Creativity Is The Future of Inclusive Urban Development
Last month, The Institute - a Romanian NGO looking after the interests of the country’s creative community - partnered up with the European Commission Representation in Romania for the New European Bauhaus: a new flagship project aiming to bring together architects, cultural managers, artists and so on, to form together a local creative community that can think up and create new ways of living together.
The initiative got me thinking about something I’ve always underlined, from my days as a City Manager in Alba Iulia: that the community can be a key player in the development (and ultimately, thriving) of Smart Cities. The smart infrastructure, based on data and planning, was always just one part of how you build and maintain a Smart City. Involving citizens, in all stages and in different capacities, further bolsters an even stronger community, as well as providing a resource of fresh ideas.
The New European Bauhaus also aims to create within its hub a series of events and workshops that focus on urban regeneration, and how to revitalize different spaces through creative industries. So now, the world meets data, data meets community and community meets creative solutions. A lot of the representatives of these creative industries view smart solutions as part of their craft; so it’s only obvious how their contribution at the urban planning table can be of great value.
An ingredient that should not be left out in this kind of collaborative project is the need for real inclusion, rather than favouritism in certain sectors. The local community is made up of a multitude of different professionals, so each category should be given a voice. By inviting key leaders and voices from each creative segment, a complete vision of the community is achieved. A big step will therefore consist in identifying and establishing a collaboration with each of these key players.
Another point to be taken into consideration is how this new flagship project can be used and developed to also sustain city resilience and the ability for communities to adapt, recover and prepare for any future shock, such as the pandemic has just shown. In terms of sustainable development, wellbeing, and inclusive growth, what can the creative community bring to the table? How can architects contribute to creating a more sustainable environment? What does wellbeing mean for the community vs. the city’s management point of view? Meeting at the centre of this vision, from each side, will ensure that the project successfully combines smart city strategies and creative solutions for development, but also and perhaps most importantly, a much stronger community brought together by its wish to make their own city better.
The pandemic has brought a lot of significant changes to community living throughout the world. Initiatives like the New European Bauhaus not only set a strong precedent for how to involve the community in smart urban development, but also for how new urban models are being tested and can become future benchmarks. I consider it a time of continuous learning, in a world filled with endless data-driven possibilities; how we, as a society, working from local governance and urban planning authorities, will decide to put them to use to serve individuals and communities alike. If done right, we can use this and similar opportunities to make a big difference to the future of sustainable city living.
