Impact on the urban context of citizen appropriation strategies in collective spaces.

Abstract

Collective spaces where informal strategies are implemented are presented as a revulsive against the conventional image of public space. Bottom-top management of urban spaces by diverse stakeholders is seen as an alternative to the use of public space as a cosmetic justification for real estate operations.

The present paper inscribes itself in a moment of transition. Interventions and active initiatives on collective spaces by local communities are being included in the agenda by local and government administrations and studied by European institutions. The initial phase of isolated cases with anecdotic value is moving towards strategies that can be enforced or supervised by the administrations. Analysis and evaluation of the impact of these strategies in the local context becomes critical to develop future strategies in planning, design or urban policies.

In a context of economic crisis in which the claim for participatory processes has been recovered, this research field presents certain contradictions. The aesthetics of participation seems to include very diverse situations. Are these actions occupying a void left by the recession of State? Does the participation image respond to cultural and spatial claims by a dispossessed middle class? How much of the trend of informality and hands-on participation among architects is marked by the crisis in the sector?

The production by the citizens of collective space in the city through ephemeral appropriation strategies, is seen as an opportunity for the regeneration of neighborhoods, the strengthening of ties between the community and the prevention of social exclusion. Impact of socially produced collective space in the urban context involves social, cultural, economic and environmental issues. ¿Is it possible to assess social impacts in relation to the implemented strategies?
Strengthening social networks around collective space is believed to be a factor for social cohesion in the neighborhood. On the other hand, the effect of strong networks has been questioned as not necessarily positive for social integration. Social Cohesion is often looked at from a very academic perspective or defined from the administration policies point of view. It is not so when dealing with citizen-led collective spaces issues as the concepts of social capital or identity become intertwined with the experience of the place and its stakeholders.

Local administrations in Madrid and Barcelona have kick-started processes of citizen appropriation of collective spaces such as urban gardening or occupation of urban voids through self-managed ephemeral uses. The 2012 program Pla de Buits Urbans in Barcelona pioneers in the country the promotion from local administration of site-specific citizen-led strategies. The program launches a competition for 19 unused urban voids. In Madrid the administration impulses the participative program Imagina Madrid that approaches the production of collective spaces from artistic and cultural intervention. What are the differences with other processes where the administration has a minor role? Is there a significant change within the neighborhoods linked to these initiatives? How does the social outcome relate to the specific strategies and their spatial implementation?

It is the interest of this paper to look at the relation between the spatial appropriation strategies and the impact they produce in the neighborhood. There is a necessity to develop a theoretical background to assess the impact and to incorporate citizen-led collective space to the urban agendas.