prof. Dr. György Alföldi DLA / Botond Zsolt Dobos DLA

In association with: Húsznegyven Association / Intramuros Architect Studio
[Students: Mietta Fütty, Anna Jósvai, Zita Krisztina Molnár, Lilla Laura Téglás, Csenge Zimmer]

BP8 – Jázmin Square – Public Participatory Planning

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BP8 – Jázmin Square – Public participatory planning

In the framework of the Child Friendly Józsefváros concept in 2022, the Municipality of Józsefváros decided that the Mirr-Murr playground in Jázmin Street (located in the 8th district of Budapest) should be subject to a needs assessment and then to public participatory planning with the residents to consider its future. During the public participatory planning process, the renovation of the public square of Jázmin-Füvészkert-Tömő Street was planned together with the involvement of the citizens concerned, users and other organisations. RÉV8 Zrt. was commissioned to carry out the participatory planning, including the process, facilitation and the tools used in the events, in cooperation with the Urban Future Laboratory (UFLab).

The public participatory planning process in the Jázmin Square area was carried out using the 6-step methodology of the UFLab workshop. We conducted 4 face-to-face addressing and 2 public dialogue events. The main purpose of the adressing events was to raise local interest and to connect with the public, where we used interactive invitations to advertise the dates of the public dialogues, the project’s purpose and online platforms. In the first public dialogue participants were asked to express their habits of using the neighbourhood’s public space through 7 different tasks and to suggest the main functions, target groups, atmosphere, name and integration of Jasmine Square. The event was conducted using a variety of gamified tools to raise awareness, engage, inform participatory design and ensure equal voice. Children were provided with a special station where they could visualise their ideal Jasmine Square through drawings. The aim of the second public dialogue was to test the different furnishing options for the space with the residents of the neighborhood and to give their opinions on the location of the selected features and public spaces based on their experiences.

For full description of the participation process and to view the results, please visit our brochure on Issuu:

PUBLICITY – Gamified tool by Olivia Kurucz

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PUBLICITY – Character game for shared urban vision-building
Gamified tool development by Olivia Kurucz (2020-)

A részvételi tervezés, a gamifikáció és a jövőkutatás közös metszéspontjainak felderítése új távlatokat, mélységeket és kihívásokat nyithat a várostervezésben. Doktori kutatásom célja egy olyan innovatív játékosított eszköz kifejlesztése volt, amely beépíthető a várostervezési/döntési folyamatokba és segíti a különböző társadalmi csoportok felhatalmazását és képessé tételét arra, hogy beleszólhassanak településük jövőjébe annak érdekében, hogy lehetővé tegyék az ezekre épülő különféle lehetséges várostervezési alternatívák kidolgozását.

Kiemelt szempont volt egy olyan „közös városi játéktér” létrehozása, amely a részvételi tervezési folyamatok egyes lépéseiben új kor- és célcsoportokat szólít meg, növeli a társadalmi elfogadást, segíti az egyenlő véleménynyilvánítást az eltérő társadalmi csoportok között és biztosítja a párbeszédhez szükséges informálisabb légkör kialakítását.

Kutatásomban a gamifikáció urbanisztikai felhasználásának érdekében várostervezési oldalról foglalkoztam a részvételi tervezéssel és a jövőkutatás alapjaival, míg másik oldalról a gamifikáció szakmai és technikai alapjait, valamint a gyakorlatban alkalmazott (hazai és nemzetközi) eszközeit vizsgáltam. Az elméleti/tudományos paraméterek felállítása alapján terveztem meg az eszközt és teszteltem különféle platformokon.

A játékosított eszközt 10 alkalommal teszteltem részvételi tervezések célzott konzultációs alkalmain, ezután egy alkalommal átültettem egy részét nyilvános pábeszéden alkalmazható formába. A célzott konzultációs alkalmakon összesen 128 fő tesztelte az eszközt, a nyilvános párbeszéden 22 fő adta át véleményét ilyen formában.

A 10 játékteszt közül 4 workshop valós beavatkozáshoz adott segítséget, 6 alkalommal egy adott valós város szereplőinek jövőképét szimuláltuk.

A játéktesztek résztvevői különféle kor- és célcsoportokba tartoztak, köztük gimnáziumi diákokkal (1. és 10. játékteszt), doktori iskolai hallgatókkal és oktatókkal (2. játékteszt), önkormányzatokkal (3. és 6. játékteszt), különböző egyetemek magyar építészképzésében tanuló hallgatóival (4. játékteszt), eltérő szakmai háttérrel rendelkezőkkel (5. és 8. játékteszt), piaci szereplőkkel, oktatási vezetőkkel és szakági tervezőkkel (6. játékteszt), más egyetem szakmérnöki képzésén (9. játékteszt), valamint 8. kerületi helyi lakókkal (7. játékteszt).

Team members: Kurucz Olívia, Prof. Dr. Alföldi György DLA
Kutatóbázis: UFLAB (BME ÉPK Urbanisztika Tanszék Urban Future Laboratory), BME Építőművészeti Doktori Iskola
Workshop partnerek: Illyés Gyula Gimnázium, Trash Art MeetUp Veszprém, BME/ÉPK, BME ÉDI, Húsznegyven Egyesület, Budaörs Város Önkormányzata, RÉV8 Zrt., ELTE PPK EKTI, KÉK, Építészfesztivál: Future Perfect.
Köszönet: Lippai Edit PhD, Bányai Fanni PhD, Asoum Alagha, Gerzsenyi Judit

BP8 – Szeszgyár Square – Public participatory planning

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BP8 – Szeszgyár Square – Public participatory planning

In 2021, the Municipality of Józsefváros decided to make Szeszgyár Street passable for pedestrians by demolishing an old fence wall on the Kőris Street side and name the resulting new public space Szeszgyár köz. In parallel with the opening in 2022, the design of the entire street got started, with the segment between Kőris street and Visi street being redesigned as a pedestrian street. During the public participatory planning process, the renovation of Szeszgyár Street and Szeszgyár köz was planned together with the involvement of the citizens concerned, local businesses, institutions and other organisations. RÉV8 Zrt. was commissioned to carry out the participatory planning, including the process, facilitation and the tools used in the events, in cooperation with the Urban Future Laboratory (UFLab).

project team:  György Alföldi DLA / Olívia Kurucz / Csilla Sárkány / Máté Lukács / Dániel Győrfi / Ágnes Herbszt / Lilla Gerencsér / Cecília Varga

Suburbia 2040+40 – Complex Design Studio 1

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Suburbia 2040+40 – Complex Design Studio 1

Over the past decades and centuries Budaörs has been transformed at a rapid pace, gradually losing its rural, Swabian character. In 2022, the city won the EUCF tender to start imagining a climate-smart future in one area. The key elements of a climate-conscious future for Budaörs (an agglomeration town of Budapest) are the reduction of emissions from transport and the many new constructions, as well as the reduction of the environmental footprint.

During the Complex Design Studio 1-2 courses we will look at the changes in Budaörs through the lens of the year 2080. Based on projected social, energy, economic, weather and other issues and rules, we will try to figure out what has happened in the last 20 years and what will be relevant in the next 40.

Complex Design Studio 1 – 2022
Tutors: prof. Dr. György Alföldi DLA / Botond Zsolt Dobos / Olívia Kurucz
In association with: Húsznegyven Association / Intramuros Architect Studio
[Students: Szabolcs Ungvári / Álmos Ágoston Semjén]

DIO2040 – Urban Planning and Design 2

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DIO2040 – Urban Planning and Design 2

The DIO2040 – Urban Planning and Design2 course works with the city as a community. In addition to individual interests, we are concerned with the interest of the public and with the values cities are or should be governed by. Using simulational background we examine how urban planning is affected by climate change, the creation of social cohesion, or the self-governing interests of the city. We also explore in several scenarios, how urban planning can be based on real needs, so that the city is not only a theme park or a service centre, but a place governed by the public, as it has been many different times in history.

The plannning location is a block of buildings in the 8th district of Budapest (called Józsefváros), bordered by Kőris – Orczy – Sárkány – Diószegi streets, belonging to the historic core of Pest’s city centre, but without individual protection of  the houses and with regard to 3 priority aspects: climate change, equitable housing and urban needs.

Urban Planning and Design 2 – 2022
Tutors: prof. Dr. György Alföldi DLA / Botond Zsolt Dobos / Olívia Kurucz
[Students: Bodza Anna Arató / Eszter Balogh / Csenge Bihari / Eszter Czibulka / Zoltán Dinya / Anna Dalma Elek / Máté Érsek / Anna Barbara Farkas / Ármin Fiskál / Anna Füller / Eszter Fülöp T . / Tamás Gombos / Benedek Bence Hegedűs / Sára Horváth / Viktória Józsa / Anna Markovits / Dániel Matos / Dorottya Mészáros / Bernát Ferenc Mezei / Virgínia Pápai / Ádám Partali / Kata Stogica / Anett Szerényi / Johanna Takács / Lilla Laura Téglás / Éva Trajter / Réka Zoboki]

Freaky Whales – Grand Boulevard Community Ideas Competition

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Freaky Whales – Ádám Ackermann, László Bilák, Anna Csanády, Vencel Kustra, Liza Varga, Mátyás Weisz
Grand Boulevard Community Ideas Competition – Special Award

Recent events have made it clear to us that in order to avoid a global ecological catastrophe, we need to stop our current environmentally destructive lifestyles that consume natural resources and have to adapt to the changing climate. All of this implies that we need to redefine our cities and our urban life.

This change of mindset is needed at the societal level, but we believe that the current adult generations are not suited for this, because they are got used to a lifestyle, that humankind is polluting and destroying the natural world. We believe that for an effective and stable change, we must first raise a generation that will be capable of breaking with the lifestyles of its predecessors.

With our entry, we want to draw attention to the importance of bringing this new lifestyle approach to children, incorporating its elements in their education and place in contents produced for children, thus promoting its widespread spread and acceptance.

This project of the Freaky Whales evolved from the plans of Next Normal After Covid – Urban Planning and Design 2 subject by UFLab (Consultants: prof. Dr. György Alföldi DLA, Imre Bokányi, Olívia Kurucz).

 

Shrinking Cities – Book

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Shrinking Cities – Book

What are the difficulties for a city with declining socio-economic opportunities? The book „Shrinking Cities – Strategies and Methodologies for Increasing the Attractiveness of Shrinking Cities”, published by TERC, explores the experiences of shrinking cities in Central Europe and the specific paths they have taken. The book provides methodologies that respond to specific urban developments, urban planning situations and challenges.

The book is particularly useful for urban professionals. It is intended to provide them orientations, planning principles and strategies to follow when their municipality is in a phase of socio-economic decline. The chapters draw on international literature to introduce the ideas of shrinking cities into the education and practice of architects, landscape architects and urban planners in Hungary, and to familiarise them with the shrinking city issue, which is now a fundamental principle in many parts of the world.

The Shrinking Cities book was launched by the authors on 24 March 2022 at the Centre for Contemporary Architecture (KÉK). Prior to the official launch, a workshop with gamified tools was held to simulate a meeting of the stakeholders and urban actors of a hungarian town. The public presentation ended with a discussion on the difficulties of the domestic urban structure, the challenges of recent urban developments and the different layers of shrinking urban characters.

Published by TERC Ltd, 2021.
Authors of the book: György Alföldi / Bálint Balázs / Dániel Balizs / Olívia Kurucz / Csilla Sárkány
Editor: György Alföldi
Editors: Csaba Jelinek / Zoltán Bajtai /Judit Dobosné Gerzsenyi
Book design: Olívia Kurucz

The Shrinking Cities book is available to order from the website of TERC publishing.

Book photo: Bálint Benkő
Book photo concept: Studio VAN