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Prof Dr Schäfer and Prof Dr Rückert presented the Young Cities Project Application covering the main project
phase from 2008 to 2013 at a consultant meeting of the BMBF in Bonn on 25/01/08. Passing the first two steps
of the application procedure a decision by the BMBF is expected in spring 2008.
The regular first project pahse ended in September 2007. The project submitted a new application to the BMBF
for another five year phase of funding. Until this application is approved or rejected Sebastian Seelig is
the interim project manager. All other members of the project center are now involved in other projects. We thank
them all for the good work. New information about the second project phase will appear here as soon as possible.
Members of the Project are strongly involved in the upcoming conference Joint Project Sustainability -
Megacities research in joint projects in the Berlin-Brandenburg region hold by the Center of
Competence "City and Region". You will find further information (in
german) here.
The third workshop and the last of the trilogy focussed on systemic sustainable production of urban, building and
technical infra-structures togethar with climatic and social issues. Here also targets and products where defined and
potential partners named.
Tied up to the last workshop, this one was concentrated on engery efficiant cities with regards to specific Iranian
problems. Again with involvement of external and internal experts the main tasks and steps for the next project
phases were defined and approved. Also possilbe products and future partners from sientific or economic side
were taken into consideration.
Due to internal and external circumstances climate change and energy became more important for the project recently.
Although sustainability was key important for all development in the past, it is nessesary to focus even more on this
topic. This workshop was the kick-off and in a combination of presetations held by external experts and project members it
put new ideas on the table and made clear were parallel developments could be combined or more efforts are needed.
This journey combined meetings between Iranian and German project partners and an intensive survey on development of
New Towns in Iran up to now. Proceeding and further development of the project with a strong reagrd to new developments
in German research strategy were discussed and a stronger focus on climate and energy topics is considered key important.
New concepts will be compiled in further uni- and bilateral workshops. Members of the Project Centre and several
students of TU Berlin did intensive research containing surveys, observation and interviews with inhabitants,
officials and planners of and in Hashtgerd and Parand New Towns.
The second newsletter of the New Towns Research Cluster was issued and is available here (PDF, 500 kB).
The Project published a paper in a special issue of the
"Trialog - A Journal for Building and Planning in the Third World"
-Magazine. The special issues was completly dedicated to Megacities and the Young Cities paper dicussed pros and cons of
the New Town concept for modern urban planning in Iran.
From November 25th until November 29th 2006 the next bilateral workshop was hold at Building and Housing
Research Center in Tehran and at the local branch of New Towns Development Corporation in Hashtgerd New Town. Several german
team members from Berlin participated in the successful workshop. The project is not only proceeding as planned but new ideas
of further projects in Hashtgerd New Town were exchanged and discussed.
From November 22th until November 23th 2006 Eng Seelig, assistant for urban planning & urban design at the Project Centre
attended the foundation and first seminar of the International New Towns Institute
(» INTI). The seminar focussed on different aspects of New Towns in history
and recent planning approaches. The INTI will become a close partner of the Young Cities Project in future.
From November 18th until November 28th 2006 students of the TU Berlin travelled to Tehran, and the New Towns of Hashtgerd
and Parand to do research for their diploma thesises on different topics concerning the Young Cities Project. They met with
representatives of the NTDC and other involved institutions to gather facts in the fields of e.g. project development,
sustainable development. They were assisted and accompanied by Eng Stellmacher and Eng Mosavat from the Young Cities Project
Centre.
The first newsletter of the recently founded New Towns Research Cluster was issued and is available here (PDF, 400 kB).
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Meeting in Berlin, September 2006
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From September 5th until 10th 2006 an Iranian-German workshop was held at Technische Universität Berlin. The
Iranian delegation participating in the workshop was led by Prof G. Heidarinejad, President of the Building and
Housing Research Center, Eng S.M. Mirian, Chairman of the New Towns Development Corporation, Dr T. Parhizkar,
Vice-President for Research of BHRC and Eng A. Nemati, Chairman of the NTDC Hashtgerd New Town.
» read more
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Symposium, 6th September 2006 at TU Berlin
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On the 6th of September 2006 TU Berlin hosted an international symposium addressing the question whether
New Towns are a concept for the sustainable development of Megacity regions. Several international experts,
academics and practitioners likewise, from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Egypt were
invited to the one-day Symposium in order to explore the main research question of the "Young Cities" Project.
» read more
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Training centre of Technical and Vocational Training organisation in Karaj
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From August 14th until 16th 2006 a German delegation led by Prof Schäfer of Technische Universität Berlin
(TU Berlin) as
well as Mr Buckram and Mr Jahn of the Vocational Training Institute
(BFW) of the Construction Industry Association of
Berlin-Brandenburg travelled to Tehran to hold talks on qualification as one of the Strategic Dimensions of the Project.
The durability and sustainability of infrastructure and buildings including their resistance against earthquakes is closely
linked with the qualification of the involved construction workers. The Project aims at addressing this significant
potential for change. » read more
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House-warming party
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A small festivity took place at the new location of the Young Cities Project Centre and WANACU offices in Carnotstrasse 1A to
celebrate the start of the West Asia North Africa Cooperation Unit (WANACU) and to introduce the new offices to the
public. The event was very well attended by colleagues of the university, faculty, related departments and
consortium members. We were happy to welcome external interested people e.g. the president of
VINI, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Seied Nasseri. After a retrospective and visonary speech of
Prof. Schäfer and an introduction by Dipl.-Ing. Kester von Kuczkowski all had good food and drinks and communication went well on till the
late finish at the banks of river Spree. We thank all our guests and helpers very much for this sucessful event!
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Long night of sciences
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On May 13th 2006, the Project was presented by the Project Centre at the annually "Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften"
(Long Night of Sciences) event of all scientific institutions in Berlin
(http://www.langenachtderwissenschaften.de). In the
Peter-Behrens-Hall, one of the most frequented locations of the night, the Project was present among TU Berlin's civil
engineering department with poster and computer presentations as well as materials of the Pilot Projects.
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Field trip to Parand New Town
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On April 30th 2006 a German delegation led by Prof Schäfer, Prof Pahl-Weber and Prof Rückert of TU Berlin travelled
to Iran to hold inter-workshop negotiations with Building and Housing Research Center (BHRC), represented mainly by
Prof Heidarinejad and Dr Parhizkar, and New Towns Development Corporation (NTDC), represented primarily by Eng Mirian,
at BHRC in Tehran. The steering committee meetings lasting for one and a half day on half-time of the first Project
phase was focussed on adjustments for the second half of the first phase and on fundamental decisions for the
application for the second Project phase.
The meetings also comprised a half-day study trip to Parand New Town, a New Town South of Tehran under construction
for already a longer time than Hashtgerd New Town. The visit encompassed talks with the managing local NTDC
officials including the managing director as well as central and local NTDC and BHRC experts. Parand New Town
will be subject to in-depth investigations in the framework of the so called Analytical Grid to be applied to
New Towns in Iran, and later in Europe and worldwide.
Report of BHRC's public relation department on the visit of the German delegation
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Meeting in Tehran, April 2006
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On April 9th 2006 a German delegation led by Prof Schäfer, Prof Rückert and Dr Pascha of TU Berlin travelled to
Tehran in order to advance the arrangement of implementation of the Pilot Projects with BHRC and NTDC. On two days
in Tehran the Iranian-German consortium exchanged the progress and defined the precise workload and mutual
responsibilities concerning the further proceeding of the two building Pilot Projects, together with organisational
arrangements of implementation regarding aspects of financing and tender. Furthermore detailed technical aspects of
both building Pilot Projects (» HT and » NQ) were part of the talks. From the Iranian side experts of the different departments of
BHRC led by Prof Heidarinejad and Dr Parhizkar, experts of the NTDC's central offices and the Hashtgerd branch
led by Eng Mirian as well as university based researchers and company representatives took part in the workshop.
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Site inspection in Hashtgerd New Town
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The workshop was partly held in Hashtgerd New Town including members of the central and the local NTDC branches
together with representatives of the local administration and other institutions. The Urban Design Scenarios were
discussed intensively with local architects, planners and experts from associated fields. The associated field-trip
encompassed a detailed survey of the 35 ha Pilot Project area and of the site for the New Quality Pilot Project building.
The German delegation's sojourn in Tehran was also used to meet with GTZ Iran representative Prof Khosrow Saidi.
Dr Parhizkar, Prof Schäfer, Prof Rückert and Prof Saidi arranged for next steps concerning the further advancement
of implementation of vocational training measures in the context of the New Quality Pilot Project building.
On a meeting of both the German and the Iranian project coordinators, Dr Parhizkar and Prof Schäfer,
with the German embassy in Tehran the embassy expressed its support to the Project and the importance
attributed to questions of sustainable development in Iran regarding the challenges the country is faced
with such as massive growth of urban agglomerations and housing needs. It was agreed that the embassy will be kept
up-to-date on the progress of the Project and on all workshops taking place both in Germany and Iran.
Report of BHRC's public relation department on the visit of the German delegation
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Workshop - Theses, methodologies, strategies
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On February 22nd 2006, a workshop of the German consortium was held at TU Berlin, addressing the major research
questions and applied methodologies of the Project. Members of all of the five Teams worked on the coordination
of their single research questions within the consortium and on the adjustment of their research activities in
relation to the superior research questions of the Project. The workshop proved the importance of the integration
of regular feedback loops in the ongoing research activities of the consortium.
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Prof Ali Madanipour
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On January 31st 2006, the Strategic Dimensions' Teams Urban and Regional Planning as well as
Environmental Resources and Quality of the German consortium held a one-day workshop on
contemporary urban design paradigms and urban planning trends in Iran. Due to his specific research experience
in the field of urban development in Iran Prof Madanipour,
Professor of Urban Design at Newcastle University,
was invited to the workshop.
In the morning session Prof Pahl-Weber, coordinator of Team 1, gave a presentation on the Young Cities Project
and on current work undertaken in the Urban Planning and Urban Design group. In the following discussion
Prof Madanipour stressed the impact of contemporary predominant urban design paradigms in Iran on New Towns planning
and on the attractiveness of New Towns.
In the afternoon session Prof Madanipour gave a speech on the results of his research on the Iranian New Towns programme.
Speaking about the planning, development and appraisal of Iranian New Towns, Prof Madanipour emphasised on the history
of the Iranian New Towns, on the central actors of the programme and on the problems of implementation.
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Bilateral workshop, Berlin
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The first bilateral workshop held after the approval of the Project took place in Germany from November 28th to
December 4th 2005 at TU Berlin. The workshop encompassed three days of workshop sessions, one day of thematic and
cultural excursion and one day for bilateral talks aside from the workshop sessions. The workshop sessions have been
organised according to the following structure:
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Excursion to Hamburg
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Dr Pahizkar and Prof Schaefer at BMBF Kick-off event
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From November 23rd until November 25th 2006, the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) hosted the Kick-off
event of the BMBF supporting programme "Research for Sustainable Development of the Megacities of Tomorrow". All
consortia met in Berlin in order to get a first impression of all research projects participating in the programme.
At the second day of the event representatives of the BMBF outlined the procedure for the evaluation of phase I and
the application for phase II as well as criteria for the evaluation of the projects. The event also encompassed a
methodological training session by GTZ consultants. A detailed programme of the event can be downloaded
here (PDF, 26 KB).
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Since the October 31th our Website www.youngcities.org is online. It provides all information about the Project
Young Cities - New Towns in Iran. You can have a look on the pilot projects, get to know our partners or inform about news
and activities. But not only it serves as information public platform, it provides also intranet services, such as our project
and document manager "proman".
The Project was approved in July 2005 and started to work right away.
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last amended by Oliver Hisecke February 17 2008, 23:54 |