In European cities, and in particular the ones participating in Future DiverCities, there are some empty and unused empty spaces in the immediate neighbourhood of creative hubs. They can be viewed as potential development areas for creative hubs who are keen to contribute more widely to positively transform their cities.
In some cases, our partners have been directly asked to engage with these spaces, in some others it is more a personal interest and commitment. Those empty spaces are vacant and unused for a variety of reasons. They are, for example, derelict lands in the immediate vicinity of the creative hubs which constitute some forms of “in-between zones” (Timişoara, Liepaja, Marseille, Florence). They are also large empty buildings in changing urban areas (Kuopio), some of them already part of an European Capital of Culture programme (Liepaja, Timişoara). They are empty spaces in struggling touristic areas (Split) or damaged sites (Zagreb, through the recent series of earthquakes). They are also hidden empty spots (Berlin). They are all good test-grounds for new kinds of culture-led regeneration. The climate emergency is forcing us to rethink our approaches and methodologies, our partners are looking for new ideas to regenerate and use empty spaces that will respect the urban ecology whilst positively transforming the areas.
