What if? Narva workshop

Narva, a very special city on the border of Estonia and Russia is marking also the border of EU. The Narva River, which separates the two countries, also embodies the imaginary new Iron Curtain that was risen after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. There is no doubt that the built environment is one of the most important creators of identity; the urban space around us both creates communities and tears them apart. What kind of new space does Narva need? Starting at the grassroots level, with small projects and interventions, we will experiment with ways that could change the mood in Narva, offering ideas for a more inclusive city. The focus of the workshop is Maleaed (Chess Garden) courtyard in central Narva. The aim of the workshop is to rethink the Maleaed as a community quarter – what elements tie the area into a coherent space? Will a high quality, human-dimensioned urban space create a new community and transcend ethnic, linguistic, cultural and other barriers specific to Narva? The workshop will explore three themes: the common waste and community empowerment , the potential of film in mapping places, and, through the lens of Narva data analysis, whether and how much space there is for new potential community activities such as urban gardening. 

Collaboration with LINA fellows

During the workshop, working groups led by the tutors will create initial solutions, which will be presented at a final day presentation in Narva. The results of the workshop will be publicized in the exhibition and catalogue in 2023–2024.

The event is co-organised by the Estonian Academy of Arts Faculty of Architecture.