Placemaking Week Europe 2024 - Rotterdam

The panel will present different perspectives on the actions of the Placemaking Latin America Network, established in 2017, which brings together more than 300 professionals, activists, and academics, and has already held 6 international meetings. 

The panel focuses on the views of different stakeholders regarding the possibilities of small-scale transformation of the Latin American reality, a continent marked by enormous social contrasts where citizen urbanism is a powerful tool for altering the status quo. In this context, the particularities of placemaking in Latin America are highlighted in relation to the Global North. Citizen urbanism will be discussed by different voices - academia, civil society organizations, government, international organizations - from different countries - Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama - a plurality of contexts that, however, reveal common challenges and weaknesses. 

Challenged by great inequalities and scarce resources, citizen urbanism emerges as a tool for local transformation, within the reach of the communities themselves. A small-scale action, carried out in collaboration with citizens in less favored contexts, has the potential to go far beyond "space activation”. 

From the South, we come to open the conversation about the political potential of citizen urbanism, exploring from different cases what is the capacity for social, environmental, economic, and cultural transformation.

The role of mobility to enable great places for people often doesn't get enough attention. This session will explore the role of the kerbside as a flexible, welcoming space that enables great places. We'll also explore the role of transportation more broadly as the key for unlocking access for all with global examples.