How can citizens become active contributors to more sustainable and inclusive cities? This question inspired Cities by People: Learning to Co-Create Circular and Nature-Positive Futures, an initiative organised by Syxis, in collaboration with Biblioteca di Segrate, Luciana Virna Scalone and the REBOAT Project, during the New European Bauhaus Festival.
The event explored how creative co-creation methodologies can support community engagement in urban transformation. Instead of traditional consultation, participants -including children and adults – worked together through the L’Alveare d’Oro storytelling methodology to imagine future cities, discuss environmental challenges and collaboratively develop new ideas for more circular and nature-positive communities.
The experience demonstrated that creative facilitation can make sustainability more accessible while encouraging dialogue, collaboration and a stronger sense of belonging. By combining storytelling with real circular economy examples from the REBOAT Project, participants connected imagination with practical solutions, showing how communities can actively contribute to shaping more resilient urban environments.
As European cities continue to pursue sustainable urban development, co-creation offers a valuable approach for strengthening citizen engagement, supporting Living Labs and encouraging collaboration throughout urban planning and research and innovation projects.
To share the methodology and key lessons learned, Syxis has published the Cities by People Event Report, providing practical insights for organisations interested in applying similar participatory approaches in their own initiatives.
Read the full article and download the event report to discover how creative co-creation can help build more sustainable cities.
