The BSFS project, implemented in Piraeus (Greece), aimed to enhance urban security and improve the perception of safety among citizens. It employs strategies and tools to link urban security stakeholders and facilitate collaboration in physical and cyber spaces.

 

Key initiatives include establishing the Local Council for Crime Prevention (LCCP), creating the CURiM (Collaborative Urban Risk Management) digital platform for threat assessment, and implementing spatial and social interventions and activities based on crime prevention strategies, to increase resilience against crime.

 

What SOLUTIONS did the Urban Innovative Action project offer?

 

BSFS showcases a holistic and comprehensive approach to urban security. Central to this is the Local Council for Crime Prevention (LCCP), coordinating actions against petty crime and bolstering city resilience. The CURiM Digital Platform assesses physical and cyber threats, supporting informed decisions on crime prevention. Spatial interventions include enhancing playgrounds in degraded areas, beautifying vandalised properties, and targeted protection for vulnerable buildings, alongside new advanced policing equipment to enhance law enforcement capabilities. 

 

Additionally, the establishment of the Victim Information Unit addresses post-incident needs with empathy and support. Community engagement is another pillar, with awareness sessions for students on bullying and cyber-threats, business training for market safety, and engagement events to knit community cohesion and safety together. This multifaceted approach effectively merges security enhancements with community development.  

What DIFFERENCE has it made at local level?

The BSFS initiative has significantly enhanced urban security, fostering a heightened sense of safety among citizens, as indicated by a 15% decrease in fear of crime in the pilot areas with respect to the baseline value. Improved collaboration between the municipality, police and local communities has led to informed decision-making in crime prevention and a 10% increase in the level of trust of citizens have in local authorities. LCCP has been established to develop the city’s crime prevention policies. A significant advancement is the Hellenic Police's acquisition of new vehicles, including four cars and two motorcycles, enhancing patrol effectiveness in Piraeus's most vulnerable regions.

 

Moreover, the project has successfully transformed previously degraded areas into safer, more welcoming spaces, contributing to the overall uplift of the urban environment and reinforcing a collective sense of security and well-being. 

What PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES have been put in place for the project?

 

BSFS strategically engages local businesses and high school students through training and awareness sessions, focusing on critical issues like cyber-threats and urban safety. These initiatives empower participants, fostering a community-driven approach to safety. In its inclusive strategy, the Local Council for Crime Prevention incorporates diverse stakeholders, including police, municipal authorities, and experts. This collaboration ensures a comprehensive understanding of community needs and effective crime prevention. 

 

The project also promotes citizen participation in urban security through the CURiM App. This platform enables residents to actively engage in security enhancement, reinforcing a sense of shared responsibility. A unique aspect of BSFS is the "MINECRAFT in Piraeus" initiative, a hybrid digital-real world game that engages younger demographics in urban planning and safety. This innovative approach makes urban security relatable and engaging for youth, encouraging their active involvement in shaping a safer community. Overall, BSFS’s multifaceted approach combines education, technology, and community involvement, reflecting its commitment to a resilient, inclusive, and secure urban environment in Piraeus.

How does the project tackle different aspects with an INTEGRATED APPROACH?

 

The BeSecure-FeelSecure project employs an integrated approach to enhance the city's economic, social, and environmental aspects. Economically, it engages local businesses in safety training, thereby protecting markets and making the city more inviting to both locals and visitors. This strategy strengthens the local economy by enhancing the safety of commercial areas and boosting tourism. 

 

On the social front, BSFS focuses on improving citizen safety and reducing crime, crucial for social stability and cohesion. It fosters collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including businesses, authorities, and residents, ensuring their insights are incorporated into decision-making. This participatory model guarantees that interventions align with the community's collective needs, enhancing social inclusivity. 

 

Environmentally, the project emphasises beautifying and maintaining public spaces, improving environmental aesthetics and sustainability. These efforts transform neglected areas into well-maintained, attractive spaces, fostering a sense of respect and value for public areas among residents. 

 

BSFS’s holistic strategy not only boosts Piraeus’s security and appearance but also strengthens its social cohesion and economic resilience, promoting sustainable urban development.  

Why should other European cities use the solution the project explored?

BSFS presents a compelling model for urban security, making it an ideal framework for other European cities. Its holistic and adaptable nature ensures relevance across diverse urban contexts, providing a versatile solution to common urban security challenges.

 

The project's integrated approach, encompassing multiple stakeholders, establishes a comprehensive model that addresses various facets of urban security. Crucially, the success of BSFS in Piraeus stands as a testament to its effectiveness and potential for replication. This proven track record demonstrates the project's ability to enhance urban security, making it a valuable template for other cities seeking to improve their security infrastructure and community well-being, thereby fostering a safer and more cohesive urban environment. 

 

Polly Kleida

The Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T. (CH)  project utilises the abandoned, but still functioning, Hadrian Aqueduct in Chalandri (Greece) as a vehicle for green/blue urban regeneration and as a means to revitalise community life. It brings back into everyday use an ancient, hidden and unused water resource, making it useful for residents by meeting their non-drinking water needs and adding value to the city's heritage and ecological status.

 

The project approaches the Hadrian Aqueduct as a common cultural heritage, combining local history, common water resource, and an asset for a green/blue regeneration. It suggests a mode of sustainable urban development that utilises diverse resources and actors in a concerted way, aiming to increase local wellbeing. In this process the project engaged local communities from the outset, establishing participative processes and structures that will ensure the durability and upscaling of the project's outcomes.  

 

What SOLUTIONS did the Urban Innovative Action project offer?

 

In recent decades, Chalandri's development has focused on services and leisure, straining urban resources. This has jeopardised the sense of community, belonging and the city’s identity, caused traffic issues, weak access and low walkability in green public spaces. The CH project tackles the degradation of urban environment and local wellbeing; climate change through sustainable water management; and community building through citizens’ engagement. The project is innovative for its:  

 

1. Cross-sectoral approach, which integrates cultural, social, environmental, economic resources and policies; 

2. Participative co-design and governance, with local people driving local projects, and communities taking ownership of public assets;  

3. Creative heritage regeneration, breaking with a sightseeing conservationist approach toward a sustainable and circular economy approach that re-utilises idle (tangible and intangible) resources as common assets;  

4. Scaling-up of a pilot project for Hadrian Aqueduct’s regeneration to regional level.

What DIFFERENCE has it made at local level?

 

The project has increased public green spaces, highlighted the city’s cultural heritage and sense of belonging, developed a citizen-centred sustainable water infrastructure, and established institutions for managing urban resources. 

 

1. It re-introduced Hadrian Aqueduct as a heritage site and a functioning water resource (4 000m pipe-network, 100 smart meters, 2 water tracks, 200 households);  

2. It revitalised communities through participatory actions (over 1 000 people engaged in CH’s activities); 

3. It promoted green urban policies on sustainable water use and green spaces (25 000m3 water annual-savings, 21 400m2 green regeneration in 4 sites);  

4. It developed a local history archive and a digital platform administered by a citizen-group;  

5. It established co-organising cultural events (e.g. annual HIDRANT festival) with the city’s communities to promote new awareness on water and urban resources management and sustainable use;  

6. It establishes citizen-led institutions for caretaking of water, natural and urban resources, and infrastructures.

What PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES have been put in place for the project?

Cultural HIDRANT brings together 8 partners with specialist knowledge, 2 local citizen groups and 13 school communities. It builds on previous experience of the city administration with participatory budgeting and of citizens' movement for the protection of the Rematia stream.

 

Operationally, what distinguishes the project is its cross-sectoral approach, its co-operative system governance scheme and the inclusion of citizens from the design and implementation stage to the management of its outcomes. Citizens’ participation has been critical in co-designing the regeneration plans and parts of the water delivery system, in documenting the Hadrian Aquaduct's history and in co-organising cultural and public events. The novel and ecofriendly character of the new 'Hadrian' network, the first urban non-potable water network accessible by individuals in the EU, has made the citizens of Chalandri proud and encouraged their participation.

 

What's more, enabling the use of the Hadrian water provides a very simple way for everyone to contribute to the struggle against climate change. As a result, new co-management bodies have been formed, such as the Local history archive group (www.archalandri.gr). The Hadrian water caretaking community and the Hadrian Network of Citizens on a metropolitan level – a prototype of sustainable water management useful to other cities and communities, too - are currently under development and will be formed by spring.

How does the project tackle different aspects with an INTEGRATED APPROACH?

By focusing on the use value of Hadrian Aqueduct as a common resource, both tangible (e.g. water-network, ancient monument) and intangible (e.g. local memory, environmental awareness), the project re-introduced it into the city's everyday life, while responding to immediate residents' needs and wider issues (e.g. public/green spaces, sustainable water use, climate change). From the outset the project engaged residents and communities to establish participative processes that will ensure the sustainability of the project's outcomes. Thus, the CH project uses the flows of a circular water infrastructure and the ambience of an ancient monument to strengthen and revitalise the local sense of identity, belonging, (shared) ownership and community.

 

What distinguishes this approach is its cross-sectoral nature and the circular and citizen inclusive logic of water management. This allows for a) urban regeneration based on endogenous resources (human, natural, built), b) meeting residents needs while promoting sustainable water/urban infrastructure and use, c) cultivating a culture of collaborative governance and active citizenship, and d) delivering a vision and prototype for future upscaling of sustainable water management. 

Why should other European cities use the solution the project explored?

The regeneration of a neglected ancient urban water source and the greening of everyday urban spaces are important means to counter the local effects of climate crisis, enhance residents’ wellbeing and nurture both resilient cities and environment/resource-caring awareness, habits and culture. As drought threatens even water-rich areas, safeguarding water through people's responsible habits, combining ancient wisdom with modern solutions, not only restores natural resources but also strengthens communities through collaborative initiatives. This helps build trust and enhances democracy and solidarity, through active citizenship around water infrastructure. Such an integrative approach breaks with habitual rules, structures and customs of policymaking, as it cross-fertilises historic and cultural heritage development with sustainable urban and infrastructural management via civic participation. 

 

Kostas Gerolymatos

A Place to Be-Come was an innovative and participatory project to revitalise public spaces in the centre of Seraing (Belgium) for the benefit of everyone, thus combatting social exclusion and isolation.

 

In this context, several actions were carried out at the neighbourhood level. Local workers were hired and trained in the management of green spaces, to make these spaces more pleasant for citizens and to bring more biodiversity into the heart of the city. The project team also trained interested citizens and municipal agents in these new techniques, which use nature as an ally.

 

The project aimed not only to reinvent, but also to reinvest in these spaces. Residents were invited to invest in new meeting places and creativity in the heart of the neighbourhood, in order to develop civic or economic projects and contribute to revitalising their neighbourhood. This axis would be chosen for the transfer network.

 

Finally, the project team also proposed to make existing services more visible to citizens, using a mobile app and a website to centralise this information and facilitate access to it. 

 

What SOLUTIONS did the Urban Innovative Action project offer?

 

1. Nature-based trainings to address the lack of knowledge of managing new green spaces, including native species and the preservation of biodiversity. 

 

2. Development of soft skills for the design of parks and other public areas. An alternative approach is proposed to reduce anti-social behaviour. A comprehensive psychosocial diagnostic of the neighbourhood was conducted in parallel to an inclusive urban planning process to design innovative urban developments. 

 

3. The creation of places for socialisation in neighbourhoods requiring an increase in social cohesion and the empowerment of the people frequenting these places. This dynamic was first tested in a temporary location, and then transposed and improved in the final location: the Maison du Peuple. 

What DIFFERENCE has it made at local level?

 

The project proposed transversal solutions, both at the level of stakeholders and sectors of activity, within a multidisciplinary approach. All links in the chain were involved, from strategic designers to operators and final users. As this was an experimental approach, the project team learned from mistakes and adapted iteratively to increase the impact on the ground and on people.

 

Following this experience, several stakeholders having gained experience, embarked on new ambitious projects. Several diagnostics and various research actions were implemented to measure impact and to obtain feedback along the way, helping to adapt the solutions to current and verified needs. This research notably dealt with citizen participation, psychological ownership of public spaces, and the identification of missing links in supporting vulnerable populations. All the results are available on the project wiki (https://aplacetobe-come.enpoche.be/aplacetobe-come/contenu/wiki). 

 

What PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES have been put in place for the project?

 

One of the key objectives in the project was to engage local communities, stakeholders, and residents in decision-making processes related to urban planning and development. This included methods such as community workshops, town hall meetings, surveys, focus groups, and collaborative design sessions. For example, nature workshops for citizens and associations have been organised to further integrate nature into the heart of the city. Simultaneously, residents have been invited to invest in new meeting and creativity spaces in their neighbourhoods to develop citizen or economic projects, contributing to the revitalisation of their area.

 

Regarding the "People's house" of Seraing, the goal is to establish a dynamic where it is no longer the institutions but rather civil society that becomes the driving force. The city's institutions are present solely as technical managers to facilitate cohesion between various projects from both citizen and economic entities.

 

The challenge the city aims to address with this project is to foster the emergence of autonomous governance and management for the space and the projects. This grassroots involvement is integral to the success of these programmes, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement among residents. 

How does the project tackle different aspects with an INTEGRATED APPROACH?

The project epitomises integrated urban development, by concurrently tackling economic, social, and environmental dimensions. With a holistic approach, these initiatives actively involve the community in decision-making, promoting inclusive economic strategies, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including local government, community groups, academia, and businesses, is a key emphasis. Continuous monitoring and evaluation processes enable adaptive responses to challenges. These programmes acknowledge the interdependence of urban issues and strive for resilient and sustainable development, enhancing the overall well-being of Seraing and its residents.

 

City-parks are a great example of this approach, as they have been reimagined to make them more accessible and pleasant for citizens, as well as to encourage more biodiversity into the heart of the city. To achieve this, public reflection and design workshops were held in spaces provided by the city, facilitating the reappropriation of these communal places by the citizens. 

Why should other European cities use the solution the project explored?

 

Our model establishes a deep connection between citizens and their surrounding environment, whether it's biodiversity, collaborative opportunities through dedicated and purposeful places and spaces provided by the city, or the ability for them to design, iterate, and develop new forms of sustainable and viable activities together.

 

This methodological approach aims to foster residents' empowerment by instilling a sense of ownership, which is vital for the success and enduring impact of any public project. Here, civil society takes the lead in adapting and developing solutions for their own urban challenges, with continuous support, monitoring, and evaluation from the city. 

The transfer network would focus on transfer towards places of socialisation (the places to be renovated in the project which perpetuate the dynamics of this project) and reappropriation of their neighbourhoods by the residents.

Julien Brebonne