2021
With the Aurora Challenge, we did not want to treat the courtyard as an empty site waiting for one final design. We saw it as a shared outdoor space that could become more useful over time, together with the people around it. This proposal sets out a sequence of practical steps that gradually turn a large, indistinct area into a place for meeting, play, movement, greenery and everyday life.
We begin with a clear ground pattern and a small number of elements. That gives the courtyard a recognisable structure without fixing every future use in advance. From there, the proposal introduces a community structure, a play area, more planting, a small stand or tribune, a bicycle facility and places to sit. Each addition does something concrete, but together they create a much richer shared landscape. The aim is not a monument. It is a courtyard where people have reasons to stay, return and take part.
We chose an incremental approach because public space is not activated by form alone. It needs activities, comfort, practical facilities and opportunities for people to make it their own. The green elements, covered structures and flexible frames in our proposal can support a conversation, a game, an event, informal sport or a quiet moment. They leave room for different rhythms of use instead of prescribing one correct way to occupy the space.
The proposal also became a way to talk with partners. It was developed in the context of Aurora with people from housing, education and local development. By showing a sequence rather than one polished end image, we could ask more useful questions: what should happen first, which part has immediate value, what is feasible, and who will look after each new element? That made the design a shared conversation tool, not just an architectural drawing.
Our outcome is a human-scale strategy for neighbourhood renewal. We start with changes that are understandable and accessible, connect them to daily routines, and leave room for the courtyard to evolve. The hope is that, as the space becomes more capable, residents and local partners will have more ways to become involved in it. In that sense, the project is less about delivering a finished courtyard than about creating the conditions for a shared place to keep growing.