This article is part of our Local Challenges series for Placemaking Week Europe 2025 in Reggio Emilia, where we explore five urban questions shaping the city’s future.
How can a transit hub become a vibrant and inclusive urban node?
Today, Reggio Emilia’s station area is a complex, dynamic place—combining busy transport flows, emerging civic hubs like Binario 49, former industrial sites such as the Reggiane, and a multicultural mix of residents and businesses. It faces social challenges, including safety concerns, petty crime, and economic vulnerability, but also holds strong potential to strengthen community life and local economies.
Tomorrow, it could become a welcoming space where communities meet, migrants feel included, and underused public areas come alive. The goal is to connect its many parts—linking temporary uses with long-term visions, and bringing together institutions, grassroots networks, and local residents—so the station area becomes a vibrant connector within the city.
This challenge invites participants to explore how temporary uses, cultural activities, and innovative governance can help achieve that vision. On the day, the program will combine a guided site visit with hands-on workshops to discover ongoing projects, test placemaking tools, and imagine inclusive, future-oriented public spaces that unlock the area’s potential.
We warmly welcome international experts to join this challenge, share their insights, and explore themes of integration, temporary use, and long-term transformation in Reggio Emilia’s station area. Your experience will enrich discussions and inspire concrete ideas for culturally vibrant urban spaces.
Next in the series: How reclaiming the Ex-Gasometro could turn an overlooked parking structure into a platform for urban innovation.
