The acronym BRANCABIKA stands for BRugge, ANkara, CAnterbury, BIalystok and KAiserslautern, cities where the institutes of higher education participating in the project are located.

“Modular housing system for starters” was the theme of the previous workshop that took place in Brugge (Belgium) between 18-27 April 2005. During this ten day period, fifty students and ten members of staff from five countries provided a European dimension to this topic from the world of architecture and city planning.

The second workshop, approved by the European Commission as an Erasmus mobility project with reference 27931-IC-2-2004-1-BE-ERASMUS-IPUC-11, took place in Ankara from 6-15 March 2006. Theme of this workshop is “low cost housing for low income groups in disaster prone areas: Sustainable Neighbourhood and Housing Design in Ankara”.

Summary

Modern metropolitan cities in Turkey are confronted with a new problem concerning the low-income housing in the 21st century: the transformation/regeneration of the old squatter housing stock. Within the project, alternative models for low cost, low income housing are developed.

Contributors from each participating partner look at the subject from their specific point of view (e.g. urban planning, design and architecture, construction, organization and finance and urban management).The project becomes innovative as “building teams” are set up combining these different areas of expertise. Not only subject related ideas and views are shared between all involved but contributors are also faced with language and cultural aspects.

The project aims students at undergraduate level. Within the project social and economical cohesion, language learning, lifelong and e-learning are embedded as transversal policies. Dynamic individual and group input is required. There will be significant use of ICT.

The project will be subject to self- and peer evaluation and practicing experts will confront the students with their specialized opinion.

The results will be published in various ways (printed version, exhibitions, website and competition brief) as well as integrated in future curriculum development of the participating institutions.