My Square was a project co-designed with the local community. A semi-abandoned square with a park and a theatrical stage was brought back to life, with the help of the Municipality Youth Volunteer Group and the locals. Various environmental and cultural activities, such as tree planting and the development of an audio-walk with the locals’ memories of the square, increased the sense of belonging, which led to the revitalization of the space since the locals are now visiting the place.
Local
Cyprus
Mesa Geitonia Municipality
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
ERASMUS
European Solidarity Corps
Solidarity Projects
Grant Agreement Number 2020-3-CY02-ESC31-001997
Duration: 30/04/2021 - 30/05/2022
No
Yes
2022-05-30
As a representative of an organization, in partnership with other organisations
Name of the organisation(s): Mesa Geitonia Municipality Type of organisation: Public authority (European/national/regional/local) First name of representative: Nikoletta Last name of representative: Ioannou Gender: Female Nationality: Cyprus Function: EU project officer Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 14 Griva Dighenis Street, 4002 Mesa Geitonia Town: Limassol Postal code: 4010 Country: Cyprus Direct Tel:+357 25 723597 E-mail:europe@mesayitonia.com.cy Website:https://www.mesayitonia.com.cy/en/
The project was co-designed with the local community and aimed on the revitalization of a semi-abandoned square with a park and a theatrical stage, located in Mesa Geitonia Municipality in Limassol. Locals of different age groups and backgrounds participated in the design and took active roles and responsibilities for the development of the plan and the activation of the public space. With the involvement of each generation in every phase of the process - not only during the co-design but also during the implementation of the project – increased the sense of belonging, which led to the revitalization of the square and the reduction of vandalism.
The uniqueness of the square, since a theatrical stage and a park with a playground are in it, offered the possibility to combine environmental and arts activities and workshops, so that all the spaces are highlighted and used. The activities focused: 1. on environmental protection (workshop for the development of the tree planting plan and tree planting) and 2. the appropriation of space (outdoor movie screening, painting the playground area, development of an audio-walk).
Furthermore, the municipality following the suggestions of the locals, upgraded the theatrical stage, and installed outdoor fitness equipment.
Τhe design and implementation of the project was jointly undertaken by the Youth Volunteer Group of Mesa Geitonia, Mesa Geitonia Municipality, Open School of Mesa Geitonia and the locals.
Regaining a sense of belonging
Use and appropriation of space in urban public places
Climate action, environment and nature protection
Participatory Culture
Collective Memory and Identity
Citizen participation has been recognized as one of the core principles of sustainable development. The unique combination of the facilities offered in the square make the project exemplary. During the participatory process, participants did a collaborative diagnosis of the current situation of the public space (problems and opportunities), designed the strategies for the improvement, and executed the proposals with small-budget but important pedagogical and community-value interventions. Regarding sustainability, the square was planted with trees together with the locals and the theme was the four seasons. Each of the four parts of the square were dedicated to a season, planting trees and plants that bloom during that season. The orientation of the square was considered, ensuring that in the future, the trees will provide the necessary shade according to the needs of the season: for example, less shade in winter, more shade in summer and promote biodiversity. In cooperation with the teachers at local schools and institute, educational visits are planned about nature protection through non-formal learning. Planting fruit trees in the philosophy of community gardens will give back fruits to the community, and help to recover locals memories and public space's identity. The grades of the theatre, have been planted, and midterms plantings have been considered in order to provide shade and comfort to the audience during summer days.
The theatrical stage upgrade increased the frequency of events. More art activities are about to come, including a graffiti creation on the stage walls. The installation of fitness equipment contributed to the increase of the people visiting the place.
The co-designed plan which includes architectural design and nature-based solutions to improve the square's sustainability (i.e. aquifers) will be used by the municipality for long-term changes.
Locals were initially sceptical and disappointed with the state of the square, but through the participatory process they came to trust the youth volunteer group and the municipality. The participatory sessions empowered the dialogue of knowledge amongst neighbours, and created an intergenerational place of meeting and exchange of experiences. To help them connect with the park and its story, an audio-walk was created from the locals' memories of the park. Oral history deepens our sense of space. Listening to the audio-walk while walking on the square, people connect the past with the present and experience the place in a new way with more understanding. They become aware of the place, and they notice details. The square acquires character and value. Empathy and the need for protection of the environment are strengthened. The creation of the plan for the upgrade of the square, was designed based on the PAR (Participatory Action Research) methodology, with the aim of adding the maximum variety of intergenerational perspectives and promoting an inclusive space in the neighborhood.
During the participatory process a wide variety of topics have been worked on the character of the space, the memory and the symbolism of place, social dynamics of the neighborhood, the relationship of the area with the square, the current problems of vandalism and cleanliness that had been identified.
The workshops and activities combined three topics:
1) Memory
2) Environment and nature protection
3) Arts
The PAR methodology, the combination of memory, environment and arts, and the fact that it is implemented for the first time in Cyprus, make the project exemplary.
Through these workshops and activities, actions were taken to improve the place. At the same time, a plan for long-term changes was created and given to the municipal authority, which in its turn based on the plan upgraded the theatrical stage, and installed outdoor fitness equipment.
The aim of the project was to revitalize a semi-abandoned square and transform it into a place where inequalities in local society can be addressed by fostering a sense of place and belonging because the place is designed according to the needs of users. A project dedicated to the community, culture, learning, environment and inclusion. In this case, the square and its activation aimed to build basic values as trust and respect, which helped to create sustainable social development in the municipality.
The workshops and activities were free of charge and open to everyone regardless of gender, nationality, age. A special workshop for unemployed youth took place and children of refugees also participated in other workshops. Regarding the design criteria for accessibility, two of the fitness equipment are placed specifically for disabled people. Also, the co-designed plan includes redesigning some areas to make the place more accessible to people with disabilities.
The idea of the project arises in 2020 during the covid period. The lockdown of March 2020 affected thousands of citizens economically, with closure of businesses and contributed to the increase in unemployment, leaving a feeling of uncertainty about the future. At the same time, the social distancing measures had a negative effect on the health and well-being. Public parks and squares were closed as a result of their vandalism and the pollution of the natural environment. At the same time, juvenile delinquency in Cyprus has increased in recent years. The lack of social activities and personal goals are some of the causes of vandalism of public property by young people. All these occurred at a critical moment for the future of the planet. With all these in mind, MySquare project was created having the people and the environment at its core. The project began after the initiative of the Youth Volunteer Group of the municipality involving the whole community with main objective the appropriation of the square that was semi-abandoned and vandalized. In the project participated the Youth Volunteer Group, the locals, the Municipality Open School students and trainers, local schools and municipal officers. People of different age groups, backgrounds and nationalities participated in the design and took active roles for the development of the plan and the activation of the public space, increased the sense of belonging and appropriation, led to the revitalization of the space and the reduction of vandalism. The positive feedback (oral and through a post questionnaire) and the everyday attendance to the square, show the positive impact of the project in people’s attitude towards the place. The square now is a space of trust and welcome, a space of social integration where people can be part of the community. They take care of the trees that they planted and can't wait to pick the first fruits, they exercise and enjoy the events.
During the months of April - July 2021, preliminary talks were held with the Municipal Council members and technical department of the Municipal Council to bring the participatory process into focus and to detect the problems and opportunities of the square. Furthermore, preliminary talks were held with other social groups, in order to integrate the perspective of social actors in the process before the open phase of citizen participation begins. All stakeholders at the beginning took part in preliminary talks that helped with the creation of technical analysis and the creation of a Social Map. Then they took part in the workshops that contributed to the diagnosis of needs and suggestions for improving the square. On the final phase the final plan was developed and presented to the community.
By communicating with the different stakeholders, we learned not only their perspective, but it provided new insights including the history of the square, the memories, the everyday problems. These diverse perspectives helped to shape the design of the square’s final plan taking into consideration all angles and make more informed decision on how the plan of the square would be.
With this innovative process in the context of Cyprus for that urban common, a mutual trust is created based on the community as a symbol of "us", so that they can give shape and grow that social project.
The different stakeholders helped us identify the potential risks before they become threats to your project. Engaging with groups and individuals helped to improve accountability within our community and our municipality.
Municipal Youth Volunteer Group, is an informal group of young people under the age of 30 from different professional backgrounds, consisted of Konstantina a social architect, Aristi an architect-scenographer, Georgios an agriculturalist, Chrystalla a teacher and Argyro a public administration graduate.
Konstantina who is also a member of the *estel cooperative in Barcelona, focuses on action creation methodologies that enhance engagement of citizens in decision-making, act as prevention for social segregation and inspire the democratization of the bourgeoisie space. Her contribution in the project was very important because of her experience in respective projects, knew exactly the process, while contributed to the configuration part of the square, practically but also with the locals’ workshops.
Aristi’s combination of her two fields of study leads her to the quest to create spaces that are experiences for them users, by giving a narrative to the space or a purpose that will lead the world to interact with the environment. She contributed to the part of shaping the square, practically but also with locals workshops. She was the audio walk creator. Georgios offered his knowledge of proper planting-cultivation-care both to his team and participants. Chrystalla helped with the workshops design and Argyro helped with the dissemination of the project through social media.
Angelo’s experience as the Open School administrator and as a psychologist offered a feeling of security to the group. He provided psychological support and created a teamwork spirit. He supervised the activities and kept the accounting record. He maintained a balance between municipality and the group, conveying to the group the way a public body works. Nikoletta was the link between the youth group and the municipality. Her previous experience as an educator helped to properly approach the youth group and oversee the educational design of the workshops.
The lack of social activities and collective relationships, the lack of personal goals and the development of ideologically negative patterns and stereotypes of behavior are some of the causes of vandalism of public property. If cities stimulate the sense of belonging, inhabitants are proud and respectful of them. By involving each generation in every phase of the process - not only during the co-design but also during the execution of the project and the activation of the square - the sense of belonging increased, which helped to reduce the vandalism of the place. After discussing with the locals, they stated that the square now is revitalized, and this is due to the actions of volunteering and meetups during the project that activated the square. Some neighbors the first months of the tree planting undertook the watering of the trees and the cleaning of the area. The collection of their memories from the square, which then these memories were incorporated into the audio-walk with the form of a QR Code located in various places inside the square that visitors can scan and listen, helped in the appropriation of the square.
The plan of the upgrade of the square was designed with the locals, for the locals. For most people, the square was a place for socializing for the whole family and this is something that can be seen in their ideas for upgrading it. They propose a new playground made of natural materials in which their children will play while they work out on the fitness equipment. They suggest that a natural shade canopy be added to the auditorium theatre. And the most important is that the municipality aims to implement this plan.
The participatory design is an innovative process in the context of Cyprus for the urban common. It is the first time that the locals undertake not only to redesign the square, but also to offer workshops to their fellow citizens. It is an initiative of the young people who undertook the project which is included in the youth participation in democratic life. According to the UN4Youth, participation is a fundamental right. Through active participation, young people are empowered to play a vital role in their own development as well as in that of their communities, helping them to learn vital life-skills, develop knowledge on human rights and citizenship and to promote positive civic action. Young people must be included in democratic structures and processes, have their voices heard and make decisions on issues that impact on them and their lives. Their active participation is essential if we are to build more democratic, caring and prosperous societies. In addition, the theme of the project, which combines environment, arts and identity, makes it unique in its kind, and the audio-walk that gives voice to the park, is a unique approach to the experience of the space. The whole project is in line with NEB's philosophy as it has connected people from different backgrounds and disciplines, harnessed participation at all levels and is a model for transforming our societies according to the 3 values:
Sustainability: By planting trees and incorporating recycling bins (environmental). Participatory design process (sustainable development)
Inclusion: With the participation of everyone regardless of age, background, gender and origin. With the inclusion of accessible spaces in the design of the plan. Aesthetics: The positive feelings that were created during and after the end of the project, with the implementation by the municipality of some suggestions of the locals. With the audio-walk and the upgrade of the theatre that contribute to the local tradition and culture.
The participatory urban process was designed based on the PAR (Participatory Action Research) methodology with the aim of adding the maximum variety of intergenerational perspectives and promoting a space of inclusion in the neighborhood. To ensure a balanced "dialogue of knowledge" and to create a framework of agreement between all actors, the participatory urban process was divided into two phases: In the first phase, between April and July 2021, the preliminary talks with the political and technical team of the Municipality as well as with the social factors.
In the second phase, August 2021 to April 2022, where citizens participated in 5 workshops and 2 seminars, and some short-term upgrading projects were carried out.
The objectives of this methodology were:
To present the social groups and other groups that are active in the neighborhood or that want to be active, giving them space to explain their work, to present and give space to people who do not belong to any social group. To create cooperative relations between initiatives, social groups, residents and Municipality departments. To work on the spatial planning and the redistribution of the proposed uses in the square. To work on the management and maintenance of the square. To work on the identity and memory of the park, on the one hand, respecting the historical memory and proposing a new example relationship with the environment. Then, during the months of August 2021 - April 2022, the participatory process took place for the co-design of the square with the locals.
The process itself can be easily replicated to other public spaces or public buildings that want to include the perspective of local authorities and citizens, in the co-definition of the design and/or the management criteria. The process has four main parts:
a. the collective diagnosis, which includes the preliminary conversations, the creation of the territorial, social and documental maps, and preliminary actions with the community to awake their relation with the public space and identify the problems and the opportunities (memory walks, meetings in-situ, intergenerational activities)
b. the co-definition of strategies for the improvement, with actions that empower the reflection on the improvement of the public space, actions with a pedagogical character (community meetings, community walks, ...)
c. implementation of short-term actions for the improvement of the public space, that empower the sense of belonging (planting trees, open air cinema, festival, improving current infrastructure)
d. follow-up of the process: this one goes on in parallel with the previous three phases and includes actions that promote communication and the transparency (presentations, invitations, explanations of the results from each phase ...)
The project responds to the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at combating the following global challenges.
SDG 3 Good health & Well-being: Fitness equipment free of charge for everyone.
SDG 5 Promote gender equality and empower women: Two young women architects had leading roles in the design and implementation of the project.
SDG 13 Climate Action: Recycle bins, tree planting, protection of biodiversity.
SDG 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. By providing universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for persons with disabilities: The final plan of the square includes people with disabilities. From the spaces, the fitness equipment to the playground.
SDG 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels: My Square was a project co-designed with the local community. Locals of different age groups and backgrounds participated in the design and took active roles and responsibilities for the development of the plan and the activation of the public space.
