The transformation of Downtown Nassau based on urban housing and public space applying the method of the Urban Design Lab.

The City of Nassau with approximately 250,000 inhabitants (2010) is located in New Providence, the main island of The Bahamas. Downtown Nassau is limited by "the hill", a natural ridge delimitation and it is characterized by the location of several government buildings, such as Parliament and Government House; the British Colonial Hilton Hotel; the cruise ship port; and East Bay Street, the main shopping street in Nassau. At first glance, the city is characterized by functional and spatial segregation of social classes and uses. The density of inhabitants on the island is rather low, in the last few years the gap between lower and upper middle class has become much more visible.

Economicly based mostly based on the tourism industry the urban fabric of Nassau in danger by loosing its identity as a ccarribbean mid-scale metropolis. Additionally there is a lacvk of several urban functions like affordable housing, adequate public space, facilities for education and good governance has to be developed on a base for local demand.

The projects of the Nassau Urban Lab will focus a sensitive upgrading of the urban living conditions of Downtown Nassau based on strategic, design- and architectural interventions.
The situation of the "Lab" reflects an experimental approach due to the location where we act. So we will try to answer questions like: What is the Genius Loci of this "famous" place in the Carribbean and how is it manifested within the urban scenery? How do the processes and interactions of the urban society outside of the touristic installations work? Which criterious we have to consider to initiate a transformation process in terms of space, functions and governance? What is the environmental, climatic and social framework for conceptual and design interventions?

Cooperation
Nassau Urban Planning Office
Collage of The Bahamas (COB)

Tutoring
Helmut Schramm / FB Wohnbau / Housing
Andreas Hofer / FB Städtebau / Urban Design
Arthur Kanonier / FB Bodenpolitik / Urban Ppolitics

Timing
- October 2015: Intensive preparation phase
- 1st half of November: Urban Design Lab in Nassau
- November 2015 to January 2016:  Work in progress
- January 20152016: Final presentation

Participants
20 Master-Students of Architecture and Planning (Application process)
(about 15 Architecture; 5 Planning)

Application process
Requirements for the application (all students):
- Portfolio (format .pdf, size max 6 mb)
- Motivation letter  (max. 1 A4; english; .pdf)
Note:
- Students of Architecture apply at TISS (with portfolio upload) and send additionally the
motivation letter to schramm@wohnbau.tuwien.ac.at  or andreas.hofer@tuwien.ac.at
- Students of Planning apply: kanonier@law.tuwien.ac.at

Costs
Estimated costs for Excursion and Workshop in Nassau € 1.600,00 / pax.
About € 800 - 1.000 will be refunded through IDB - Scholarships finalizing the project!
The Nassau Urban lab will be financially supported by the IDB.


Cooperation
Nassau Urban Planning Office
Collage of The Bahamas (COB)
Inter-American Development Bank  www.iadb.org

Further informationsinformation:
This Master Class will be realized within the academic cooperation between TU Vienna and the "Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative" of the Interamerican Development Bank / IDB. 

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