Methodologies and tools for the co-design of urban reactivation interventions

Urban regeneration increasingly relies on participatory and co-design approaches to enhance the quality, inclusiveness, and resilience of public spaces. This paper explores methodologies and tools for the co-design of urban reactivation interventions, focusing on the integration of participatory design processes with advanced digital technologies. After outlining the theoretical framework of citizen participation and co-design—drawing on established models such as Arnstein’s ladder of participation—the contribution discusses the role of exponential technologies, including Building Information Modeling (BIM), cloud-based platforms, and immersive visualization tools, in supporting collaboration between expert and non-expert stakeholders. The paper presents the Safely Connected project as a case study of digitally assisted urban reactivation developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (France). Funded by EIT Urban Mobility, the project aimed to reactivate the historic city centre through temporary pedestrianization strategies, the creation of an open-air urban market, and the deployment of a community-oriented digital platform supporting local commerce and sustainable mobility. The research adopted a user-centred methodology inspired by the URBACT Space4People principles, combining preliminary listening activities, co-design workshops, and BIM-based envisioning tools to simulate spatial transformations and support decision-making under conditions of restricted physical interaction. The results include operational guidelines for the healthy and safe requalification of public spaces in emergency contexts, as well as design solutions that promote active mobility, social interaction, and local economic resilience. The study demonstrates how digitally supported co-design processes can foster shared ownership, enhance the quality of urban transformations, and strengthen community cohesion, even in times of crisis.