International Organisation for Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development

Activities

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..:: URBiNAT

Responding to an EU-call on the development of "Nature-based Solutions" (NBS), IKED was part of the initiative that led to "URBiNAT - Healthy corridors as drivers of social housing neighborhoods, for the co-creation of social, environmental and marketable NBS". After more than five years of intensive collaborative activities, URBiNAT concludes end-March, 2024.

Bringing together an extensive consortium that includes nine cities along with research organisations, companies and other bodies that bring horizontal competencies (see Figure 1), URBiNAT has devised a novel approach to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and associated interventions in close collaboration with citizens and stakeholders. Awarding serious attention to the importance of "inclusion", and based on careful "local diagnostic", i.e. mapping and analysis of the specific local issues and needs, URBiNAT has championed the concept of "Healthy Corridors" to combat urban fragmentation and polarisation. Lessons and recommendations have been drawn in support of new inspiration and mindset change among urban planners and all else engaged in shaping future cities more conducive to the well-being of citizens along with favourable stakeholder relations.



From west to east, the cities of Porto, Nantes and Sofia have acted as "frontrunners" in URBiNAT. The cities of Brussels, Khorramabad, Nova Gorica and Hoje-Taastrup share and replicate the URBiNAT concepts and methodologies, acting as "followers". Cities across China, and also in Brazil, Cyprus, Japan, and Oman, further engage in the learning process. Each of the cities have brought along local partners, associations, research centres, universities, and innovative companies devoted to sustainability. The formation of living labs (WP2) has been accompanied by a multichannel strategy for active citizenship (WP3), implement healthy corridors and develop a NBS catalogue (WP4), while monitoring impacts (WP5), disseminating knowledge (WP6) and deriving marketing solutions and policy recommendations (WP7).

While active in most of the working parties, IKED assumed responsibility for WP7 and has led pioneering work on Nature-based Enterprises. IKED further coordinated the Community of Practice and has played the central role in applying "smart" digital enablers of citizen engagement, interwoven with social economy initiatives, social innovation for value-generation, incubation and business development. A particular agenda for citizen engagement, "the Circular Cities Café, developed by IKED, establishes a structured interface between local hubs and communities in the cities of URBiNAT, and beyond. Further, IKED has held the coordinating role with regard to non-EU partners, notably Brazil, China, Iran, Japan and Oman, although linkages have been established with many more countries along the way. For reporting on the project, visit http://urbinat.eu/.

The other URBiNAT partners are listed below:

• CES, Centro de Estudos Sociais; https://www.ces.uc.pt/pt
• ICETA-CIBIO, Instituto de Ciencias, Tecnologias e Agroambiente de Universidade do Porto; http://www.iceta.up.pt/
• Porto, Camara Muncipal do Porto; http://www.cm-porto.pt/
• Domus, Domus Social; http://www.domussocial.pt/
• GUDA, Give u design art (GUDA-Innokinetics); http://www.guda.pt/ (site under construction)
• UC, Universidade de Coimbra; https://www.uc.pt/en
• ITEMS, http://www.items.fr/
• CNRS, CNRS-IRSTV; http://www.cnrs.fr/
• NMCU, Nantes Métropole NMCU; https://www.nantesmetropole.fr/accueil-22419.kjsp?RH=WEB_FR&RF=WEB_FR
• UASG, University of Architecture Civil Engineering and Geodesy; https://uacg.bg/?l=2
• Sofia, Municipality of Sofia; https://www.sofia.bg/web/sofia-municipality
• IULM, IULM University; http://www.iulm.com/wps/wcm/connect/iulmcom/iulm-com/IULM-University
• FGF, Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrielli; http://fondazionefeltrinelli.it/en/
• Siena Comune di Siena; http://www.comune.siena.it/
• UA, Univ Antwerpen; https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/
• Beuxelles, Ville de Bruxelles; https://www.bruxelles.be/
• UNG, Univ, Nova Gorica; http://www.ung.si/en/
• NGorica, Municipality of Nova Gorica; https://www.nova-gorica.si/
• DTI, Danish Technological Institute; https://www.dti.dk/
• Hoja- Taastrup Kommune
• SLA, SLA Architects A/S; http://www.sla.dk/en/
• OWL, Hochschule OWL; https://www.hs-owl.de/
• IAAC, Institut of Advanced Architecture of Catolonia; https://iaac.net/
• NGS, New Growing System; http://ngsystem.com/en
• ICC, Iran Chamber of Commerce; http://en.iccima.ir/
• NSCJL, National Smart City Joint Lab, http://eu-chinasmartcities.eu/?q=node/158
• URBEM, Institute of Urbanism and Studies for the Metropolis- San Paolo; https://www.urbem.org.br/urbem---english
• SU, Setsunan University; https://www.setsunan.ac.jp/english/

Since project start, URBiNAT organised several meetings and workshops, bringing together a range of research partners, decision makers, stakeholders and citizens. URBiNAT's first major international conference was held on June 16-17, 2022, in Milan, Italy, on the theme "Nature for Innovative and Inclusive Urban Regeneration (NATiURB)".

The first day of the event was labelled "Cities Conference Day". The partner cities shared their experience with regards to the healthy corridor co-created with local communities in their specific intervention areas. On the second day, "Scientific Conference Day", twenty sessions were dedicated to outlining and discussing concepts, methodologies, and practices. Speakers and attendees exchanged ideas and experience drawing on diverse perspectives, ranging from academic to urban planning and design to lived experience on the ground.

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