Cultural Routes priorities in the Baltic Sea Region
Alvar Aalto and Modern Architecture on one hand, Maritime and Ice Age Heritage on the other hand. These are the two heritage themes, which have been identified as priority for the development of new Cultural Routes in the Baltic Sea Region, in the framework of Routes4U and in consultation with EUSBSR.
Alvar Aalto and Modern architecture
No Alvar Aalto Route exists so far. However, the Alvar Aalto Foundation is active since years in the protection and promotion of the work of this Finnish architect and designer (1898-1976). The Foundation cooperates with local authorities and Alvar Aalto sites, mainly in Finland, and disseminates information on his life and architecture, from classicism to modernism, from brick architecture to monumentalism.
The ongoing project aims at building a true transnational network and Cultural Route, dedicated to Alvar Aalto and modern architecture as binding element of the Baltic Sea Region.
Maritime heritage / Ice Age
The Baltic Sea, hence the maritime heritage is by nature the most preminent element linking the Baltic Sea Region. It is not only a nature-related heritage, but also carries with it a whole set of history, culture, know-how and traditions. No Cultural Route on the Baltic Sea Region Maritime Heritage exists so far, but this is a priority for the region and the undergoing project heads toward it.
The ice age witnesses a time which shaped the Baltic Region landscapes and which is worth shedding the light on, to promote the trace of first prehistoric inhabitants of the Region (when the area was not covered by the sea yet) and learn more about that age from existing archaeological sites and museum.
Steps in the development of the Cultural Routes priorities in the Baltic Sea Region, following the identification of priority themes:
> Consultation with stakeholders from the Baltic Sea RegionSEPTEMBER 2018
The Routes4U teams consulted with representatives of EUSBSR Policy area Culture and Tourism and with additional stakeholders from the macro-region, in order to investigate new Cultural Routes certifications and further extensions of existing ones. The first meeting (6-7 September 2018, Oslo, Norway) triggered the willingness to develop a Cultural Route based on the modern architect Alvar Aalto and Modern Architecture in the Baltic Sea Region.
> Roadmap on EUSBSR Cultural Routes development FEBRUARY 2019
Routes4U published a Roadmap for the Baltic Sea Region which summarises the research results and the conclusions drawn during previous meetings; the Roadmap highlights recommendations and steps to take in order to successfully develop the Cultural Routes in the Adriatic-Ionian Region.
> Consultation with stakeholders from the Baltic Sea Region MARCH 2019
In the framework of the second Routes4U consultation for the Baltic Sea Region (26-27 March 2019, Helsinki, Finland), the representative of the Baltic Region Heritage Committee and of the working groups on Maritime heritage and on Modern Architecture took an active role in the discussion. As a result, the topic of Maritime heritage (with a focus on the ice age) stemmed as priority for the development of another new Cultural Route in the Baltic Sea Region.
> Update and discussion on Routes4U-support to the Alvar Aalto Route and the Maritime Heritage-Ice age Route JULY 2019
The representative of the new cultural routes projects, on Alvar Aalto on one hand, and on Maritime Heritage-Ice Age Route on the other hand, took part in Routes4U Steering Committee meeting. They reported on the support received by Routes4U and on the ongoing development of their networks and Routes’ activities in the Baltic Sea Region countries.
> Stakeholders meeting for Cultural Routes priorities in the Alpine Region and in the Baltic Sea RegionNOVEMBER 2019
The representatives of the Alvar aalto Foundation and initiators of the new Cultural Route on Alvar Aalto got trained on the certification process and on branding of Cultural Routes (25-26 November, Aarau, Switzerland). Furthermore they met with already certified Cultural Routes in order to learn from their best-practices and experience in terms of steps to take to develop a cultural route network, in view of application to the certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”.
> Expert study on a new Cultural Route on Maritime Heritage ONGOING
In the framework of Routes4U, an indipendednt expert is carrying out a feasibility study on the new cultural route on the Baltic Region maritime heritage . The study includes a mapping of relevant sites and destinations in the Baltic Sea Region, which should be included in the network of this new cultural route.
GET THE LATEST UPDATES
