Co-Creating the Future: Youth & Urban Living Labs

On february 26th the PS-U-GO consortium hosted the webinar Co-Creating the Future: Youth & Urban Living Labs, focusing on innovative practices that are transforming urban spaces in Europe involving young people.

Showcasing Innovative Practices

The 90-minute webinar highlighted three significant case studies: Vigne Nuove Living Lab (Rome), Academy for Urban Action – AUA (Brussels), and Commonspace (Athens). Each initiative demonstrated how Urban Living Labs (ULLs) are fostering youth participation, community empowerment, and sustainable development.

Rome: Vigne Nuove Living Lab The event began with insights from guest speaker Vasiliki Fragkaki, who detailed the Vigne Nuove Living Lab in Rome. Fragkaki emphasized how active community participation turned this Lab into a vibrant platform for dialogue, idea-sharing, and neighborhood-driven urban transformation.

Brussels: Academy for Urban Action Next, Bram Dewolfs introduced the Academy for Urban Action (AUA) initiative in Brussels. Launched by Urban Foxes, AUA initially operated without a permanent physical space. Today, thanks to strategic partnerships with local organizations and funding from the Flemish Government, AUA hosts workshops, labs, and events at the dedicated Urban Living Lab at TRACK Brussels. Dewolfs highlighted their successful Space Pioneers program, empowering young people to actively shape their urban environments.

Athens: Commonspace Closing the webinar, guest speaker Yannis Paraskevopoulos discussed Commonspace, an influential ULL based in Athens, renowned for its participatory approach to spatial planning and climate resilience. Commonspace effectively engages a diverse array of stakeholders, including citizens, researchers, local authorities, and communities, in co-creating sustainable and inclusive urban solutions.

Key Takeaways Participants gained practical tools and methodologies for fostering collaboration, innovation, and effective impact assessment in urban development projects. The webinar emphasized the crucial role young people and local communities play in shaping urban futures and highlighted best practices from each case study city.

PS-U-GO continues to facilitate important conversations around sustainable urban transformation, proving that community-driven Urban Living Labs are essential for inclusive, innovative, and resilient cities.