The Centre for Urban Studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts
Mission statement – urban think tank
By pooling together best talent in urban research, planning and architecture, the Centre of Urban Studies aims at making Estonia a unique laboratory of urbanism.
The Centre will be involved in
- organising courses for continuing professional development (CPD)
- conducting research (particularly R&D) and facilitating doctoral education
- consultancy through agreements with municipalities and private actors
- publishing in web and print
- organising conferences and other events
- creating strategic partnerships
If the Arts Academy’s degree programme in urban studies is the breeding ground of new ideas and approaches, the Centre for Urban Studies is the incubator and test-bed. It is a semi-commercial unit, facilitating spin-offs – new companies, urban projects and events. Cooperation with related university departments, cities and NGOs is fundamental for Centre’s operations.
Together with the Chair of Urban Studies, the Centre forms the core of an emerging Centre of Expertise in Urbanism, The notion of ‘centre of expertise’ refers to innovation policies in some European counties. It means a strategic grouping of universities, companies and third sector actors, involved in innovative R&D. Estonia does not yet have a defined innovation policy, but the mission of the Centre, together with the Chair of Urban Studies, is to facilitate urban innovation, defined as social, organisational and technological novelties that influence cities and urban life.
Background
The emphasis of urban innovation is based on an analysis of local context. Estonia is one of the fastest growing national economies in the EU. Culturally, Estonia is well connected to Scandinavia, Central Europe and further, while the country has inherited from its Soviet era a set of social problems and cultural divisions it has to negotiate. From an international point of view, the small size and a certain ‘agility’ of Estonia make it an interesting field of study and a potential model for other rapidly modernising countries.
Estonia’s economic, social and cultural changes manifest themselves in cities. In a European comparison, an unusually large part of its economic growth is linked to real-estate industry. This means that in Estonia, urban development is rapid and its main cities are booming. Tallinn and several other Estonian cities will be radically rebuilt in the coming few decades, and the changes in urban living conditions are profound.
Globally, the dynamics of the contemporary 'urban age' involve multi-cultural urban situations, varying economic prospects (boom vs marginalisation), complex restructuration of cities, rapidly continuing urbanisation, contemporary aesthetic sensitivity and changes in everyday life. Locally in Estonia, there are several elements that together point to the possibility of ‘Estonian urbanism’, a unique configuration of socio-spatial process and its aesthetic expression in the European urban field. Some of the elements of the hypothetical urban form include fast change and growth in Estonia, booming CBDs and ‘old town theme parks’ (especially in Tallinn), Soviet heritage (industry, concrete estates, monuments, leftover spaces, ruins), wooden urban districts in rapid gentrification, semi-gated suburban dreamland, distinct life-worlds of Estonians and Russians and problems of marginal areas and groups.
To realise the potential of 'Estonian urbanism', innovative opportunities have to be understood and nurtured. There is a need of common platform to discuss urban issues and an inclusive vision process (Stadtforum). In principle, nothing prevents Estonia from achieving similar results as Holland and Austria as urban laboratories, test-beds of both social and aesthetic ideas and projects.
