On 26-29 September 2023, Placemaking Week Europe brought together urban visionaries and practitioners from around the world to explore the future of cities through the lenses of ecology, equity, civic engagement, and place-led development in Strasbourg.
Luca Veress, ABUD - JUSTNature project partner, participated in a thought-provoking session titled “Using the Placemaking Philosophy for a Just Climate and Energy Transition.” Here’s a glimpse into her experiences and insights from this inspiring event.
Placemaking for Ecology
How can placemaking help achieve balance between human culture and the natural environment?
The discussion Luca participated in leaned more towards a workshop format and focused on placemaking for ecology. Participants introduced several case studies, including climate adaptation in cities and just transitions in the context of energy transmission. JUSTNature Project has also been highlighted, especially how nature-based solutions are implemented to promote the transition to low-carbon cities. The interventions in the two project locations in Szombathely, Hungary were also briefly introduced. To kick-start the discussion, they posed three crucial questions to engage participants:
- What kind of scaling strategies can amplify the impact of civic initiatives in placemaking?
- What are the barriers in just transitions, and how can we overcome them?
- How can Placemaking be leveraged to foster participation in major transformations like the energy transition?
While participants shared numerous exciting examples and insights, time constraints limited the depth of these discussions. Nevertheless, the experience proved to be an eye-opener, offering valuable perspectives for future placemaking projects.
Notably, many examples shared were mainly from Western and Northern Europe, it may not be directly applicable to Hungarian circumstances. Luca highlighted the importance of incorporating Eastern European examples into the event to foster a more inclusive dialogue.
In conclusion, Placemaking Week Europe 2023 offered a rich tapestry of ideas and experiences for urban development and placemaking enthusiasts. Luca’s insights and observations serve as a testament to the event’s importance in shaping the future of our cities, fostering sustainability, equity, and community engagement.
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News source: ABUD - Advanced Building and Urban Design
