Let’s co-create!... but how to start? A training workshop on planning and maintaining experimental approaches for urban transitions

There is a lot of fuzz around experimental methods such as urban living labs since recently as contributing to urban transitions implies per definition to so things differently. However, talking about experimental approaches seems to be much easier than planning and implementing them in existing (governance) structures, let alone, making experimenting part of full urban development processes. This training sessions allows participants to playfully lay out the cornerstones for experimental approaches and to discuss all the relevant questions such as Where to start? how to plan? … and what are the right methods / tools to tackle a specific urban challenge or implement global/national/regional sustainability strategies? Who should be involved? What if we fail? etc. This training session aims at addressing these questions in a structured way addressing concrete urban challenges. By using (parts) of the URB@EXP Urban Lab Kit (developed by Maastricht University, City of Maastricht, Lund University, Pantopicon, City of Antwerp, Malmö University, City of Malmö, Graz University, City of Graz, City of Leoben), participants will decide on a concrete urban challenge which they want to address. The Urban Lab Kit guides the participants to ask all relevant questions which are essential for planning, starting, conducting an experimental project / urban lab as well as how to boost its impact. Thus, the training session will allow participants to plan the main elements of their “experimental project in a day”, build capacities to work with experimental projects and allow them to discuss what benefits experimenting would have in their concrete urban context.