An advanced design approach to support urban transformations through multi-stakeholder collaborations

Abstract

Urban transformations depend on the uses of the city by old and new citizens and on their relation within spaces and resources, triggering regenerative opportunities, networking and empowerment processes. Considering the city and its heritage as a common good, in which each citizen could access and play for the knowledge, management, conservation and transformation of urban contexts, the contribute illustrates the results of experimental actions in Bologna (IT) finalized to test new stakeholder engagement processes and to develop new tools for participatory practices and new productions for the reactivation of the city. In the last years Bologna represents a field of experimentation for different forms of collaborative approaches with the aim to test and innovate tools and policies for the public space. The paper presents the results of projects linked to EU funding schemes (ROCK project) and local multi-stakeholder initiatives (Bologna Design Week) which are part of the research and experimentation carried out by the research unit team. This article illustrates a model to improve the regenerative capacities of the city, recognizing and matching the different roles, influences and knowledge of actors and relevant stakeholders, to strengthen communities' sense of belonging, cultural and creative power, and improving territorial identity.