The City Belongs - Participatory democracy in city design and planning

PANEL DISCUSSION | The City Belongs

This conversation explores the social and transformative potential of participatory democracy in design and urban planning in Europe’s cities. The aim is to explore how community involvement in decision-making creates more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable places. The panel will highlight strategies and share examples for empowering citizens to shape the environments they inhabit and uncover how collaboration between citizens, government actors, planners, and designers can transform not just the built environment but the way we connect and thrive as communities.

This panel will be joined by: Aliénor Saint-Cast, Head of Studies at Plateau Urbain; Marta Ribera Carbó, European Project Director of The Shift; Ailbhe Cunningham, Architect and Founder of Ample Space; Akil Scafe-Smith and Seth Scafe-Smith, Co-Directors of Resolve Collective.

Moderated by Manijeh Verghese, CEO of Open City.

About the Open House Europe Annual Summit

The second Annual Summit of Open House Europe, titled The City Invites, is hosted by the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) in Dublin on January 30th and 31st, 2025 in the Printworks, Dublin Castle.

The summit will have a private and public programme exploring how accessibility and inclusion can reshape cities into places that are open, vibrant, and welcoming for all.

The summit’s title, The City Invites, captures its essence—a call to action and a challenge to imagine cities as places that embrace diversity, celebrate inclusion, and thrive on collective creativity. By exploring themes such as participatory democracy, the creative reuse of existing structures, and universal design homes, the summit will delve into how urban spaces can evolve to promote inclusion, foster connections, and unlock their full potential for all inhabitants.

About Open House Europe

Open House Europe is a cooperation project that connects different Open House festival organisers across Europe and enables their collaboration and knowledge exchange. By encouraging and promoting an interest in architecture among various audiences, Open House Europe helps residents gain new perspectives on their local surroundings and invites them to envision the shared future of European architecture.

Dublin City Castle Tours

The OPW will host guided public tours of Dublin Castle at 2:00pm and 2:15pm on Friday 31 January. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come basis. You may register for the tours on arrival at the Printworks between 9:30am and 12:30pm.

Accessibility

If you require any accommodation or ISL services in order to attend this event please contact us at info@architecturefoundation.ie or call us at 01 8747200 and we will do our very best to accommodate you.