I Policy Lab come spazi di governance urbana

Abstract

Within the increasing impact of Covid-19, cities are becoming paradigmatic places where the density, accessibility and proximity of resources become crucial for rethinking governance models and reducing the distance between the institutional level and the dimension of civic, private, or hybrid activation. Significant experiences have highlighted the Policy Labs idea and its interpretations as physical structures able to build a powerful nexus for social and institutional innovation in urban regeneration. These 'intermediate places' can be considered interactive playgrounds, triggering new horizons in urban policies towards shared, inclusionary solutions more likely to meet the needs of local communities. Through comparisons and drawbacks arising from four case studies selected between USA (Boston) and Europe (Berlin and Bologna), the paper emphasizes the recognition of the variety of Policy Labs, encompassing the diversity of actors, within a strategy towards the construction of authentic urban innovation ecosystems.