Topic: Community engagement
Aase Højlund Nielsen pt 1 – Sustainable Urbanisation and Citizen Engagement
Aase Højlund Nielsen, coordinator of the DESIRE project at Bloxhub in Copenhagen, discusses how citizen participation shapes sustainable urbanisation. She explores the role of public engagement in the green transition, the importance of matching expertise with lived experience, and the challenges of making systemic change feel relevant and accessible to communities.
Sustainability Community engagement Climate change and adaptation Systems thinking Interdisciplinary approach Knowledge sharing and disseminationAase Højlund Nielsen pt 2 – Technology, Inclusion, and the Power of Place
How do digital tools support community engagement? Aase Højlund Nielsen explains the role of technology in urban planning, the importance of adapting strategies for different cultures, and how Copenhagen’s unique context influences innovation. She also reflects on the limitations of replicating solutions across different regions and the need for meaningful, localised approaches.
Community engagement Technology integration Education innovation Adaptability Cultural heritage and diversity Co-creation and participatory designAase Højlund Nielsen pt 3 – Aesthetics, Green Transition, and Making Change Desirable
How do we make sustainability the preferred choice? Aase Højlund Nielsen discusses the role of aesthetics in urban transformation, the power of art in community building, and the different approaches taken across Europe to integrate beauty and function into sustainable development. She explores how design can create spaces people actively want to engage with rather than feel obligated to support.
Sustainability Community engagement Climate change and adaptation Co-creation and participatory design Human-centered design Local and regional solutionsAase Højlund Nielsen pt 4 – Conflict, Collaboration, and the Principles of Change
Can disagreements drive progress? Aase Højlund Nielsen shares how conflict within collaborative projects can be a powerful force for innovation. She reflects on the challenges of aligning different perspectives in the DESIRE project, the importance of open debate, and how artistic and ecological principles can be used as shared languages to shape the built environment.
Interdisciplinary approach Sustainability Community engagement Knowledge sharing and dissemination Adaptability Co-creation and participatory designDavor Meersman pt 2 – Wicked Problems: Migration, Housing, and Climate Change
What do affordable housing, migration, and climate change have in common? Davor Meersman explores how these interlinked crises require systemic solutions rather than isolated fixes. He shares insights from his research into urbanisation and global inequality, explaining why technological innovation alone isn’t enough—and how cities must rethink how they grow and develop.
New European Bauhaus Urban design and development Technology integration Social renewal and societal change Community engagement Systems thinkingFrancesca Rizzo pt 1 – Design, Participation, and the New European Bauhaus
Francesca Rizzo, professor at Politecnico di Milano, explores the role of design in the New European Bauhaus. She discusses how participatory methods can empower citizens to shape their environments, why sustainability must be both functional and aesthetically appealing, and how designers can bridge the gap between policy and everyday life.
New European Bauhaus Sustainability Inclusion Human-centered design Community engagement Ecosystem approachFrancesca Rizzo pt 2 – Multidisciplinary Thinking and the Future of Urban Innovation
What happens when architecture, urban studies, and design come together? Francesca Rizzo reflects on her unconventional path from multimedia communication and electronics to design-driven urban transformation. She highlights the importance of breaking down silos between disciplines and how cities can benefit from a more systemic, collaborative approach.
Human-centered design Urban design and development Nature-based solutions Community engagement Cultural heritage and diversity Interdisciplinary approachFrank van der Hoeven pt 3 – Citizen Participation, AI, and the Power of Visualisation
Should everyday citizens have a say in urban planning? Frank van der Hoeven challenges the idea that only architects and planners are the experts, arguing that those who live in a place are, in many ways, more knowledgeable than those designing it. He also explores how AI is changing architectural design, the rise of co-creation, and his own experience working on the iconic Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam.
Community engagement AI and digital tools Co-creation and participatory design Architectural education and practice Digitalization and innovation Human-centered designFrank van der Hoeven pt 4 – Sustainability, Infrastructure, and the Future of European Cities
Massive infrastructure projects—from bridges to industrial ports—pose some of the toughest sustainability challenges. Frank van der Hoeven discusses the transformation of Rotterdam’s vast petrochemical hub, the role of bio-based solutions, and the difficult balance between economic transition and environmental responsibility. He also reflects on the strange beauty of industrial landscapes and what might come next for Europe’s largest port.
Sustainability Climate change and adaptation Urban design and development Co-creation and participatory design Policy-making and evaluation Community engagementJan Bunge pt 1 – Storytelling, Simulation, and the Future of City Design
Jan Bunge, a trained landscape architect turned digital strategist, discusses the power of narrative in urban planning. He explains how real-time 3D environments and interactive simulations help decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public understand complex urban projects. With a background in both design and communication, he explores why the way we present ideas is just as important as the ideas themselves.
Urban design and development Digital twins and simulations Sustainability Data-driven decision making AI and digital tools Community engagementJan Bunge pt 4 – Participatory Design, AI, and the Role of the Public in Urban Planning
Should non-experts help design cities? Jan Bunge explores how real-time interactive tools are changing public consultation, allowing communities to shape their environments in ways never before possible. From game-engine-driven urban planning to AI-assisted design, he discusses the delicate balance between expert knowledge and democratic participation in shaping the future of our cities.
Co-creation and participatory design AI and digital tools Community engagement Urban design and development Resource management and efficiency Digitalization and innovationMarkus Reymann pt 2 – Knowledge, Community, and the Role of Experts
Whose knowledge matters? Markus Reymann challenges the traditional hierarchy of expertise, advocating for the inclusion of local and indigenous knowledge in environmental decision-making. He explores how meaningful community engagement differs from box-ticking exercises and how art can bridge different ways of knowing.
Community engagement Interdisciplinary approach Art and culture Aesthetics Local and regional solutions Inclusion Environmental conservationMarkus Reymann pt 3 – Cultural Diplomacy, the Cold War, and the Birth of an Art Academy
Can art shape international politics? Markus Reymann traces the origins of TBA21 to Cold War-era cultural exchanges, where art was used as a diplomatic tool. He explains how these early ideas of cultural diplomacy evolved into a contemporary art foundation with a radical commitment to environmental and social change.
Cultural heritage and diversity Environmental conservation European collaboration and policy Art and culture Aesthetics Community engagement SustainabilityRoberto Cavallo pt 4 – Digital Tools, Access, and the Future of Design
The DigiNEB project is mapping digital tools for architects and designers, but what happens next? Roberto Cavallo explores the role of technology in design, the challenges of accessibility and affordability, and the potential for digital tools to connect professionals across Europe. He also reflects on the balance between digital efficiency and the need for hands-on design thinking.
Accessibility Inclusion Community engagement Interdisciplinary approach Co-creation and participatory design Digitalization and innovationSelma Harrington pt 2 – European Architecture and the New Bauhaus
What makes architecture distinctly European? Selma Harrington explores the cultural and ideological underpinnings of European architecture, discussing modernism, internationalism, and the New European Bauhaus initiative. She highlights the role of collaboration, sustainability, and community engagement in shaping a built environment that is both functional and meaningful.
European collaboration and policy New European Bauhaus Sustainability Community engagement Interdisciplinary approach Heritage preservationSelma Harrington pt 5 – Who Designs Our Cities? Community Engagement & Urban Planning
Should non-experts have a say in urban planning? Selma Harrington unpacks the role of public engagement in shaping the built environment, discussing digital tools like urban modelling and digital twins. She shares case studies of how visualisation has changed urban development and highlights the power of collaborative design in avoiding disastrous planning mistakes.
Community engagement Urban design and development Co-creation and participatory design Interdisciplinary approach Architectural education and practice AI and digital toolsSheela Patel pt 1 – Informality, Migration, and the Right to the City
Sheela Patel, founder of SPARC and a leading voice on urban informality, shares how decades of work with migrant communities in Mumbai shaped her understanding of survival, resilience, and the structural barriers facing the urban poor. She discusses the politics of displacement, the failures of city planning, and why informal settlements should be seen as solutions rather than problems.
Urban design and development Community engagement Inclusion Social renewal and societal change Human-centered design Quality of life and well-beingSheela Patel pt 2 – Collective Power, Feminism, and Changing the Rules
What does real empowerment look like? Sheela Patel explains how grassroots women’s networks have transformed not only their own communities but also the way governments and institutions engage with the urban poor. She reflects on how solidarity, rather than charity, leads to lasting change and how redefining leadership can challenge entrenched power structures.
Community engagement Inclusion Social renewal and societal change Human-centered design Technology integration Local and regional solutionsSheela Patel pt 4 – Roof Over Our Heads: Housing, Digital Tools, and Climate Resilience
What does it mean to build for survival? Sheela Patel explores how extreme weather, poverty, and exclusion are forcing communities to innovate with whatever materials they have. She discusses the Roof Over Our Heads initiative, the role of digital tools in community learning, and how grassroots knowledge can shape more inclusive housing solutions.
Urban design and development Community engagement Digitalization and innovation Climate change and adaptation Local and regional solutions Co-creation and participatory design