Gravalosdimonte tutor of the 4th edition workshop “Recycle Limburg, a co-design approach for transforming public spaces.”
“In a moment of socio-economical and urban transition processes taking place in Europe, an increasing number of cities and territories are today facing population decline and its consequences. Population decline is indeed associated to widespread issues: unemployment, declining of property values, fragmentation of the urban environment, lack of participation in the city and neighbourhood life. Moreover with population change social bonds among neighbours are under stress and a sense of community is getting lost. According to the literature, this lack of interaction is clearly manifested in the use or under use of public spaces and infrastructures. In context of post industrial shrinking territories public authorities, stakeholders and designers therefore wonder on how to intervene in public spaces, and which kind of strategies are need to enable them to mobilize local communities. Research shows that public spaces that are designed even with small-scale, low-cost infrastructures, but following the real need of the inhabitants (users), play an important role in social inclusion in neighbourhoods and cities. Therefore, by listening the city how to develop smart low-cost urban design interventions guidelines to reactivate public spaces and to facilitate social inclusion, vitality and wellbeing? ”
Keywords: Public space, placemaking, temporary urbanism, co-development, shrinking region.
