The scars left by the industrial age on the urban surface are amongst the most challenging sites for architects today. Literally every city grapples with an often-toxic industrial legacy, intrinsic to its specific structural conditions. This workshop will be a post-extractive urban development comparison between two of the largest mining cities of the world, Kiruna and Johannesburg.
Built on the world’s largest gold deposit, Johannesburg was established in 1886 and grew from a gold mining camp into a sprawling city-region of 16.1 million inhabitants. It is the only city of its kind in the world not built on a major river or seashore, but on a vein of gold. Johannesburg’s mining legacies have forged a racially and economically divided landscape, where mismanaged mining waste areas leach toxins into the environment, and nearby residents bear the costs. Many studies have investigated ways to remediate Johannesburg’s scarred landscapes, but few have been able to overcome the scale of the task.
In Sweden, the histories of the Kiruna mine and the city of Kiruna are closely linked, with the settlement dating back to the 1890s and the construction of seven homes to house workers who would extract iron from the Kiruna deposit, the world’s largest. By the end of 2018, around 10% of the town’s population were employed by LKAB (swedish state-owned miner Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag), with local people providing the backbone of a workforce that has grown from 3,482 people in 2004 to 4,624 by 2018, solidifying the relationship between townspeople and their mine. Local officials have planned a number of relocation activities ahead of 2035, when the move is set to be completed. Some of the more dramatic moves the planned disassembly andreconstruction of the gothic Kiruna Church, a building constructed entirely of wood that will be moved in 2026.
Interstitial, inbetween places, void of attribution, pose interesting challenges to the conventional ways hegemonic architecture and planning discourse conceptualise space. The goal of this workshop will be to dig into the hidden layers of meanings and narratives, expressed through the mine waste areas’ historical, physical, toxicological and ecological constitution complemented by findings in field research. Both urban areas, forged by resource extraction, are places of desire and opportunity. They support opportunities at both ends of the economic scale. These case studies, continents apart, offer a meaniningful and multually productive opportunity for interpreting and studying change in these urban landscapes. With an emphasis on historical change, and an engagement with affected residents, this workshop will provoke new ways of reading these places, while navigating divergent stakeholder interests.
Intending to curate a dynamic workshop experience, we will focus on radio broadcast format, creating a session where two researchers engage in a compelling discussion. We aspire to ensure clear objectives, interactive content, and seamless streaming through a reliable platform. Our goal is to create an inclusive environment by encouraging participant engagement through a user-friendly chat interface. Moderation will be implemented for smooth Q&A, and proactive promotion across channels will be a priority. The radio event will be a recorded session for accessibility, gather valuable feedback, and foster follow-up interactions, ultimately delivering an informative workshop to a diverse audience.
This workshop lays the foundation for potential future collaborations among the 2 researchers and relatives departments, fostering a shared commitment to unraveling urban complexities and driving innovative solutions for sustainable development in Arctic and Antarctic.
Distribution of Activities:
• Begin with an engaging introduction to set the tone and establish the workshop's context (15 minutes).
• Dive into the contextualization of urban scars in Kiruna and Johannesburg, emphasizing the historical background (30 minutes).
• Allocate dedicated time to explore the unique challenges faced by Kiruna and Johannesburg, emphasizing the socio-economic dynamics (30 minutes).
• Reserve a block of time for the interactive radio broadcast format, promoting engaging discussions and live Q&A (30 minutes).
• Conclude with a reflection on key insights, ensuring a smooth transition to future engagements (15 minutes).
Detailed distribution of the Radio broadcast Workshop:
1. Introduction (15 minutes):
• Overview of the workshop's theme and objectives.
• Brief introduction to Kiruna and Johannesburg as case studies.
• Explanation of the radio broadcast format and its potential for dynamic discussions.
2. Contextualizing Urban Scars (30 minutes):
• Presentation on the industrial legacies of Johannesburg, focusing on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of gold mining.
• Exploration of Kiruna's history, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between the town and its iron mine.
• Discussion on the challenges posed by extractive industries in shaping urban landscapes.
3. The Kiruna Challenge (15 minutes):
• In-depth look at the unique challenges faced by Kiruna, including the planned disassembly and reconstruction of the Kiruna Church.
• Examination of the socio-economic dynamics between the mining company (LKAB) and the local population.
• Highlighting the planned relocations and their implications for the town's future.
4. Johannesburg's Dilemma (15 minutes):
• Exploration of the racially and economically divided landscape in Johannesburg resulting from mismanaged mining waste.
• Overview of existing studies on remediation efforts and the scale of the task at hand.
• Consideration of the socio-environmental costs borne by nearby residents.
5. Unveiling Narratives through Field Research (20 minutes):
• Discussion on the methodologies employed in field research to uncover hidden narratives.
• Presentation of findings related to historical, physical, toxicological, and ecological aspects of mine waste areas.
• Reflection on the interstitial spaces and their challenges to conventional architectural and planning discourse.
6. Interactive Radio Broadcast (30 minutes):
• Engaging discussion between two researchers, exploring the nuances of the presented narratives.
• Integration of live Q&A from workshop participants through a user-friendly chat interface.
• Proactive moderation to navigate divergent stakeholder interests and encourage audience participation.
7. Closing and Reflection (15 minutes):
• Summary of key insights and takeaways from the workshop.
• Announcement of opportunities for follow-up engagement and further exploration.
• Acknowledgment of the recorded session for accessibility and future reference.
Keywords: Extractivism, urbanization, radio broadcast, public engagement, resources
