Thank you for attending our "Know your people" session at the UF24 event in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. On this page, you can read more about the initiatives and organisations that shared their experiences during this session.
Erasmus Initiative Vital Cities and Citizens
VCC brings together over 25 researchers from diverse disciplines – like psychology, sociology, public administration, communication, art and culture – to tackle the challenges cities face through collaborative research. We believe reciprocity is crucial: we don't just gather data but ensure that the outcomes are also of practical relevance to our stakeholders. Our focus is in four main areas:
- Inclusive Cities and Diversity
- Resilient Cities and People
- Smart Cities and Communities
- Sustainable and Just Cities
Contact: vitalcitiesandcitizens@eur.nl
Right to Reyeroord
In Rotterdam, the Netherlands, we’ve launched Wijkwijs, a community research hub that connects Rotterdammers and scientists in seven pilots in various districts and neighborhoods to collectively investigate, address, and ideally resolve local persistent issues. The research focuses on topics that residents deem important and truly matter. For example, the Recht op Reyeroord project investigated providing space for young people in the neighborhood, which eventually led to the opening of a youth hub. The researchers involved in the Recht op Reyeroord project where from Design and Publics; a collaborative of engaged designers and thinkers who support future publics to intervene in current societal challenges.
Contact: els@designandpublics.com and rijshouwer@essb.eur.nl
Nairobi Urban Hub
In Nairobi, Kenya, we've established the Nairobi Urban Hub with several partners like the International Centre for Frugal Innovation and Nuvoni Research. Within this hub, the project Accelerating Resilience in Informal Settlements and Beyond is currently ongoing in the slum area Mathare, in which we collaborate with community researchers from the settlement itself. We've created a digital repository with all past research and trained community groups to use existing knowledge as empowerment. Our viewpoint: research is wasted unless it empowers. We are setting up two digital hubs in Mathare and establishing digital training centers.
Contact: fransen@ihs.nl
Ecken wecken
In Leipzig, Germany, the foundation Ecken wecken focuses on participatory democracy projects. For around 15 years, we have been bringing people from different parts of urban society together for co-creative urban design, currently as part of the Wir im Quartier project. In so-called solution teams, residents work together with representatives from administration, politics and business at eye level on transformative challenges for the common good. This is about “doing instead of complaining”, i.e. co-creating, having fun together and taking responsibility for your own living environment."
Contact: info@stiftung-ecken-wecken.de
nonconform
In several locations in Austria and Germany operates nonconform, an architecture and participatory planning practice, founded in 1999. Through dialogue and co-creation with heterogeneous stakeholders and the community we unlock existing potential and define integrated solutions for sustainable development - from buildings and public spaces to major infrastructure in urban or rural environments. In this scope we developed the ‚nonconform ideenwerkstatt‘, a three-day live participatory act – with the people to whom the change is relevant and in the place that is subject to change. Over the years our approach has been adapted and developed further to fit the scale and subject of the various projects, as well as the changing needs of society at large.
Contact: stancioiu@nonconform.at