A Recap of the HeritACT General Assembly in Patras
The sea, a city surrounded by Greek islands, tasty food and some saharan dust in the air. These could be simple highlights of how the environment was feeling in the first HeritACT General Assembly hosted by the University of Patras in beautiful Greece. But, as it could not be otherwise, the meeting was the perfect opportunity to gather, share and exchange knowledge about the project, milestones and achievements in its journey towards a repurposed local relation with cultural heritage. This little recap offers an approach to look into the progress and discussions from the two days of the event.
Day 1: Tools, engagement and community interaction
The assembly kicked off with a warm welcome and general project updates by the University of Patras coordinators. The University College Dublin introduced the HeritACT NEB Compendium Compass, a new tool designed to facilitate the assessment and activation of heritage sites at various scales, aiming to bridge local insights with broader strategic objectives. This initiative is complemented by an online survey that involves local municipality stakeholders, designed to fine-tune heritage activation strategies to the specific needs and aspirations of local communities. Both tools are available online and are free of use for projects and initiatives.
The day also featured insights from the ecosystem mapping, co-creation and participatory design process, conducted by the University of the Aegean, MENTOR in Culture, and the University College Dublin. Pilot cities of Elefsina, Milan, and Ballina, have focused on building local communities through the HeritHUBs, focus points that promote interaction with potential stakeholders (such as cultural and creative industries, citizens and local authorities, among others) and that ensure accessibility and inclusion in their engagement processes. The already conducted and yet-to-come co-creation workshops and enhanced engagement strategies are boosting local participatory processes, laying the groundwork for ongoing community-driven heritage activities.
Day 2: Technological Integration and Showcasing of New Tools
The project’s commitment to integrating innovative technology with participation and sustainability was featured through the showcase of the various HeritACT tools. The consortium tested the HeritACT Toolkit, a compendium of tools that is being integrated by THINGS and which is proving crucial for effectively merging cultural heritage into community life. An insightful participatory demonstration was carried out by the partners in charge of each tool:
ParticiMap Tool: Developed by University College Dublin, it’s a participatory mapping to improve dialogue within local communities and stakeholders and focus on reuse and enhancement of cultural heritage.
NegoDesign Tool: Developed by University College Dublin, digital negotiation gamification tool useful in reimagining the urban space by providing voice and collaboration to the community and stakeholders.
HERICraft Tool: Developed by University College Dublin, it is based on Minecraft to engage children and (young-spirited) adults in collaborative design workshops for local community initiatives. The tool creates a virtual environment from open-source geospatial data, encouraging participation through multiplayer gameplay facilitated by an online server.
DesignYourHeritage Tool: Developed by IAAC, it’s a videogame aimed at empowering citizens of all ages to engage in the design and reactivation of heritage spaces. It educates the users about the principles of the New European Bauhaus in an engaging and playful way.
SustainACT Tool: Developed by ACT, it is a tool for assessing and contributing to sustainable targets including the New European Bauhaus (NEB), European Green Deal (EGD) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It facilitates input from individuals and community groups in the design process, translating sustainability goals for a broad audience.
Fund4ACT Tool: Developed by ACT, it is a strategic platform designed to tackle funding challenges for heritage projects by supporting fundraising groups in demonstrating their competence and the impact of their proposed heritage actions in relation to the New European Bauhaus Compass.
Usersence Tool: Developed by University of the Aegean, it is designed to enhance user experience evaluation by collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data through bio-sensors.
Pilot Cities Showcase and Heritage Solutions
The second day provided a deeper dive into the practical applications of heritage preservation and innovation within the project's pilot cities: Milan, Elefsina, and Ballina. Each city presented its unique challenges and creative solutions, blending historical preservation with future-oriented urban development.
Milan: The pilot is focused on preserving protected sites and landscapes called Cascine, old agricultural estates that used to be central to land management, and self-sustaining communities. The approach underlines the importance of creating comfortable, and communal spaces while respecting the operational needs of local businesses.
Elefsina: This city is transforming historical venues into vibrant cultural hubs. Through projects like the revitalization of the Old Soap Factory and IRIS Factory, or the re-opening of Elefina Cinema that was closed for more than 35 years, Elefsina is enhancing neighborhood connectivity and cultural engagement, underpinned by green installations and small-scale architectural innovations.
Ballina: Engaging with its local community and schools, Ballina's historic core highlights the link between its natural and built environment, to be explored and energized by the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus.
HeritACT solutions for innovative urban development and monitoring
Solutions were also presented such as green tensegrity Installations or small scale pavilion structures which are going to be implemented in pilot sites, merging heritage preservation with innovative urban spaces. The University of Patras Architecture Department conducted a masterclass presenting key insights and technical applications of the solutions which shared the use of sustainable materials, new ways of implementation and the idea of serving as a communal space and gathering for all. In addition, architectural students from the university presented some solutions that have been designed by them and that will be implemented at a pilot level.
As any research project, impact has to be monitored and assessed and Mentor in Culture, University of Patras and University of the Aegean shared their respective frameworks to monitor: participation and quality of activities and events throughout the different evaluation stages (co-recognition, co-envision, co-implementation and activation events at the pilot sites) and the elements monitored in terms of social inclusion and collective experiences.
Communication as a shared collaboration for the following year
As the assembly concluded, the communication and dissemination work package deployed by Ideas for Change marked the end, highlighting the methods and upcoming media strategies to share HeritACT’s progress and successes with a broader audience.
The ongoing discussions and implementations underscore a dynamic approach to re-envisioning how cultural heritage can be preserved, activated, and appreciated in local societies beyond its current level of embeddedness. Stay tuned for more updates as the HeritACT project continues to explore the intersection of heritage and innovation, demonstrating that the thoughtful fusion of tradition and avant-garde can profoundly enrich our cultural landscapes and community life.
