"All things, to all people, at all times", the Cities@Heart Baseline Study

Covering themes from nightlife to the circular economy, the 30 URBACT IV Action Planning Networks began their journey of integrated urban development in June 2023. This baseline study, conducted from September to December 2023 in ten different countries, compiles urban analyses and site-specific visits to create the project roadmap for the URBACT Cities@Heart network, aiming to generate actionable knowledge for revitalising city centres.

The purpose of this baseline study is to define the framework for learning, knowledge exchange, and capacity building over the project's two-and-a-half-year duration. It establishes a clear methodology for focusing, categorising, and sharing network learnings.

The study covers three aspects of network activities and research. The first section outlines the 15 most common challenges facing contemporary urban centres and provides an overview of current town centre management policies. These complex and overlapping challenges require an integrated approach. The network employs a specific and comprehensive framework to understand policy dimensions in city centres. Six main functions illustrate a model for city centre equilibrium: housing, work, public facilities, commerce, leisure, and public space. By examining these dimensions, the network methodology analyses various dynamics influencing residents and external populations. To address these complexities and challenges, the network proposes working on five interrelated pillars: integrated public policies, governance, decision-making tools, sustainability, and inclusion.

The core of the Cities@Heart methodology entails mapping the major challenges onto the five pillars and using the resulting matrix as a foundation for proposed capacity-building and exchange activities including transnational meetings, city-to-city exchanges, ULG meetings, and a comprehensive work plan. The chapter concludes with a robust learning capitalisation and dissemination strategy built around the network's added value, a toolbox rooted in the five pillars, policy advocacy initiatives, and the pursuit of funding opportunities.

The full baseline study is available for download on the Cities@Heart library or via the interactive PDF reader Calameo.

The Greater Paris Metropolis (Métropole du Grand Paris, France) coordinates the network in the role of Lead Partner. Endowed with extensive experience in local economy, architecture and urban planning, Barcelona-based Mar Santamaria Varas will assist the network as Lead Expert.

The ten network partners include:

    The Greater Paris Metropolis, France (Lead Partner)
    The City of Cesena, Italy
    The City of Granada, Spain
    The City of Osijek, Croatia
    Amfiktyonies, a business development organisation representing the City of Lamia, Greece
    The City of Celje, Slovenia
    The City of Fleurus, Belgium
    The City of Sligo, Ireland
    The Krakow Metropolis Association, Poland
    The Quadrilátero Urbano Association, Portugal

Submitted by Santamaria-Varas Mar on 25/04/2024

Santamaria-Varas Mar

Mar Santamaria-Varas is an architect graduated from the School of Architecture of Barcelona.

Her professional activity has been related in the last 15 years to digital technologies, spatial analysis, urban planning and public policies at an international level. As the co-founder of 300.000 Km/s, she has elaborated strategic reports, diagnoses, guidelines, data observatories and master plans in the field of environmental health, regulation of economic activity, new forms of mobility, housing vulnerability, data and digital divide, among others. She has also coordinated several participatory workshops for both professionals and non-specialised public.

She is a pioneer in Spain in the use of open data for urban policies (Associate from the Open Data Institute) and the fostering of digital/data skills among citizenship. She has collaborated as an expert in the participatory drafting of the Spanish and Catalan 2030 Urban Agendas.

She has been an associate professor in the Department of Town Planning and Territorial Planning of the School of Architecture of Barcelona for more than ten years. She has also a lectured at several international faculties (EPFL Lausanne, Welsh School of Architecture, TU Braunschweig, School of Architecture of Barcelona, IAAC, among others) and public institutions.

She has written several scientific publications and other articles for a wide public published in relevant national and international reviews and media.

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