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

  • Articles
    Plenary

    Hur kan svenska städer öka sin kapacitet att accelerera klimatomställningen med hjälp av extern finansiering? Rapport från en dag om klimatomställning, finansiering och hur vi tillsammans kan göra mer

    European Urban Initiative och Viable Cities samlade den 4 december över hundra personer från svenska och europeiska städer, regionala aktörer, nationella myndigheter och EU aktörer och program, för en
  • The Regeneration of Historic Centres: From Small Scale to Impactful Change

    By Pablo Muñoz Unceta | URBACT Ad-hoc Expert, Paisaje Transversal

    December 2025

  • Articles
    Vila Nova de Cerveira (PT)

    Beyond access: nine URBACT Good Practices for inclusive cities

    Find out how cities can create local realities where people feel seen, supported, and able to participate in collective problem-solving.