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Layers of the old Piraeus station: connecting stories, place and data in Daring Cities

We can hardly hear each others’ voice as we head West in the Piraeus port. On our right, tall buildings loom over us, echoing the noise of the traffic on the left. Trapped between the infinite flow of cars and the towers overlooking the port, it feels as if we walked the tightrope in the surrealistically narrow strip of public space towards a couple of trees that forced their way through the concrete pavement. Behind the trees, the station building. 

The architects accompanying our group open the gate and suddenly an oasis opens up before us. Behind the gates, a long wall and the station building, that has been abandoned for over a decade, a stretch of grass, weeds and trees spontaneously growing out of the contaminated soil in every possible direction cover the rails that no longer lead anywhere.

As our group traverses the field behind the station, slowly balancing our steps around the abandoned railway tracks, we all think about the future of this area. Public servants from Altea, Den Helder, Dunaújváros, Kragujevac, Olomouc and Ravenna all recognize the sense of freedom and indetermination that this terrain vague evokes. They simultaneously think of the railway stations turned into bars, recycling centres, community gardens and linear parks that we visited together in Paris and areas in their hometowns waiting for new uses and new stories.

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PODCAST | Plasencia (Spain): "It's about being close to each other"

How can a historic city facing population decline reinvent itself for the future? In this episode of Residents of the Future, URBACT Lead Expert Tiago Ferreira travels to Plasencia, Spain, a city known for its cathedral, medieval old town and natural surroundings, to explore how it is responding to urban shrinkage.

PODCAST: Saldus (Latvia) - Putting People First in the Fight Against Urban Shrinkage

Across Europe, many small cities are facing a shared challenge: population decline. In Latvia, this trend is particularly visible, and Saldus is no exception. Since 1991, the town has lost nearly 19% of its population — a reality felt not only in statistics, but in schools, kindergartens, local businesses, and daily life. In the latest episode of the Residents of the Future podcast, part of the URBACT programme, Lead Expert Tiago Ferreira speaks with Linda Medne, ULG Coordinator in Saldus, about how the city is responding to these challenges — and what gives reason for optimism.

Sport Based Solutions Guidance: A New Article In The Library Section

Among our final products, ourLead Expert provided us and the interested parties with a Sport Based Solutions Guidance to orient us in the world of sport in urban spaces. Over the past two decades, sport has become a central component of contemporary urban policy due to its proven impact on public health, social cohesion, and environmental resilience. International frameworks, including those promoted by global and European institutions, emphasise that active living must be integrated into urban planning, mobility systems, education, and public space design. Sport is no longer seen as a marginal leisure activity, but as a structural tool capable of shaping healthier and more inclusive cities.

Temporary Use Value Creation Plan

The Temporary Use Value Creation Plan is a tool, which helps cast a range of future possible developments in a temporary use project.