How Gamified Cohousing turned abandoned Finnish buildings into shared economies, and exposed the bureaucracy that still fears citizens who build together Gamified Cohousing is a
Over the past years an increasing attention towards environmental justice is gaining more public attention through media, activism and civic participation. The PUJ project in
We are flooded by the effects and consequnces of the global climate crisis, whether in the news, on social media, in education, or in discussions
Living and working in times of physical distancing and – sometimes forced – digitalisation cannot always be about video meetings via Zoom, Skype or other
European cities are still in the wake of the economic crisis. Public administrations are struggling with urban maintenance and the delivery of local services. Driven
Op-ed by Lukács Hayes, Co-Founder of Cooperative City and Leader of the Katalizátor Program Walking the streets of Budapest this May, the air feels fundamentally
JOB TITLE: PROJECT AND RESEARCH COORDINATOR Cooperative City is looking for a part-time / full-time colleague for its Budapest office, starting in September 2026. The
We are thrilled to announce that the cornerstone of our latest initiative—the YoReC (Young People for Resilient Communities) Research Report—has been officially published. This comprehensive
Over the course of the 20th century, with the gradual emergence of the “throw-away” culture, especially in the wealthier regions of the world, people began
Hidden behind gates in Budapest’s crowded streets, community gardens are quietly demonstrating alternative ways of living in the city, offering a chance to slow down,
Between 25–30 September 2025, youth from across Europe gathered in Athens for an inspiring week-long training as part of the YoReC – Young People for
What is Co-PED? Co-PED (Cooperative Positive Energy Districts) is a European research and innovation project funded by the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership. The project
The GU-Süd Energy Community in Austria is proving that collaboration can be the key to a more resilient and sustainable future. In our interview, Mayor
The Vienna Youth Strategy participatory process was an inclusive and collaborative initiative in Vienna, Austria, aimed at shaping policies and programs for the city’s youth population. Through a series
Repair Café Budapest is Hungary’s first and only repair café, offering a collaborative space where broken household items—like toasters, bicycles, and sewing machines—are brought back
Civocracy is revolutionising digital civic engagement by providing a secure and inclusive platform for citizens to actively participate in decision-making processes. By combining online tools
From March 31 to April 4, Cooperative City’s Lukács Hayes – traveled to Rome to take part in the kickoff meeting and training of the
Redefining Urban Security for Inclusive Cities The experience of the 2Nite Urbact network shows us how urban security is a complex and multifaceted concept, extending
Over the past months, Serbia has experienced significant political and social turbulence. The student-led mass protests that have swept across the country were sparked by
Quarticciolo, a historic working-class district of Rome, is undergoing significant transformation. The Italian government has extended the Caivano emergency decree to the neighbourhood, presenting it
I’m walking down Budapest’s Népszínház Street. Leaving behind Blaha Lujza Square, one of the city’s major public transportation hubs, I’m entering Józsefváros, a district that
About YoReC YoReC, an Erasmus+ funded initiative, empowers young people to take an active role in building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities and democracies across Europe.
What makes a public space truly belong to the people who use it? Can design empower communities or does it risk excluding them? Is placemaking
The Solidarity Energy Community of East Naples in San Giovanni a Teduccio is pioneering a transformative approach to renewable energy that combines hands-on education with
Energy transition offers major structural changes to energy supply and consumption in our energy system in order to limit climate change. Especially after the breakout
The Gdańsk participatory budgeting initiative, inaugurated in 2011, exemplifies a transformative approach to civic participation in urban development. This program allocates a specific portion of
The Laboratori di Quartiere (Neighbourhood labs) is a shared governance model promoted by the Municipality of Bologna, with the coordination of Fondazione Innovazione Urbana and
Established in 2013, the Helsinki Youth Council serves as a platform bridging young voices with local governance. Initially formed through collaborative efforts, it prioritised inclusive representation, addressing
To mark the launch of the Toolbox of Experimental Participation Methods developed by Eutropian, and to share the knowledge generated in the EUARENAS project, back
The Barcelona Climate Assembly, run by the city council, involved citizens in the decision-making process regarding climate change policies. The assembly was composed of randomly
In the global pursuit of sustainable urban development, Barcelona has emerged as a pioneering city, leading the way in fostering a sustainable and healthy food
Cooperative City Budapest is a non-profit Ltd focusing on research, policy and advocacy, helping civic involvement in urban transformation processes. Projects Co-PED (Community based positive
Like other major European cities, Barcelona has a great industrial heritage that can now be re-used for a new and different development of its urban
In the past decades, Gdańsk has followed a well-defined strategic path. Building one initiative on another, the city used European projects to strengthen the innovation
Over the past decade, market halls and open air food markets have become an important arena for urban regeneration. Although many of today’s European cities
Rome’s transformative journey towards developing a comprehensive food policy reflects the profound influence of food on the city and its inhabitants. Inspired by international research
In the past years, Milan has become a model city in public space regeneration. The Piazze Aperte (“Open Squares”) programme, launched in 2018 has become
Good neighbourly relationships are an essential pillar of well-being and social coherence in the city. But what happens when a family with small children moves
wohnbund:consult is an independent office working in the field of social and sustainable urban developments with a focus on housing. Its interdisciplinary team focuses on
The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava (MIB) is a new urban centre that aims to bring fresh, dynamic, participatory and data driven urban developments to the
How to conceive a new cultural institution in an area already known for its strong cultural scene? How can a new venue integrate into an
In the last decade, cities across Europe have seen an increasing number of innovative actions taking place on different scales: from the district, to the
A Pact of collaboration is a negotiation between the city administration and civil subjects through which the regeneration, care and co–management of urban commons is
In 2018, the Croatian Ministry of Culture announced a project tender for the development of social-cultural centres in Croatia, based on participatory governance and public-civil
The blog presents an initial reflection on emerging challenges that the influx of refugees from Ukraine – about 7 million people since 24 February 2022
Vienna is the largest municipal housing owner in Europe. About half of the city’s population lives in subsidised housing, while only around 30% of the
In Scampia, one of the most challenged suburbs of Naples, a popular initiative uses women’s emancipation, art and culture, pedagogy, good food and social capital
In the centre of Vienna, a small commercial space is trying to make a difference working with a social and sustainable oriented mission. Ois In
Riga’s Youth Centre KAŅIERIS is a non-formal learning and inclusive collaboration space for young people and their organisations to gain knowledge and skills, as well
Prato Urban Jungle (PUJ), a project launched by the city of Prato, funded by the Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) programme, will regenerate selected districts of
Policies for a City of Solidarity: Observations Solidarity City is a media project by Cooperative City Magazine to promote and strengthen social and solidarity economy
What is Solidarity City Solidarity City is a media project of Cooperative City Magazine to promote and strengthen social and solidarity economy practices throughout Europe.
Brunnenpassage is an art and social space located in a former market hall in Ottakring, Vienna’s 16th district. Brunnenpassage mirrors the area and its mixed
In a city often regarded as the capital of classical music, a city rich in culture with renowned museums and an important contemporary arts scene,
On the site of the old Haschahof, a former farm at the southern edge of Vienna’s Favoriten district, stands today’s Zukunftshof (meaning Future Farm), which
As part of the European project called PlaceCity, placemaking for sustainable, thriving cities Nabolagshager established a collaboration with H20 High School in Grønland, Oslo to
Solidarity City is a media project of Cooperative City Magazine to promote and strengthen social and solidarity economy practices throughout Europe. Taking Vienna as its
Local communities and their local governments have two possible ways to cooperate. One is centred upon the use of public procurement for social purposes. The
Neighbourhood Mothers (Naapuriäiti in Finnish) is a social inclusion programme that is reaching out to women who moved to Finland and encouraging them to become
Local Operators’ Platform (LOCOP) is an independent initiative and research lab specialised in cultural research. LOCOP’s aim is to critically assess cultural policies and transnational
Kultura Nova is a public foundation promoting civil society organisations in the field of contemporary arts and culture. The foundation was established in 2011, when
When we undertake any type of project, of whatever nature, it is more necessary than ever to be able to count on natural allies for
The Power of Civic Ecosystems: How community spaces and their networks make our cities more cooperative, fair and resilient Public-civic cooperation has never been as
The Power of Civic Ecosystems: How community spaces and their networks make our cities more cooperative, fair and resilient Edited by Levente Polyák, Sophie Bod
In 2021, Europe is facing a number of challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to surface many structural problems in European societies, from climate change
We all have beloved public spaces – spaces where we feel safe and comfortable, places we like to come back to, places where we can
2020 will remain in our memory as the year of a sudden, world-wide crisis. Although the pandemic is far from being over, with the arrival
Medialab Prado is a citizen laboratory that functions as a meeting place for the production of open cultural projects. It is a cultural space and
Collaborative housing can be conceived as an approach to complement state- or municipality-led public housing schemes with bottom-up, self-organised housing projects. It has been the
Right in the centre of Warsaw, where there once was the summer residence of royals, now lies a one-of-a-kind symbol of resistance, rebirth and civil
A four-storey historical building in the heart of Vienna that houses bicycle, woodworking and sewing workshops, a restaurant serving international cuisine and a café hosting
Written by Eutropian Director Levente Polyak for Urbact. The COVID-19 crisis has heavily disrupted the activities of NGO Houses and their civic ecosystems. While the
What is the Magazine about? Cooperative City Magazine brings its readers the stories of collaborative urban development processes in different areas in Europe.It is a
During the first weeks of the lockdown we noticed that there was little or no exchange across nations about how to respond to the emerging
The lockdown made the inequalities in our societies boldly visible. The key role of the community and collaborative action to reach the most vulnerable layers
The Covid crisis is changing our lives, and mobility is definitely going to be one of the hottest topics – and one of the most
What is the role of e-learning in schooling and education, and what are the challenges and opportunities we are seeing by this very swift digital
Given the current situation, more than 200 million people could become unemployed as a result of this crisis. Not everyone can work home, and disadvantaged
Probably all community centres in Europe have a lot in common regarding the way they work during this challenging and totally new situation. Community venues,
Co-Hab Athens is a research project which aims to elaborate long-term models of collective housing ownership, claiming the quality of housing as a right. Active
FRIEDA 23 is a venue for art and media production. Located in Rostock, Northern Germany, it was opened as a result of the cooperation of
The extractive nature of mass tourism is made possible by tourist behaviour, missing regulations and lacking alternatives. There has been very little work done to
Based on the experience developed over the past ten years in Lisbon, the Bip/Zip program is currently at the basis of the URBACT Transfer Network
Polis is a platform developed by Martha Giannakopoulou and her studio, If- untitled, to enhances collaboration between architects and the Municipality of Athens. It aims
The Welcommon Hostel is a responsible hostel using tourism revenues to invest in social activities. First converted from a hospital into a refugee shelter, the
The City of Bari joined the Com.Unity.Lab Urbact network to be inspired by the Bip/Zip program to improve its local strategy. In this interview Vitandrea
Fusolab is a non-profit community hub in Rome’s Eastern periphery, offering educational activities within the arts, communication, technology, new media, sports and a variety of
The Bunker is a cultural project launched by The Cultural Association URBE – Urban Regeneration and the Torino Quittengo Srl, owner of the area. Bunker
A Város Mindenkié, in English The City is for All, was established in 2009 to advocate for housing rights in Hungary. Homeless people, those experiencing
Bagni Pubblici di via Agliè 9 is a community space where more than 15 organizations, associations, traders, schools and institutions, work to improve the quality
By working at a small scale, a digital platform helps neighbourhoods to strengthen social cohesion at many different levels: promoting local businesses, cooperation between neighbours
With today’s European cities hosting most of the continent’s population and urban areas being the stage for many of contemporary conflicts such as social inequality,
The US presidential election results came as a surprise to many of us especially because we hadn’t encountered any testament of sweeping support towards the
Recent newspaper articles highlighted the controversial position of large ICT companies in terms of taxation, data management, political leverage and spreading of fake news. With
In Budapest, a group of enthusiastic and passionate young people came together to mix their own ingredients, in the form of independent initiatives: an organic
In the early 2000s, some cities in the Central Eastern European region began to introduce new mechanisms for citizen participation in urban development. These attempts
Plateau Urbain is a temporary use organisation in Paris. Established in 2013, it examines the possibilities of vacant spaces in the city, bringing together property
Communication between citizens and local administrations is a key element of well-functioning services. The rise of digital platforms and smartphone applications created new interfaces for
Civic initiatives regenerating urban areas emerged all over Europe as an answer to the crisis of traditional urban policies. Often they share a conflicting attitude
Laituri is an urban information centre in Helsinki established in 2008. Attached to the Helsinki Municipality’s city planning department, Laituri helps disseminating information about the
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