Abstract:

Design Silesia project is cofounded by the European Union within the European Social Fund for the years 2007-2013. Design Silesia project is realized within the Submeasure 8.2.2 Regional Innovation Strategies of the Human Capital Operational Programme. Marshall Office of Silesian Voivodship is the leader of the project that works in a partnership with Faculty of Architecture Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Ars Cameralis Silesiae Superioris, and Castle in Cieszyn.

The main objective of Design Silesia Project is to implement and promote design conceived as an innovative and creative approach to problem-solving (design thinking). Such broad definition of design also includes research, especially application studies.
Accordingly, one of the tasks under Design Silesia Project is an R&D implementation program:”Ph.D students for Innovation” run at the Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology, focused on constructing a research methodology for revitalization schemes of degraded urban areas. The main task is to implement innovative solutions in urban planning at the local government level and in architectural design practice.
Therefore, the program is suited to the topics to be discussed at ICERI 2012 Conference, both in terms of an example of research methodology creation and cooperation of the academic environment with local authorities.

Description of the Program:
The participants are PhD students representing the following fields of research: architecture and urban planning, visual arts, sociology and economics.
The students work under the supervision of professors and experts invited to join the Program. The author of this paper has created the concept of the research and is also one of the students’ supervisors. The expected outcome of the Program is to devise recommendations useful for preparing urban planning documentation, revitalization schemes for brownfields, local activity programs, to indicate directions of further land development. We have assumed that: “The process of revitalization should unfold on the bases of local values of place- its identity, cultural heritage, architectural heritage and social capital”.
An interdisciplinary research team is preparing analyses of three complementary ranges: spatial, social and economic issues, as well as analyses of intangible assets (city image, tradition, history, place identity).
In order to build and test the research model, the Program participants- Ph.D students- elaborate selected examples of degraded urban areas in Upper Silesia.
The time frames of the Program are: 2011-2012.

Keywords:

Interdisciplinary research, knowledge and innovation transfer, revitalization, cultural heritage, social capital, identity of place.