Urban Living Labs for Sensitive City Cultural Heritage Regeneration

Abstract

The turn of the century was characterised by many different tendencies and shifting paradigms in theory and practices that affected the way the cities are planned and governed. Out of many present tendencies in the knowledge about the contemporary cities’ future development, the sensitive city paradigm stands out as an effective way of transition from smart city because it has added the component of equity into equation. The sensitive city paradigm uses data innovation, artificial intelligence along with human consciousness in order to advance the decision-making processes in urban planning, while promoting discussion and inclusion of various stakeholders to find out solution. In this respect the paper refers to the concept of living labs which perpetuate inclusive city and present a real-life test and experimentation environment. For the idea to be described the experiences and results carried out through the Skopje Urban Living Lab (SkULL), established as part of the ROCK (Regeneration and Optimisation of Cultural heritage in creative and Knowledge cities), European Union’s Horizon 2020 project, have been used. The historic area of the city centre of Skopje, including the Old Bazaar, Medieval City Fortress and the immediate vicinity, presented demonstration area on which to develop collaborative and innovative ways of local citizens, businesses and other stakeholders’ involvement in the processes of cultural heritage rehabilitation and re-utilisation. The paper presented three core activities which have been carried out through the SkULL: 1. Those that supported the concept of “open” city, especially open data and open knowledge. In order to realise the idea a digital platform for open sources information on land use, property of the parcels and other cadastre information has been launched, as well information on different urban data collected through sensors and ICT tools; 2. Those that support and foster collaborative ideas and shared experiences for better understanding of the protected area development potentials and qualitative spatial re-use, by introducing ICT incubators and innovative technologies, as well creative industries and contemporary “crafts” as suppliers of new products and services. The dominant forms of the activities were “Open days” and the “Shops with history” initiative inauguration and 3. Those that brought together multiple stakeholders (researchers, artists and students, citizens and local government) in creative workshops to participate in co-designing and co-shaping of the spaces/structures of the historic city.