‘The topic of meanwhile and meanwhile uses in urban regeneration is far from being univocally understood as a possible lever for positive urban transformations and transitions to more inclusive, sustainable and vibrant cities. Especially where meanwhile practices already have history, they may be surrounded by ambiguous understandings and contradictory feelings that, by extension, may apply to urban regeneration. If we are to advance meanwhile uses as the opportunity for participatory placemaking and inclusive urban regeneration, we should always question how different people and communities understand this term and practice, and ask ourselves who is participating, why, how, with what perspectives and expectations.’
This is one amongst a set of key lessons learnt by T-Factor during its first period of implementation. Download the short document What if the next big thing are many small things to get what we have learned so far and what we believe should be explored more for enabling meanwhile uses as a vision of city-making. This is an ongoing process; we welcome further reflections and contributions.
Photo Credits: LAND, Polimi and Plusvalue