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

  • Descubre la Nicosia urbana, sede del URBACT City Festival 2026

    Repasa la historia de Nicosia y descubre qué nos depara la edición de 2026 de este emblemático evento de URBACT.

  • Umanizarea orașelor începe cu ascultarea: rolul cetățenilor în proiectarea urbană

    Într-un context urban marcat de transformări rapide – presiuni demografice, schimbări climatice, nevoi sociale tot mai diverse – devine tot mai clar că orașele nu pot fi planificate eficient fără a
  • Piața Eleftherias, Nicosia, orașul gazdă al Festivalului URBACT City 2026.

    Descoperiți Nicosia: model de inovație urbană pentru orașele din Moldova

    Piața Eleftheria este considerată principalul spațiu de întâlnire al orașului, iar designul Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) creează noi conexiuni menite să unifice o capitală divizată. Fortificațiile