URBREATH

At the heart of this approach is the active participation of the community and stakeholders, with a strong focus on the enhancement of green spaces and the renaturation of urban spaces. The project aims to systemise the practical component of the implementation of green spaces and NBSs in nine pilot areas, with the active participation of citizens in decision-making processes and the digitisation of participation and consultation practices, using digital tools that can contribute to the creation of urban simulations and scenarios (digital twin and e-participation tools).
The project brings together a consortium of 37 partner organisations from 12 countries, including the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano, and is coordinated by the Lisbon Council for Economic Competitiveness (Belgium).

The research is supported by the use of advanced technologies, which will be continuously developed and tested throughout the project. These include local digital twins, digital tools that replicate physical systems to optimise their operation and improve decision-making, and artificial intelligence; social innovation also aims to actively involve communities and territories in the identification and implementation of strategies.

The climate neutrality paradigm is at the core of this methodology which aims at regenerating deprived and abandoned areas, brownfields and other problematic sites through physical transformations of the built environment and renaturing interventions that will radically enhance social interactions, inclusion, equitability and liveability in cities.

URBREATH is the result of a collaborative effort involving leading researchers, urban planners, policy makers and technology innovators. The aim is to exploit the full potential of nature-based solutions in different climate zones, each characterised by specific challenges related to climate change.

In this context, the Department of Design is coordinating the development and implementation of the project's methodology, which uses service design methods and tools to develop digital platforms and twins of urban areas that aim to simulate the medium- and long-term impacts of NBSs at the micro scale, assessing their contribution to the quality of the urban environment and the mitigation of climate change problems.

Training Mission II: Visioning, Spatial Planning and Governance 

Politecnico di Milano, together with Fraunhofer (coordinator), South Pole, TalTech and the University of Stuttgart, is currently engaged in Training Mission II, a comprehensive programme that provides participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively implement NBS. This mission aims to train up to four staff members per city to become certified European Nature-Based Solutions Managers.

The programme consists of several modules, each designed to address key aspects of the development and implementation of nature-based solutions. Topics covered include urban planning issues, stakeholder involvement in decision-making and innovative financing for NBS. By the end of the training, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of NBS strategies and the tools needed to successfully implement them in their cities.

The Design Department team, formed by Alessandro Deserti, Emma Puerari and Beatrice Maria Bellè, is coordinating the 'Visioning, Spatial Planning and Governance' training module, which started this week and is being delivered online via webinar.

This module focuses on urban planning and governance issues related to the implementation of nature and biodiversity policies for climate resilient cities, in line with recent European legislation, such as the Nature Restoration Regulation (2024), the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the European Green Deal (2019).

Four key themes related to spatial planning and development strategies that are essential for the implementation of nature-based solutions and restoration policies are explored, with a particular focus on the challenges and issues that arise in the contemporary city, which are often increasingly complex to design and implement. The module is organised around direct experience of cities and includes case studies, best practices and expert seminars, as well as selected learning materials to enable further exploration of the issues raised in the various sessions.

The aim of 'Visioning, Spatial Planning and Governance' is to create an environment in which constructive debate and exchange of information, activities and practices between practitioners and experts in the field can be enhanced.

Within the module, participants explore the potential of Urban Nature Plans (UNPs) and have the opportunity to deepen some of their characteristics, investigating more specifically the three different macro-steps that make up the UNP model (preparation, action-planning and implementation). With respect to these issues, participants have the opportunity to explore how the design and implementation of Urban Nature Plans can be supported by:

• tools for service planning and co-design;
• visioning strategies, approaches and tools;
• co-creation processes;
• communication strategies for public awareness creation and conflict management.

During the module, participants in the training session will learn how to:

• develop long-term visions in order to integrate NBS in urban areas;
• organise and manage co-creation processes with stakeholders and manage conflicts;
• use different methods and tools to develop Urban Nature Plans and NBS.