You are on page 1of 95

ONETHOUSANDSQUARE

ONE THOUSAND SQUARE (OTS) is a collaborative design project for the public space
of Stortorget, Hamar. It is an innovative experience of public participation empowerment.

1_As a first phase we create the OTS_LAB, consisting of four elements for the develop-
ment of the process:

+ the OTS_PHYSICAL-LAB (OTS_PL): a temporary operation center installed over the


Basarbygningen building.
+ the OTS_DIGITAL-LAB (OTS_DL): a web platform that provides digital tools to open
the process and coordinate the different contributions.
+ the Local LAB Team (LLT): a local coordinator and two research fellows recruited
through an open competition. The aim of this group located at the LAB-SPACE is to em-
power, coordinate, organize, advertise and develop all the practical questions about the
project.
+ the Global LAB Team (GLT): (architect + artist) will work as a curatorial team that will be
in charge of introducing catalysing inputs at different stages of the project.
and several processes of communication and Internet networking.
2_The process activates through several specific actions: a media campaign both locally
and globally in various formats (traditional and digital media), workshops in Hamar, the
launch of an online call for inviting anyone to submit a proposal to be tested in the square
and several processes of communication and Internet networking.

3_ the different proposals for activities and actions to be carried out in the square will be
received through the OTS_DL or by contacting the LLT. These collected ideas will be
published in the database of the web and also displayed on a physical screen on the
façade of the OTS_PL. Proposals must be in accordance with criteria defined by the GLT
and will also have to include a detailed budget.

4_These proposals will be voted on a continuous basis and comments on them will also
be a continuous feedback, so as to establish a ranking of the most valued and supported
ones in real time.
5_Periodically (every six weeks) the three most voted ideas will be selected and will take
place as they are or as a hybrid solution according to the budget available. This process
is repeated eight times during a year. The implementations will be monitored by the LLT
and the GLT, and will be developed and produced by the citizens of Hamar or by the
teams who submitted them.

6_These real scale mockups will be part of a new database involved in the following pro-
cess.

7_By the end of this open process, a technical committee composed of local authorities,
experts, local citizen representatives, web participants and the GLT will convene. This
committee should discuss and define the process (and design) to a maximum of three
options to integrate the most valuable and interesting ideas made in the previous phase.

8_These three options will be voted through an open process and the final action to be
realized will be chosen as a result of the process.
open the map, please
THE 20 FAQ’s
(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. WHY DO WE NEED ONE THOUSAND
SQUARES?
Because usually, when a public space is designed and then built there is not the chance
to test it, to get feedback from people’s reaction using and enjoying it. In general buildings
and squares never keep part of their budget aside to correct mistakes or simply to
improve designs that designers create based on assumptions. They can guess how
things will work but they don’t know for sure. If there is a way to test different solutions and
keep improving them along the process, then you can be more certain that you will have
a better solution in a particular context. But also if you include a greater number of people
in the improvement process (politicians, citizens, designers, artist, sociologist,...), you can
then be sure that you have a solution for the future.

On top of that, if you can test one thousand squares because real-scale mock-ups
are built, then people (specially those with no technical knowledge) can take part in the
decision taking process.

No one knows what will or won’t work in the public space. People are unpredictable and
that is the richness of life. If we provide enough space for this to happen we’ll create the
square that belongs -in the deeper sense of the word- to the people.
2. WHAT IS THE LAB-SPACE FOR AND
HOW DOES IT WORK?
LAB-SPACE is the key space in Hamar available throughout the Open Design Process.
It is located on top of the BASARBYGNINGEN building.

The space itself works as a Plug-in pavilion while at the same time can be seen as a
representative “lighthouse” of the whole process, day and night. This space can hold the
creative activities launched by OTS project organization, as well as being the main head-
quarters of the process where the OTS-Physical LAB (OTS-PL) and OTS-Digital LAB
(OTS-DL) are constantly updated.

All proposals are welcome there, not only for the design of the square, but also proposals
about the design of the whole process. LABSPACE is the main tool to accomplish the
final goal of this project: to create the best square for Hamar.
3. OH MY GOD!!! I CAN NOT BELIEVE
THIS IS HAPPENING IN HAMAR!!!!!!........
DO YOU KNOW OTHER CITIES IN THE
WORLD THAT HAVE PROMOTED THIS
KIND OF COLLABORATIVE DESIGN
PROCESS?
In the moment we are currently living structural improvements are more than welcome
(economy, ecology,...), and all experts agree that a new approach to the design of the
existing urban environment will make a difference.

There are big numbers of cities and representative people in the world talking about
citizen participation processes, but only a few of them are implementing real examples.
None of these real examples deal with a collaborative design of the urban environment.
This is one of the most experimental, creative and democratic processes we can launch
to design the future of a city.

Hamar has the opportunity to be one of the most innovative cities in the world and be-
come a worldwide “case study”.
4. WHAT THE F**K IS AN OPEN SOURCE
SQUARE????
An Open Source square is a public space that follows a design process that creates the
conditions for collective creation dynamics. To encourage this collective nature, the pro-
cess is, by default, completely open to new contributions and collaborations, taking advan-
tage of the full potential of collective intelligence.

All collective creation should be free to use by any person, like self-organized communi-
ties of free software development. There should be freedom to adapt any creation to other
needs, freedom to be shared and freedom to make developments and public improve-
ments.

In an Open Source square any individual or collective production will host a creative com-
mons licence.
5. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE
THOUSAND SQUARE PROJECT
BECAUSE IT IS MORE FUN........, BUT ARE
YOU SURE WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING
INTERESTING AT THE END OF THIS
PROCESS?
Of course we are! We really believe in people, in their inner creativity and in the power of
the collective.

You can see multiple projects that became undeniable realities that grew from open
source dynamics.

These processes of collaboration have created, for example, the best and biggest en-
cyclopaedia ever (Wikipedia), or Linux, one of the most powerful operating systems for
computers.

Kevin Kelly expresses it very clearly, he says that it is “Impossible in theory but possible in
practice.”
6. HEY GUYS!......I AM AMAZED
HOW FAST YOU INSTALLED THAT
PLATTFORM ON TOP OF THE OLD
BUILDING.......IT NOW LOOKS BETTER.....
MORE COOOOOL!!!....I JUMPED THE
OTHER DAY INTO THE LAB PAVILION
AND I WAS ASTONISHED BY THE
VIEW!!!.....WHY IS IT SO BRIGHT
YELLOW????.........OUR HAMAR YELLOW
SUBMARINE!!!!!!
The LAB-SPACE is a temporary structure made up with off-the-shelf elements. It has a
wooden horizontal yellow platform hold by an structural scaffolding that flies over the Ba-
sarbygningen’s existing building roof. On the top of the platform you can see a transparent
glass box (LAB-SPACE) occupying almost 2/3rd of the platform space. This yellow space
is the iconic image of the whole participative process of ONE THOUSAND SQUARE
project.

This space will always be doors open for the Hamar’s citizenship at it will act as a window
open to creative people worldwide. This means that the indoor and outdoor spaces on
the top of the platform will always be changing depending on the different events, work-
shops, meetings, installations… it will be colored by the activity itself. During the night time
there will be video projections displayed in the retractable textile façade trying to inform
about the activities that took place during the day.
7. WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION
ABOUT EVENTS AND ESPECIALLY
ABOUT THE WHOLE CREATIVE
PROCESS?
One Thousand Square (OTS) project will have two different interfaces to establish links
between people and the OTS organization. These interfaces, a Digital-LAB (OTS-DL)
and a Physical-LAB (OTS-PL), will be connected to both digital and physical public
spheres to empower public participation.

The whole program of events will be collectively designed, discussed, published and
updated on the project’s website, a branch of the OTS-DL: this website will work as a
hybrid space between online and onsite spaces. But we are also conscious that there is
an amount of people who are not Internet users, that’s why all the contents published on
the website will be displayed on the Physical-LAB. The construction itself will work as a
screen and it will hold activities to spread the information related to the project and make it
more accessible to all range of people.
8. IS ONE THOUSAND SQUARE PROJECT
GOING TO THINK ABOUT KIDS?
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A
PLAYGROUND IN STORTORGET
DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN?
The events launched by OTS project will be open to people of all kinds, skills, ages, etc...
a big effort will be done to include those ranges of people that are always forgotten by
designers (elderly, kids,...). When we say “citizens” this includes everyone. Obviously,
each activity will have a specific goal and there will be a kind of public that is more willing
to attend. The different workshops will include specific activities together with schools and
other institutions at Hamar.

You can send a specific proposal for a playground or just ideas you are dreaming about
to include kids into the design of the square. If Stortorget needs a playground in the future
square we are sure that it will arise during the participative process. And we are sure be-
cause the new design will be a decision taken by all of us.
9. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN THIS
PROJECT..... IS IT POSSIBLE TO JOIN THE
LAB?
Of course you can! The OTS project aims to engage everyone in Hamar and also to
have worldwide inputs: The LAB-SPACE itself will be an Open Space, a transparent box
that allows the visualization of activities that helds inside.

It will also be the meeting place for those who don’t have access to the digital sphere and
want to be involved and have updated info about he project. It will be the open door for
them to take part in the whole process.

You have to contact the Local LAB Team (LLT) directly in the LAB-SPACE or through the
different web channels available. You can arrange a meeting with them (physically or digi-
tally) and they will guide you to join any of the working groups already existing (depending
on your interests) or to open a new one.
10. WHY IS ONETHOUSANDSQUARE
LAB PLACED ON TOP OF THE
“BASARBYGNINGEN” BUILDING?
ARE YOU GOING TO DAMAGE THE
BUILDING WITH THIS STRUCTURE?
WILL IT BE DISMANTLED AT THE END OF
THE PROCESS?
There are several important reasons for locating the LAB-SPACE over the roof of the
Basarbygningen building because:

- This building is an icon for the square and “a cultural and visual reference” for Hamar.;
- We want to keep the square as free as possible trying not to interfere with public activities
and mockups.
- This high position gives the LAB-SPACE visibility during the whole transformation pro-
cess. From this new “democratic icon” for Hamar we’ll have a unique view of the square
in connection with the lake. the LAB-SPACE will be an attraction itself to promote public
participation.

No, we are not going to damage the Basarbygningen building, in fact we are not touching
the building at all. The new structure to hold the LAB-SPACE structure will be separated
from the roof, the LAB-SPACE literally will fly over it. At the end of this process the LAB-
SPACE will be dismantled and hopefully moved to another city. We are expecting that
after Hamar’s example more cities will join a more democratic and innovative way of city
design.
11. I ENJOYED LAST SATURDAY’S
MOCK-UP DEMONSTRATION A LOT.......
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ASK FOR
A PIECE OF THE ARTIFICIAL GRASS
CARPET THAT WAS COVERING THE
CENTER OF THE SQUARE????......I’M
ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT..... HOW DO YOU
MANAGE WASTE FROM THE DIFFERENT
REAL-SCALE MOCK-UPS AND EVENTS?
As part of the project planning, during the whole process, all the materials used for the
events will be reused from one installation to the other; the whole strategy will be designed
with an economy of means from the very beginning. Once the process is finished, the Lo-
cal LAB Team (LLT) will take care for all the reusable or recyclable materials.

Because the LAB-SPACE is open source itself it will be dismantled and then relocated
to another urban environment that needs to be collectively redesigned with this open
source criteria. This will help not only to spread the open source culture but also to spread
the STORTORGET experience and Hamar internationally.
12. I’VE HEARD WE WILL HAVE REAL
SIZE SQUARE TESTS.??...WILL WE SEE
DIFFERENT SQUARES AND THEN BE
ABLE TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVOURITE
ONE?
The different configurations and projects that will take place will become as mock ups
for the final square. This opportunity allows citizens to test themselves through a real life
experience how this square would be transformed. This tests are also useful to find out
the disfunctions, problems and goals of the different configurations. The data collected will
help the citizens and users to decide what kind of public square Hamar requires, and pos-
sibly, and because of the whole process, the result will be a success.

Usually conventional projects do not assign any budget to testing; ending up in a failure if
the selected solution was not the appropriate one.

Hamar pilot project does designate a certain amount of the total budget to this first phase;
which is important in order to succeed.
13. I AM A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO FILM THE
“STORTORGET EXPERIENCE”. WHO
CAN HELP ME...??
We find very interesting your initiative because it is a way to spread, as you said, the “Stor-
torget experience”, an innovative collaborative urban dream for the future of Hamar.

You have to contact the LOCAL LAB-TEAM (LLT) directly in the LAB-SPACE or through
the different web channels available. You can arrange a meeting with them (physically or
digitally).

The aim of this group located at the LAB-SPACE is to empower, coordinate, organize,
advertise and develop all the practical questions about the project. They also coordinate
the physical materialization of the different real scale proposals.
14. ONE TRICKY QUESTION..........HOW
WILL THIS PROJECT AFFECT THE
“BASARBYGNINGEN” COMMERCIAL
BUILDING??
The artifact that hosts the Open Source Square Lab is a temporary structure and will be
dismantled once the process is over. It will provide a privileged view of the square and the
lake during this process time.

This temporary structure will become a catalyst for the transformation of Hamar public
spaces which will positively affect Hamar’s present, future and its whole community.

During the process the place will be the most visited attraction of Hamar receiving both
locals and foreigners becoming more popular and busy. This will consequently provide
more business to the existing stores.
15. DEAR FRIENDS.....I’VE HEARD WE
CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT WITH
THE SQUARE......I WOULD LOVE TO
ORGANIZE A GRAFFITI SESSION TO
COVER WITH COLOUR THE ASPHALT
SURFACE OF STORTORGET.....WILL YOU
HELP ME?
HOW CAN I PROCEED??
You have several ways to do it: You can either send your proposal through our website or
take part on an online or onsite workshop. Then your proposal will go through the regular
selection process as indicated in the website.

According to the nature of Hamar project we strongly encourage collective projects. There
are several working groups, so you should contact the one in which your proposal suits
better. For instance if you are a graffiti artist, your piece could be part of a larger and collec-
tive work.

Please also keep in mind we are in an open source program so ideas could be used fully
or just part of them.
16. AHHHHHA!!! ANOTHER
PARTICIPATION PROJECT LIKE THE
OTHERS.......... WHO WILL DECIDE THE
FINAL PROJECT FOR STORTORGET
SQUARE??
WHEN WILL WE ARRIVE TO THE END
OF THIS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
PROCESS???
The final configuration of the square and the public art work will be decided through this
Open Source process. By this process we are able to try, test, implement, and improve all
the possibilities through a period of time.

The Hamar community will experience real scale solutions and proposals being able to
vote them based on their experience and knowledge.

At the end of the process the most valued idea will be the one to be implemented perma-
nently.
17. HI! ONETHOUSAND FRIENDS......I
LOVE WHAT YOU DO WITH THE CITY......
WHY DO WE HAVE TO CHOOSE ONLY
ONE DESIGN???????......WOULD IT BE
POSSIBLE TO KEEP ON TRYING AS A
WAY TO ACTIVATE THE CITY LIKE YOU
ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?......I MET MORE
NEIGHBOURS DURING THIS WEEKEND’S
EVENT IN STORTORGET THAN IN THE
PREVIOUS TEN YEARS….
Yes, it is a good idea, you can see it in the project’s soul. We can add this new input into
the Conclusions Forum. The reactivation of a public space can not be addressed by a
conventional design, not even only by a good design. A lively public space is a complex
balance of overlapped layers, and the starting point for a public square’s design is very im-
portant. It can be something given to the city without any interaction with the citizenship or
an opportunity to empower the links between the citizens of Hamar, planting the seed for
a collective future. From this point of view OTS project will grow a new square in Hamar
deeply rooted into citizenship.

The OTS project is conceived as a demonstrative project, we assume that at the end of
the process a new way of urban design will be born and Hamar will be part of it.
18. YES, …….VERY BEAUTIFUL +
POETIC.........BUT...WHO’S PAYING FOR
ALL THIS THING?????
We exactly spend the original amount of budget assigned to make the public art work.
There is zero extra cost for this process. It is just a matter of distributing the budget in a dif-
ferent way. We split it into two:

1st: A collective creative process that includes the design of the square (which was not
specifically asked in this call), the process and the process conclusions

2nd: The implementation of the most voted intervention for the square.

The amount of money assigned for this second phase allows the production of a good
quality project. The previous designing/testing/voting process will guarantee its validation,
approval and interest.
19. I’VE READ THAT THERE WILL BE A
GLOBAL LAB TEAM CURATING THE
PROCESS AND ALSO A TECHNICAL
COMMITTEE AT THE END OF THE
PROCESS....... I’M CURIOUS....... WHY
DO WE NEED ALL THIS IF WE ARE
ENROLLED INTO AN OPEN SOURCE
AND PARTICIPATIVE PROCESS?
Participatory and Open Source processes does not mean ruleless. The rules in a collec-
tive process are also necessary and they can even be a catalyst themselves. The OTS
project is very open to include all the inputs but also very clear with the final goals and
logistics (schedule, budget, people involved...).

Open Source projects are usually related to software and Internet, but this is an experi-
mental opportunity in which we are learning from this successful previous experiences
coming from different fields. The OTS project will have to deal with the real world, estab-
lish physical links with Hamar citizenship and engaging creative people worldwide. The
Global LAB team (architect + artist) will work as a curatorial team that will be in charge of
introducing catalysing inputs at different stages of the project. The Technical Committee
will act previous to the last democratic survey. They will analyze all preselected proposals
and then they will supervise the technical possibilities of implementation connected to the
existing budget, etc. At the end of their work they will present a final document with conclu-
sions and a combination of the best previous solutions to be decided in a public survey.
20. I NEVER HEARD ABOUT SOMETHING
LIKE THAT......THIS IS LIKE THE SONG.......
PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER!......MAYBE
I’M NOT SO CLOSE TO THIS KIND OF
PROCESSES.......INCLUDING CITIZENS
INTO DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.......
DO YOU HAVE ANY REFERENCES FROM
OTHER CITIES/COUNTRIES TO SUPPORT
YOUR CONCEPT?......CONGRATS FROM
NEW ZEALAND ......AND THANKS.
We know different successful experiences that have been partially experimented in the
context of public space design (see attached images). For instance there are many ex-
amples with great results in software development as a collective creative work with the
contribution of hundreds of individuals. They became powerful by the selfless contribution
and participation of experts from all over the world. These are positive experiences that
prove collective work can be efficient and can have the top quality.
CEDRIC PRICE - INTER-ACTION CENTER - LONDON
EXYZT - CITY ISLAND - MADRID
FLORES PRAT - BESOS SQUARE- BARCELONA
RAUMLABOR - Das Küchenmonument
jan gehl - CAR FREE TIMES SQUARE - NEW YORK CITY
visit us at
www.onethousandsquare.org

You might also like