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Opening up the New European Bauhaus: Place-Making or Space-Making?
May 15 @ 15:00 - 16:30
In Desire, place-based interventions have been central to our learning and outcomes. And place matters—it matters whether we are working in the city of Kalundborg in Denmark or in Cascina Falchera, just outside of Turin, Italy. The histories of these places differ, and their cultural, economic, and environmental characteristics shape what is possible, the futures we can imagine, and the actions we choose to take.
At the same time, we also talk about space—the space between buildings, urban space, cultural space. But what is place and what is space? How do we understand these terms, and how does our choice of language influence how we perceive the present and imagine and co-create the future?
“Opening up the New European Bauhaus: Place-making or Space-making?” is the theme for the 3rd Irresistible Cities Lab event – a Desire Special event
Date: 15 May 2025
Time: 15:00–16:30 (CEST)
Location: Online – link to Teams meeting – no need to register
Three presentations will be grounded in insights from NEB-based or NEB-related projects. Between them, we’ll hold a breakout session, offering participants the chance to reflect in smaller groups.
On the agenda
Dr. Ammalia Podlaszewska, Culture Goes Europe, Erfurt
Between Space and Place: Ecosystems of Meaning in Transnational and Local Citymaking
This talk explores how space—as an imagined, often transnational ecosystem of ideas—and place—as meaning shaped by communities—interact in contemporary citymaking. Drawing on projects like NEW INHERIT and Initiative Fröhlich-Platz, we’ll discuss how co-creation can be facilitated depending on how these concepts are understood. How can shared values and creative collaboration transform both digital and physical environments into meaningful, inclusive places?
Christina Schepper-Bonnet and Michaela Busenkell, City of Munich
Creating Change Together: From Spaces to Places to NEBourhoods
NEBourhoods are co-created collectively with the residents and, in turn, foster new communities. Creating NEBourhoods is about active engagement, quality of stay, experience, and identification. At the same time, NEBourhoods can themselves spark the activation and further development of urban space and urban society. We’ll share what we’ve learned from cultivating NEBourhoods together.
Anne Nørgaard, Eyes Hearts Hands Urban Revolution (EHHUR), Copenhagen
Local Voices, Lasting Change: Participatory Placemaking at Lighthouse 1
The Eyes, Hearts, Hands methodology introduces a new terminology, new dialogue, and a new way of working. It highlights how citizen involvement and bottom-up initiatives can shape the identity of urban spaces. The pilot site case demonstrates how residents and urban stakeholders are collaboratively transforming spaces into meaningful, inclusive places— through cultural and social engagement – especially by activating and empowering younger generations.
