The transition to renewable energy has major spatial implications in terms of urban design, infrastructure, and energy production. This energy transition has profound sociocultural, economic, and political implications and offers opportunities to discover a new energy economy and social cohesion.
This may seem small, but these substations will become a feature in the streets throughout the Netherlands. The research outcomes will be showcased at the next edition of the IABR.
At the same time, we urgently need to meet the growing demand for energy in the short term. This will require an expansion and upgrade of the electricity grid, including the construction of a large number of additional electricity substations and heat transfer stations.
In order to minimise the use of land for these new stations, fit them in as carefully as possible, in order to accelerate the transition, a new standard is needed. It requires smart redesign, technical innovation and collaboration.
Publication Utility Hubs: Towards a New Urban Standard (Dutch)
We are pleased to announce the final publication of the IABR-Atelier Jeux des Joules: Utility Hubs: Towards a New Urban Standard (Dutch). This marks the conclusion of Jeux des Joules, the IABR design research atelier focused on the socio-cultural and spatial challenges of the energy transition.
The energy transition requires a major overhaul of the Dutch electricity grid. This will involve the construction of large numbers of new utility hubs in the existing public space. 'Utility Hubs: Towards a New Urban Standard' explores how these inevitable structures can be made more beautiful, smarter, and smaller, and how they can be better integrated into their surroundings.
In the coming years, the Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) will organize Transition Ateliers that use research by design to bring about radical changes in the areas of energy, food, nature, mobility, water (management), circularity, and justice. The methodology is based on many years of experience with research by design and transition studies. Design ateliers associated with biennale editions will accelerate thinking and design processes while providing a public platform.
