Framing the Scope for Transdisciplinary Research in Architecture and Urban Design: A Work-in-Progress on the Future of Streets

Abstract

Architecture and Urban Design, when working at a street level, demand a new transdisciplinary approach that not only involves other disciplines but also addresses design in a different way. The ubiquitous presence of information technologies together with critical changes in society (increased awareness on sustainability, diversity, and climate change) in the era of the end of the car demand completely new perspectives for human-scale city interaction. This article presents an ongoing Ph.D. research focused on setting a methodology and framework for a transdisciplinary approach to urban design at a street level. The study is based on a public-funded research project on the future of streets and the evolution of urban furniture piloted in a specific site in the city of Bilbao. In this article, we present the preliminary findings of both the methodological process and the early design of street systems/elements.