Temporary Uses/Pop-Up Spaces

Abstract

The traditional way of planning the city is often too slow to meet the quick changes in the needs and behaviour of inhabitants, which are occurring much faster than in the past. Cities’ layouts change accordingly, with the consequence that many buildings and infrastructures remain under-used or empty since they are no longer able to fit the needs of their users. From a spatial planning perspective, abandoned or underused buildings are considered the most valid alternative for cities to thrive without consuming a large amount of virgin soil, a finite resource. However, reuse practices are often at odds with economic, political and technical barriers that may prevent the transformation. Temporary uses can represent a lever in this perspective, giving citizens and communities the opportunity to affirm their right to participate in city life through proximity activism. In addition, the implementation of pop-up environments for temporary developments represents a possible solution to meet a city’s needs of flexibility, adaptation, and resilience. Pop-up spaces can be seen as forms of spatial and social innovation, allowing new actors to contribute to urban transformation, giving a voice to groups of people who would otherwise be invisible. Pop-up environments inside empty buildings have allowed citizens to appropriate these spaces for the creation of places for productivity and work, as well as for artistic and cultural events.