Beyond a Buzzword: Situated Participation Through Socially Oriented Urban Living Labs

Abstract

In the broader framework of Living Labs and participatory planning, the essay proposes socially-oriented Urban Living Labs (ULLs) as a possible way of understanding and experimenting with participation in marginalized contexts. It does so by applying a focus on individual/collective capacities and enabling processes to support them. Drawing on the literature and the observation and implementation of concrete cases, the essay proposes a reflection on ULLs as situated environments in which “everyone’s” capacities are formed and tested, thus challenging the functioning of local democracy. This implies a focus as much on residents and local agents as on institutions. The essay proposes a shift from Living Labs to socially oriented Urban Living Labs, in order to foster the social dimension of planning, questioning the mechanisms of involvement and support of the most fragile profiles, often excluded from the political process. The perspective is the implementation of an enabling and mutual learning process through devices to reinforce organizations and people’s ability to reflect on, aspire to, and take action for the transformation of their life context, becoming real agents of change.

The University and the Neighbourhood—Opportunities and Limits in Promoting Social Innovation: The Case of AuroraLAB in Turin (Italy)

“…It is no coincidence that for the first two years of activity in the neighbourhood, AuroraLAB worked almost exclusively on building relationships with local stakeholders. As Cognetti [36] (p. 31) acknowledges, universities in the territories are usually perceived "as temporary and unstable presences, often 'taking' from the context without offering anything in return". It is, therefore, essential to deconstruct these beliefs with an ongoing and non-episodic presence supporting local territories and their potential for social innovation.…”

“…Indeed, building inclusive societies and facing contemporary challenges in the current scenario requires deploying place-based and tailor-made solutions based on the proximity and engagement of new actors. The multiple roles that the univer-sity can play characterise its multi-layered professionality that can be put at the service of deprived territories, as well as contribute to the construction of "enabling spaces" [36] in urban peripheries. On the one hand, therefore, the presence of the university's public engagement experiences in neighbourhoods can be a multiplier of opportunities for territories.…”

“…Intermediaries are a composite and multifaceted universe of subjects who act for profit or not [35]. Among the latter, universities are recognised as a possible intermediary actor, "which can play an expert but 'third' role, taking part in processes with a propensity for self-reflection and cultural autonomy" [36] (p. 26). Universities can help coalesce, organise, and facilitate networks of social innovation agents around common goals and intercept institutional resources and funding that enable adequate support for social innovation processes [15] (Figure 1).…”