Results of the open call for participation in the SMART LIVING CHALLENGE 2015 program

SMART LIVING CHALENGE is a platform for the promotion of smarter living and concepts of sustainable development in urban areas that has been introduced in 2014 through a program of workshops that were held in 27 countries. The program had also been presented in Serbia, where within the framework of education program of Nova Iskra one of the 14 winning ideas was developed. The initiators of the progam – Swedish institute and the Swedish Association of Incubators and Science Parks – have prepared the continuation of the cooperation in 2015, this time focusing on three countries in which SLC gave the most interesting results – Brazil, Zambia and Serbia. In each of the three countries a multidisciplinary team is formed in order to work on their own collaborative project, with the constant support both local and international experts and mentors.

Seven participants within the Serbian team were selected among 40 applications received through the open call – Dragan Zlatković (architect, 1984), GordanaRadonić (architect, 1985), Pavle Jovanović (interaction designer, 1991), KatarinaŽivković (architect), Alan Kadduri (consultant in the domain of sustainable development, 1983), Mateja Živadinović (architect and urban planner, 1984) and Marija Opačić (student of sociology, 1987).

The focus of SLC 2015 is still on three main themes – EAT, MOVE, LIVE – while the theme of the Serbian program will be LIVE, investigating ideas for smarter consumption and sustainable systems in urban environment, whether through housing, public spaces or more responsible attitude towards resources. This year, the SLC organizing committee is joined by the prestigious Swedish consulting, scientific and educational organization Hyperisland (www.hyperisland.com), which runs educational centers in Stockholm, Manchester, Singapore, Sao Paolo, London, New York and Karlskrona. Their representative Alex Neuman will be the mentor of the multidisciplinary team whose project will be realized in Serbia, also supported by Nova Iskra team. The three projects that will result from the program this year will be presented in Paris (http://www.cop21paris.org/) this December, at the COP21 conference – UN’s forum for sustainable innovation and climate change.

The Smart Living Challenge program is a part of Nova Iskra’s activities in the field of green economy, in addition to Understanding Green Economy program and the Green Classroom project, which will also be launched this autumn. We congratulate the selected participants, whose work over the course of the autumn will be presented through reports via Designed.rs portal and via Nova Iskra social networks.