URB@EXP
To address complex economic, social and environmental challenges, European cities seek new approaches. A currently popular approach is urban labs (Living Labs and City Labs), in which local governments experiment with innovative solutions together with other stakeholders in urban development.
However, clear guidelines are needed concerning types of problems for which urban labs are most suited, how urban labs can best be organized, and how they can be integrated into urban governance systems.
The URB@Exp project develops such guidelines by reviewing experiences of urban labs, and conducting transdisciplinary action research in urban labs in five European cities (Antwerp, Graz, Leoben, Maastricht and Malmö). First results show that – independent of the topic being addressed – urban labs offer critical space for experimenting with new forms of collaborative governance. Their hybrid position at the boundaries of local administration, research and society proves beneficial for activating and facilitating urban stakeholders.