USER

Edited on 28/07/2025

01/05/2012 30/04/2015

Closed
  • Action Planning Network
  • Participative governance
  • Climate action
  • Disadvantaged neighbourhoods
  • Participation
  • Urban renewal

A core USER idea is that the design of urban public spaces and the main goals of urban planning are challenged by rapid changes in how cities are used. New trends in how public spaces are used, what the new users’ needs are, increasing malfunctions and conflicts among uses, etc., are challenging the way the city is usually “produced”, designed and managed.

Summary

Timeline

Project launch
Project completed

Partners

Lead Partner : Grenoble - France
  • Copenhagen - Denmark
  • Dresden - Germany
  • Krakow - Poland
  • Lisbon - Portugal
  • Lublin - Poland
  • Málaga - Spain
  • Pescara - Italy
  • Riga - Latvia

Introduction

Changes and conflicts in using public spaces

 

A core USER idea is that the design of urban public spaces and the main goals of urban planning are challenged by rapid changes in how cities are used. New trends in how public spaces are used, what the new users’ needs are, increasing malfunctions and conflicts among uses, etc., are challenging the way the city is usually “produced”, designed and managed. This approach entails a process of users involvement as a crucial dimension of public spaces planning and management. Indeed “users experience” is one of the main inputs to understand how the spaces are used and what kind of conflicts are taking place. The USER project will work on the three main aspects that, according to us, constitute a "good public space":

 

a) Friendlier and more interactive social-public spaces by solving malfunctions and conflicting uses,

 

b) Safer public spaces in a friendlier city

 

c) Cleaner, better-maintained and upgraded public spaces for a more efficient city.

 

Articles

  • News

    Odlaganje festivala URBACT City 2026

    Zbog razvoja situacije na Bliskom istoku i u regionu Zaliva, te kao mjera predostrožnosti, URBACT City Festival, koji je prvobitno bio planiran da se održi u Nikoziji, na Kipru, 31. marta i 1. aprila

  • News

    From Lisbon to Krakow: 13 new city cases mapping urban gender equality

    Across Europe and beyond, cities are stepping up their commitment towards gender equality. URBACT supports them in turning ambition into action.

  • News
    2026 URBACT City Festival postponed

    Termín CITY FESTIVAL 2026 posunutý!

    Vzhľadom na vývoj situácie na Blízkom východe a v oblasti Perzského zálivu, a ako preventívne opatrenie, bol festival URBACT City Festival, ktorý sa mal pôvodne konať v Nikózii na Cypre 31. marca a 1