Summary of Community Engagement Workshops across the Consortium

Summary of Community Engagement Workshops across the Consortium

As part of the consortium’s commitment to participatory planning and sustainable rural revitalization, a series of community engagement workshops were organized across all piloting areas. These workshops were central to Activity 2.2 – Giving New Functions to Dwellings, and aimed at involving local citizens, experts, and municipal stakeholders in developing concrete ideas for the reuse and renovation of underutilized buildings and deteriorating dwellings.

The workshops followed a participatory and inclusive approach, ensuring alignment with the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) - promoting sustainability, aesthetics, and social inclusion. All community engagement events were conducted in line with the O1.2 Community Engagement Plan, which provided a common framework and clear guidelines to ensure consistency, inclusiveness, and effectiveness across all partner regions in fulfilling the objectives of this activity.

General Structure and Objectives

• Community Dialogue: All workshops emphasized open dialogue between citizens, local authorities, and experts to assess the needs of the community and the potential of mapped buildings.

• Vision Development: Participants collaboratively developed future scenarios and potential new functions for selected dwellings, guided by local priorities.

• Conceptual Design Inputs: In several cases, architectural experts were involved to translate community insights into preliminary renovation or re-use concepts.

• Stakeholder Involvement: Local youth, entrepreneurs, cultural actors, educational institutions, and municipal representatives contributed to ensuring realistic and locally grounded proposals.

Key Themes Identified

• Youth-oriented facilities (e.g. co-working spaces, incubators, hostels)

• Community and cultural spaces (e.g. theatres, museums, creative workshops)

• Social housing and inclusive services (e.g. housing for elderly or vulnerable groups)

• Tourism and local economy support (e.g. visitor centers, event spaces, artisan shops)

Results and Next Steps

The workshops provided a solid foundation for selecting priority buildings and developing future use concepts. The insights gathered directly inform the planning and prioritization phases of the project. In several regions, additional workshops are planned to refine the proposals and include architectural inputs.

Across the consortium, these activities demonstrated that community-led revitalization is not only possible but essential. The active participation of residents and stakeholders has ensured that the ideas developed are both innovative and rooted in local realities. These workshops have also helped to strengthen local ownership, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and foster long-term commitment to sustainable rural development.