As of this year, the Centre for Urban Transition, Architecture and Urbanism – DeltaLab has officially joined the AESOP Alliance. With over 150 members, AESOP is the only representation of planning schools in Europe. Given this unique position, AESOP strengthens its profile as a professional body. It mobilizes its resources, taking a leading role and entering its expertise into ongoing debates and initiatives regarding planning education and planning qualifications of future professionals. AESOP promotes its agenda with professional bodies, politicians, and all other key stakeholders in spatial and urban development and management across Europe.
DeltaLab’s first participation in AESOP’s activities came through a three-day conference ”Walking with Hope: Public Spaces for Wellbeing” held on June 16-18 in Ljubljana, Rijeka, and Cres, organized as part of AESOP’s thematic group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures (TG PSUC). The AESOP TG PSUC serves as a vibrant platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to connect, exchange knowledge, and promote critical dialogue surrounding the crucial role of public spaces in shaping everyday life and cultural identities. Its activities aim to advance understanding and innovation in this dynamic field.
The three-day event was co-organised by the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Polygon, and DeltaLab, and it was the inaugural event of AESOP’s TG PSUC in the series “Urban Cultures, Public Space, and Hope”. The series seeks to explore the potential of thoughƞully designed and activated public spaces to cultivate positive social interactions, encourage diverse urban cultures, and inspire a sense of optimism and possibility for the future of our living environments.