CORPUS – Phygital Models of Cooperation in the Retrofitting of Public Space

Co.R.Pu.S. aims to conduct research on alternative processes of retrofitting public space at neighbourhood level, grounded on Circular Urban Economies (CUE) through involvement of local stakeholders and citizens. Having as its main challenge the revival of degraded public space in the periphery of the city, the project will investigate alternative ways of cooperation through the concept of Urban Living Lab (ULL) as a diffusing entity of CUE. Two case studies of ULLs (park of Public Housing Complex in Egaleo/Greece and micro-circular economies in Turin/Italy) will be set up, in order to design semi-permanent urban equipment through participatory processes, up-cycling techniques and the development of digitally enabled systems (civic blockchain) to promote circularity of materials, services and goods.

The interaction between two ULLs will generate tangible insights on how to form a phygital model of cross sectoral cooperation to tackle degradation of urban space and promote socio-economic development. The entire process will document methodologies and prototypes (platforms, urban equipment, policies) to engage citizens, SMEs and Municipalities, leading to the formation of a model to transform ULL into permanent community labs, oriented to CUE and public space reclamation.

Co.R.Pu.S. will investigate how Urban Living Labs (ULL) could become demonstrators of behavioural and systemic change, with respect to the above mentioned components, starting from the use of materials with impact on the public space of the neighbourhood. The research will expand knowledge on the activation of public space through the circularity of materials, the active involvement of the community in the design of the small scale interventions, and the support of civic technologies. It will test the capacities of such an orientation to create a sense of belonging to citizens and ensure a long-term sustainability of the place, and the effectiveness of civic blockchains in supporting the creation of decentralised value exchange systems.

This project has been funded by Ministero Dell’Università e Della Ricerca (MUR), General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) and the Dutch Research Council (NWO) under the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership, which has been co-funded by the European Union. Specifically, Delft is funded by NWO and its project number is EP.1510.22.002.