At a joint webinar, we took a closer look at the idea of space: not just urban or cultural space, but also the informal spaces between buildings and how these influence the way people live, connect and take part in shaping their surroundings. This conversation was especially relevant in the context of the New European Bauhaus, which calls for more inclusive, sustainable, and beautiful places.
Anne Nørgaard from European Green Cities (EGC) shared the Eyes Hearts Hands methodology, which puts local people at the centre of the process. It focuses on community engagement, co-design, and the smart use of green and digital solutions not as add-ons, but as tools for real participation.
We also heard more about one of the Lighthouse case studies, where involving citizens, especially young people, helped reimagine urban identity through creative and social action. It was a reminder that meaningful placemaking starts with the people who are already there, especially those who are too often left out of planning processes: school students, people with limited language skills, or those facing social or cognitive challenges.
By bringing young people into the local project team, we saw new forms of collaboration take shape – ones that bridged generations and reflected the real, everyday experiences of the community. When young people are treated as equals in the process, the results are not only more inclusive, but also more rooted and resilient.
Image credits: Jason Goodman from Unsplash
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