Networks and cities' news

Nitra brings green and creative spaces to life: Two URBACT GreenPlace pilot events at Martin's Hill

During the summer of 2025, the city of Nitra (Slovakia) hosted two vibrant public events that marked important milestones in the implementation of its Integrated Action Plan (IAP) under the URBACT GreenPlace project. These events served as real-life tests of how the area of the former military barracks at Martin’s Hill could become a thriving space for community life, cultural activities, heritage appreciation, and sustainable development.

Both events were co-organized by ULG partners (URBACT Local Group), bringing together local institutions, experts, and community organizations engaged in the long-term vision for this historic and green area.

Shaping Urban Regeneration Together in Vila Nova de Poiares

From 13–14 May 2025, Vila Nova de Poiares, Portugal, hosted delegations from eight countries for the 6th Core Network Meeting of the URBACT “GreenPlace. Let’s do it together!” network. Representatives from partner cities, including elected officials, ULG members, and project experts, came together for two days of exchanges, workshops, and site visits, all with a shared focus on green urban regeneration and active community participation.

Breathing New Life into Bucharest’s Oldest Tram Depot

Located in central Bucharest, just behind the Government headquarters, Victoria Depot stands as a significant, yet underutilized, landmark of industrial heritage — the oldest tram depot in the city, and a site with considerable potential for urban regeneration. Characterized by its iron framework, spacious halls, and embedded urban history, the depot had gradually receded from public attention — until the GreenPlace network brought it back into focus through a structured participatory initiative.

GreenPlace cities commit themselves to developing more regeneration projects with green solutions and a participatory approach

During two days, on 13 and 15 May 2025, the Project Partners of the GreenPlace network exchanged and learned about strategies and activities for "recycling" unused urban areas, using social participation tools. Based on the life of the GreenPlace network and the two-day meeting, it has become clear that for such processes, it is crucial to take into account not only the regional specificities and conditions of each of the partners, but also to introduce greenery as a key factor in limiting climate change in urban areas.

GreenPlace in Quarto d’Altino: Building a Green and Smart Hub of Archaeology, Nature and Community

A European project for greener and more participatory cities

GreenPlace is a European project under the URBACT programme, involving cities committed to developing more sustainable, inclusive, and participatory local policies, starting from one key element: the regeneration of green public spaces. Quarto d’Altino is taking part in GreenPlace with an ambitious yet deeply grounded challenge — to bring new life to the historic village of Altino and reconnect it to its urban, rural, and lagoon surroundings through an integrated, green, and smart development model.
Through the project Green & Smart Altinum Hub, the Municipality aims to transform Altino into a multifunctional hub where culture, nature, soft mobility, and social innovation converge to create new opportunities for residents, visitors, and local businesses.

How can cities activate unused green spaces and buildings?

Picture yourself in that dark grey building or street, which does not smell nice, feels unsafe and makes you wonder only about one thing: I feel so bad, why did I come here? Now, picture yourself in that same building or street wondering only about one thing: OMG, it’s an amazing place, why didn’t I come here earlier?! 

So… what’s happened? What’s changed to this area that you have to twist your daily itinerary to come and enjoy this area? And what is there actually to do?

The 9 Project Partners of the GreenPlace network – Boulogne-sur-mer, Bucharest-Ilfov, Limerick, Löbau, Nitra, Onda, Quarto d’Altino, Vila Nova de Poiares, and Wroclaw- have experimented this journey, using the knowledge and methodology gathered over the first year and a half of the network. Their stories tell us more about actions to make abandoned buildings, forgotten tram depots, unused green areas, or unused yet to be renovated built areas – attractive and worth coming to.