Budapest’s First Repair Café: Where Sustainability Meets Community-Building
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
Collaborative grants for the third sector – the case of Brighton and Hove
Commissioning models by which the public sector externalises the provision of public services often favour large companies, excluding smaller providers. In an attempt to set up a legislative framework through
Civocracy: Revolutionising Digital Civic Engagement in Europe
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 with offline strategies, it bridges
Redefining Urban Security for Inclusive Cities
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 far beyond the simple notion
From tragedy to transformations: how Serbian youth revived direct democracy
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 a devastating event: the collapse
The fight for hope: How Quarticciolo’s boxing gym is empowering youth
In Quarticciolo, one of Rome’s most marginalised neighbourhoods, a humble boxing gym is transforming the lives of its youth. Established in 2015 by a group of activists, this community initiative
The 15-minute city at night: towards a holistic urban vision
How can cities function seamlessly both day and night? What happens when the 15-minute city concept meets the night-time economy? Can decentralising nightlife create safer, more accessible, and sustainable urban
Reviving the Donaukanal: Transforming Public Space Through Urban Swimming
The Schwimmverein Donaukanal (SVDK) exemplifies how social design can transform urban environments through community engagement. The initiative began as a small social design research project at the University of Applied
Wide space: Fighting for a vision of solidarity in Quarticciolo, Rome
Quarticciolo, a historic and working-class district of Rome, is undergoing significant transformation. While the Italian government promotes the Caivano emergency decree—focused on security, control, and militarisation—the neighbourhood is positioning itself
Shaping spaces of sociability: Social infrastructure and the gentle transformation of Budapest’s Népszínház Street
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 was, until not so long
Nature and the city: How Văcărești Urban Park supports biodiversity with urban life in Bucharest
In the heart of Bucharest, Văcărești Nature Park tells a story of transformation, resilience, and renewal. What was once a neighbourhood razed for a Communist-era water reservoir project in 1988,
Placemaking’s Dilemma: Creating Connections or Widening Gaps?
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 a tool for transformation –
Jardins do Bombarda: From a former psychiatric hospital to a cultural and social venue
Jardins do Bombarda is a cultural and community centre run by Largo Residências, a cultural and social solidarity cooperative. The organisation moved to the premises of the former psychiatry hospital
