AAVS Urban Phoenix Berlin.

The AA Urban Phoenix Berlin Visiting School, an annual workshop held in Berlin, focuses on regenerating abandoned metropolitan mega-structures through innovative urban design strategies. Sites such as Tempelhof Airport and the International Congress Center (ICC) were central to the exploration of sustainable urbanism and architectural legacy. The program emphasizes sustainable development through circularity, urban placemaking theories, and legacy values.

A specialized course on AI and Virtual Reality (VR) was incorporated into the design process, with participants exploring these technologies at a 1:1 scale. The use of VR encouraged the investigation of hidden narratives and immersive experiences, while AI technology was applied to develop strategies for urban regeneration.

Participants received guidance in producing analytical maps and were introduced to tools for political urbanism, computational techniques, and open-source mapping. The design process encouraged the development of speculative proposals at various scales—urban, architectural, and 1:1—exploring public and private space dynamics and engaging with urban heritage.

Lectures and critical discussions addressed cutting-edge urban design topics, including rethinking streetscapes, legislative frameworks, and creative approaches to urban spaces. Students were encouraged to engage with these complex issues while considering the impacts of their design decisions on different social groups. Additionally, the workshop facilitated collaborative learning through team-based problem-solving and daily operational coordination.