The first SPICE Demo Readiness Assessment Workshop was successfully held on 6–7 May at the premises of the Hellenic Design Centre in Thessaloniki, bringing together pilot partners from across Europe to advance the co-design process for more inclusive and sustainable urban regeneration.
Representatives from Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH), Codesign Toscana, IRIDRA, the Municipality of Thessaloniki (Resilient Thessaloniki), and the Business and Cultural Development Centre (KEPA) participated in the two-day workshop, focusing on collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and planning future SPICE activities.
The first day concentrated on participation and stakeholder engagement, with discussions centered on:
- collecting expectations and concerns related to the co-design process,
- strengthening stakeholder involvement in decision-making, and
- identifying both barriers and incentives for inclusive participation.
The second day focused on linking strategy with practical action through collaborative activities, site exploration, and data-informed planning. Participants reviewed the SPICE methodology and visited the Thessaloniki demo site, examining its environmental, spatial, and social characteristics while discussing opportunities connected to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB).
Afternoon sessions were dedicated to:
- co-developing the Demo Action Plan (DAP),
- refining co-design activities,
- reviewing local datasets, and
- aligning the next implementation steps.
The workshop, developed within the framework of the SPICE project, contributes to a structured and evidence-based understanding of the morphological, socio-cultural, and economic conditions across the project’s four demonstration areas: Thessaloniki (Greece), Bielsko-Biała (Poland), Cuba (Portugal), and Rovaniemi (Finland).
The Thessaloniki pilot focuses on the urban regeneration of the Kritis Park “Mina Patrikiou” area, actively involving local stakeholders – including students, teachers, families, elderly residents, and local business owners – in the co-design of greener, more sustainable, and bioclimatic public spaces.
Building on existing local strategies for social cohesion, community participation, and cultural engagement, the initiative aims to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable urban future.
