Networks and cities' news

Former military areas as hubs for urban innovation

The development of a series of Integrated Action Plans (IAPs) for the reuse of the former military assets, but also in the development of real innovative solutions, to encourage the use of this particular type of heritage are the main focuses of the MAPS project. At the same time, MAPS involves diverse stakeholders in the design and in the implementation of the IAPs through actions such as Open days, sport events (for professionals and amateurs), awareness raising at city level of the military heritage, involvement of the local schools to strengthen the ongoing project in the city.

Rediscovering former military sites through public events

Ready for the future? Urban resilience in practice

Urban resilience is the capacity of urban systems, communities, individuals, organisations and businesses to recover, maintain their function and thrive in the aftermath of a shock or a stress, regardless of its impact, frequency or magnitude.

When a human or ecological system loses its resilience, it becomes increasingly vulnerable to disturbances that previously could be absorbed. For example, the same amount of rain will have different impact on neighboring cities, if one of them decided to build over green spaces, with no regard for water retention and absorption capacities. 

'Migrant crisis': which engagement for Europe and the Urban Agenda?

Following the article on affordable housing in Europe, we're continuing our series on the Urban Agenda for Europe partnerhsips. This month - inclusion refugees and migrants. To be read together with ‘Migrant Crisis’: what can cities learn about new service design? by Eddy Adams.

‘Migrant crisis’: what can cities learn about new service design?

A message from Sicily

There’s been a lot of recent talk about the additional pressure new migrant arrivals place on public services. There has been less discussion about how cities – and it is mainly cities – are coping with this. And less still about what we are learning and the implications for future public services.
 

This was the focus of a recent Social Innovation Europe event in Siracusa Sicily. Meeting on one of Europe’s front lines gave us the chance to see what’s happening and to hear about lessons emerging from our recent experiences. We were particularly interested to examine the range of social innovations emerging to meet new service demands.

This article shares some of these new service examples. It also considers what they tell us about the new service design dynamics they reflect. Finally, we conclude with reference to Ezio Manzini's call for a new narrative around migrants, aligned to a design-led approach to service development.

Circular economy: another buzzword or your city’s future?

In times of decreasing resources and growing responsibilities, many cities and regions are understandably skeptical towards what seems to be yet another buzzword. However, a transition to a circular economy is both a necessity and an opportunity, with the potential to offer long-lasting economic, environmental and social benefits. 

Digital Uber Alles

Hands up those of you who have used Uber. Or Airbnb? I thought so. Increasingly, if you ask that question to a group of people, a forest of hands shoots up. When I asked it at a German Marshall Fund event in Bilbao last month, people with their hands down were a small minority.