Placemaking Week Europe 2024 - Rotterdam

The climate, social and ecological challenges are urging us to make a major urban shift, therefore questioning collectively our practices and urban lifestyles. Through the cases of Nantes and Milan, we’ll explore how those two cities are facing those crucial stakes and how they are shifting their practices for more transversal, participative and sustainable urban policies.  

For more than 15 years, the Metropolis of Nantes has been a frontrunner in promoting and making citizen participation an integrated and systemic process within the design of its public policies and urban renewal projects. We’ll present how Nantes Metropolis implemented an unprecedented large-scale citizen debate on its urban fabric at the metropolitan level last year, and the challenges we are now facing.

In 2018, the City of Milan created a design team within AMAT (its Environmental, Territorial and Mobility Agency) with the ambition to revolutionize public spaces in Milan, with a human scale vision. We’ll discuss the approach and results but also the obstacles and lessons learned from this process. The secret of “Officina Urbana” is not to become archistars, but to create a team of archistreet(fighter)s and placemakers, to enable everyone to have an impact on the public sphere.

This session explores how diverse cultural forces connect communities and enrich city life, with a focus on their role in transitional spaces and area development. We’ll examine how nightlife, urban street culture, and cultural districts contribute to vibrant, interconnected urban environments.

The discussion will highlight how these elements—from dynamic nightlife and public art to festivals and cultural institutions—create a shared sense of belonging and strengthen community ties. We’ll also address the importance of preserving cultural identity during urban transitions, ensuring that culture remains integral to area development. By exploring how these forces shape the urban fabric, this session reveals the profound impact of culture in bridging divides and enhancing the collective city experience.

Join us to discover how these cultural dimensions contribute to a more connected, lively, and resilient urban landscape.