The Urban Gardens initiative aims to motivate residents to take the lead in transforming neglected urban spaces, emphasising the value of green public spaces to enhance the quality of urban living, and to develop tools which can easily be transferred and adapted to other places in the area. Working with local NGOs Ekonaut and Komsije sa Dorcola, Placemaking Western Balkans has developed and implemented a prototype ‘urban game’ workshop approach to stimulate highly inclusive co-design processes with high participation from diverse public groups. Such broad representation and participation in placemaking activities is considered essential in the context of Balkan cities, which are combating uncontrolled urbanisation as well as an associated decline of urban ecology and quality of life.
One workshop engaged with children and young adults, resulting in the temporary transformation of a small public square into an urban garden. In two other cities, Pancevo and Novi Sad, similar placemaking workshops took place. In these instances, the workshops focused on raising awareness on how to co-create climate resilient and more attractive public spaces. It provided residents with the tools to help them negotiate the changes they wanted with the local municipalities. One example of a tool used was a set of visual representations of the positive transformation to more sustainable, attractive and accessible green spaces.
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