The SPICE project participated in the European Researchers’ Night in Barcelona, an initiative that brings research closer to society and creates opportunities for dialogue between researchers and the public.
SPICE partner, Azadeh Shojaei, from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), expert in architecture, post-disaster reconstruction, urban resilience and sustainability, introduced the project and invited participants to reflect on a question closely connected to SPICE’s work: Who gets to participate in shaping the public spaces we share?
The discussion highlighted that creating inclusive public spaces goes beyond their physical design. Communication, accessibility and meaningful participation are equally important in ensuring that different voices have a genuine opportunity to contribute to shaping shared places.
These issues are central to SPICE, where community participation, accessibility and inclusion go hand in hand with exploring the societal and ethical dimensions of AI and emerging technologies.
Participation in European Researchers’ Night provided an opportunity to bring these conversations beyond the research community and engage a wider audience in reflecting on the relationship between technology, participation and the future of our neighbourhoods.
By encouraging dialogue around these topics, the event contributed to greater awareness of how technological advancements and participatory co-design approaches can support more inclusive, democratic and people-centred neighbourhoods.
