Success stories
Social projects aimed at the urban environment are carried out in many places around the world. Designers and experts from other fields note that in order to design something well for a given group, it must be included in the design process: from research, through concepts, to implementation. Here we present examples of good socio-urban projects implemented in Poland and various places abroad.
Košice 2.0
The project was made possible thanks to the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative of the European Commission, which aims to support innovative, experimental, sustainable urban development projects. For three years, nine partners have been working to transform Košice into a creative city with a high level of civic participation. The goal of the Košice 2.0 project is to build a creative ecosystem in which individual stakeholders (local government, residents and entrepreneurs) will coexist, cooperate and work to improve the quality of life in the city.
The design elements are:
CX Institute ( Citizen Experience and Well Being Institute ) - the role of the institute is to collect and analyze information needed to improve and develop new urban services.
Innovation programs - programs create opportunities for startups, entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations and active residents to respond to urban challenges.
Bravo Hub – this is where creative companies and individuals find their place. The Hub includes a coworking space, a community meeting place and an audiovisual center. The aim of the project is to support cooperation, generate ideas, testing, prototyping and social activities.
QUARTIER U1 – “Design your own city”
The pilot version of the project was carried out in 2019 – 2021 as part of Urban Lab Nuremberg. The project space was neighborhoods along the U1 metro line. The aim of the project was to activate the inhabitants of the "district" and take control over the space. As part of the project, residents and Urban Lab implemented many initiatives. Among others: urban gardening and planting edible plants, shared gardening tools, game areas, street galleries, skate park, school
in the garden, a guide on how to visit Nuremberg without spending money, a community kitchen, and a conference on urban development were created. The project was welcomed with enthusiasm by the residents of the "U1 district" and they took part in all activities.
Fablabs (fabrication laboratory)
The idea of fablabs was created at the beginning of the 21st century at MIT, the first laboratory was established there and is still operating today. Fablab has created a network of laboratories that today covers 100 countries with over 1,500 workshops. Fablabs are small workshops and/or manufacturing studios that provide tools and devices to people who would like to create something but do not have the conditions to do so. Fablabs focus on digital production and fabrication methods. They include 3D printers and scanners, CNC machines, computer embroidery machines, sewing machines and other such equipment. Anyone can come and use these devices, in addition, Fablabs also teach robotics, building 3D printers, coding, etc., and the team is expected to share their skills with guests.
In Bielsko-Biała, the fablab is located at Cieszyńska 365/building B.
Bielski Fablab: http://www.fablab24.pl/
Urban Lab Polska
The Urban Lab project as a pilot tool for improving the quality of life of city residents in line with the smart city idea was implemented at the Institute of Urban Development
and Regions in 2019-2021. The project focused on the use of the urban lab instrument and its pilot implementation in Polish cities. The research conducted by the urban lab team was of a scientific and expert nature, and the topics covered were based - primarily - on current knowledge and foreign experience.
The aim of the project was primarily to support cities in the implementation of urban labs and to prepare recommendations regarding solutions that will increase the quality of life of their inhabitants. We hope that the content prepared in this way will be useful to all city stakeholders, including: public administration, scientists, NGOs, business representatives, and the residents themselves.
Among the activities, the weekly Open Cafe, which includes workshops and discussions on local and global social problems, is very popular.
Medellin, Colombia
The city of Medellin, the second largest in Colombia, was at the center of drug cartel wars in the 20th century. There was poverty in the city, the authorities were corrupt, and there was a lack of funds for social activities. Since 2004, however, the city has been trying, with considerable success, to transform into a modern, healthy metropolis.
In 2019, the Green Corridors project was carried out, which replaced stretches of asphalt in the hottest places in the city with gardens, thanks to which the average temperature was reduced by 2°C. Along with the construction of the metro, cable cars were also created for public transport, connecting poor neighborhoods in the hills with the city center in the valley. These districts were long separated because public transportation did not navigate the steep slopes, and private carriers were distrusted due to fraud and high prices. The gondolas turned out to be so effective that the inhabitants of districts on the hills almost gave up using cars and the district became quieter, safer, even hiking uphill became pleasant, and people started meeting on the streets, organizing games and picnics.
"Escaleras Oasis Tropical" is a project for the revitalization of one of the main pedestrian streets in the Moravia district. The street, which is used by hundreds of people every day, was dark, run down and dangerous. As part of the Urban Laby project, Medellin and Berlin collaborated with the local community, artists and students. The stairs were repaired, a city garden was planted, and artists, residents and children painted murals on the walls along the street. Furniture was also placed and solar-powered lighting was installed. Other city projects include: libraries, sports and cultural centers, swimming pools and city gardens.
https://www.medellin.gov.co/irj/portal/medellin?NavigationTarget=inicio/ParticipacionCiudadana
https://www.iaacblog.com/programs/medellin-social-change-through-architecture-and-design/
https://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/cl/921605/medellin-crea-30-corredores-verdes-para-mitigar-el-calentamiento-urbano
https://urbanlabmedellinberlin.com/escaleras-oasis-tropical/
https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/medellin-cultural/
Temporary station in Cieszyn
In 2017, the renovation of the railway and bus station in Cieszyn began. Unfortunately, the place chosen by the authorities for the temporary stop caused a lot of problems for travelers and residents. Without informing the residents in advance, the temporary station was built on a rather narrow street, where there was no roof, no toilets or a place to rest. Local residents complained about noise and traffic disruption almost 24 hours a day. The Cieszyn castle complex and its inhabitants protested, so the city designated a new place for a temporary station - a parking lot under the castle. This space became a place for experiments and testing ideas for a new station. Workshops, surveys and tests of solutions were organized with residents and other station users. A roof was built, places to sit, toilets, free Wi-Fi, and even bicycle racks and a library for exchanging books were provided. Local residents liked the recreation area at the bus stop and even organized picnics there. Methods of transmitting messages and information were also tested, and several new types of timetables were checked. These activities helped design the new station, which opened the following year.
A very important success of this activity was convincing the city authorities to consult projects with residents and involve them in the processes of designing and planning the urban spaces they will use.
Human Cities: Challenging the City Scale https://humancities.eu/event/publication-challenging-the-city-scale-the-final-book-of-human-cities-2014-2018/
book in pdf to download: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783035618013/html
Brixton Village Market, London
Spacemakers is an agency dealing with the renewal and regeneration of urban spaces. The group was formed as part of a project to renovate the market in Brixton Village in London.
Due to financial problems and the low rental rate of premises at the market, the owner planned to liquidate half of it in 2009. The local community attached to this place decided to protest, fortunately, they managed to stop the liquidation of part of the market. Then the Spacemakers group was engaged in the project of regenerating this space. A competition was announced for business ideas in vacant market premises; the prize was the opportunity to implement the idea in one of the stalls without having to pay rent for three months. Within a week, they received almost 100 proposals, of which they selected 30. The open venues included food stalls, boutiques, craft shops, art galleries and band rehearsal rooms. Together, new and old landlords and their customers and guests brought new life to the market space. For the first time in over 30 years, all premises at the market were rented.
In the following years, Spacemakers continued to take care of this space, making sure that it was always a place where people wanted to stay and come back. Regular events were organized to increase the number of visitors and maintain the involvement of the local community.
https://humancities.eu/casestudies/brixton-village-london/
http://www.spacemakers.info/projects/brixton-village#