Detailed description (English): Reclaiming Streets is a practice-based learning initiative launched in 2022, focused on transforming streets into livable, child-friendly public spaces. Developed by the Marmara Municipalities Union’s Local Government Academy in collaboration with Superpool and the Global Designing Cities Initiative, the program shifts the focus from vehicle-centric urban design to prioritize the needs of children and pedestrians, aiming to create safer, healthier, and more inclusive streets.
The program enhances municipal capabilities through targeted educational workshops lasting 6 to 8 months and a phased design strategy that systematically breaks down the transformation process into manageable steps (interim and final). This approach improves the effectiveness of participation, budgeting, and implementation, enabling municipalities to optimize resources and engage communities more effectively. The initiative also fosters collaboration across municipal departments and encourages peer-to-peer learning within cities.
The 2024 learning program for 8 new pilot projects and 5 permanent interventions has been successfully completed. The openings of the interventions developed through the program will be conducted in collaboration with 12 municipalities, beginning during European Mobility Week and continuing across various locations in the Marmara region until the end of the year. In this context, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality’s pilot project will be inaugurated on September 16, while Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s permanent intervention is scheduled to open on September 18.
Detailed description (original language): Sokaklar Dönüşüyor, 2022 yılında başlatılan ve sokakları yaşanabilir, çocuk dostu kamusal alanlara dönüştürmeyi hedefleyen bir uygulamalı öğrenme programıdır. Marmara Belediyeler Birliği Yerel Yönetim Akademisi tarafından Superpool ve Global Designing Cities Initiative iş birliğiyle geliştirilen bu program, araç merkezli kentsel tasarımdan uzaklaşarak, çocuklar ve yayaların ihtiyaçlarını ön planda tutan, güvenli, sağlıklı ve kapsayıcı sokaklar oluşturmayı amaçlamaktadır.
Program, 6 ila 8 ay süren hedefe yönelik eğitim atölyeleri ve aşamalı bir tasarım stratejisi (prova uygulama ve kalıcı uygulama) ile belediyelerin kapasitelerini güçlendirmeyi hedefler. Bu strateji, dönüşüm sürecini sistematik olarak yönetilebilir adımlara böler, katılım, bütçeleme ve uygulama süreçlerinin etkinliğini artırır, böylece belediyelerin kaynaklarını daha verimli kullanmalarını ve topluluklarla daha etkili bir iletişimde bulunmalarını sağlar. Ayrıca, program belediye birimleri arasında iş birliğini teşvik eder ve şehirler arasında akran öğrenimini destekler.
Sokaklar Dönüşüyor programı kapsamında bugüne kadar 10 şehirde 10 sokak dönüştürüldü. 2024 yılında başlayan 8 yeni geçici uygulama ve 5 kalıcı uygulama için öğrenme programı da başarıyla tamamlandı. Program sonucunda geliştirilen uygulamaların açılışları, Avrupa Hareketlilik Haftası ile başlayarak yıl sonuna kadar 12 belediye ile iş birliği içinde gerçekleştirilecek. Bu çerçevede, Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi’nin geçici uygulama açılışı 16 Eylül’de, İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi’nin kalıcı uygulama açılışı ise 18 Eylül’de yapılacak.
Target group(s): 1. Children and Caregivers: As the primary beneficiaries, children and their caregivers are central to the program’s focus on creating safe, healthy, and inclusive streets.
2. Community Members and Residents: Local communities who participate in the implementation processes, ensuring that the transformations meet their needs and reflect their input.
3. Municipalities: Particularly the departments involved in urban planning, public works, transportation, parks and recreation, and social services, which are responsible for designing and implementing street transformations.
Objectives: 1. Create Safe and Inclusive Streets and Public Spaces: Prioritize the needs of children and pedestrians over motor vehicles, making streets safer, healthier, and more inclusive for all users.
2. Strengthen Municipal Capacities: Enhance the skills and knowledge of local government officials and municipal departments through education, workshops, and mentorship, enabling them to effectively manage the complex processes involved in street transformations.
3. Promote Tactical Urbanism: Foster collaboration among different municipal departments and community members to ensure that street transformations reflect the needs and desires of local residents.
4. Implement Phased Street Transformations: Use a phased design approach to manage the transition from interim to permanent street transformations, ensuring that each step is informed by community feedback and practical testing.
5. Expand and Sustain Transformations: Successfully implement street transformations in multiple cities, with plans to continue expanding these efforts to new locations and transitioning pilot projects into permanent changes.
Partner: Program Partners:
Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI): International Organization
Superpool: Research-based Architectural Practice.
Municipal Partners:
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Kocaeli
Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality, Sakarya
Avcılar Municipality, Istanbul
Bahçelievler Municipality, Istanbul
Fatih Municipality, Istanbul
İnegöl Municipality, Bursa
İzmit Municipality, Kocaeli
Maltepe Municipality, Istanbul
Nilüfer Municipality, Bursa
Osmangazi Municipality, Bursa
Serdivan Municipality, Sakarya
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