The symposium Active Urban Spaces Connecting People focuses on a number of challenges concerning health and wellbeing in urban communities. In the face of increasing urbanization and in addition to leading the transition to low-carbon societies, European cities play a central role in promoting health and wellbeing as well as addressing the challenge of socioeconomic inequalities amongst urban dwellers, the lack of social cohesion and high prevalence of loneliness and social disconnectedness, growing rates of obesity, social inequality in health,  the physical inactivity pandemic, and many other challenges. Cities have important roles to play in addressing these problems and in providing urban environments that are conducive to the health and wellbeing of urban dwellers.

The concept of a Healthscape is used in the symposium to frame the idea of space covering three important dimensions of everyday life and sources to a better health and wellbeing. Foodscapes  focus on the city as a diverse and rich social and biological space for food production, consumption and cultures. Activityscapes address the city as a  great resource for physical activity practices, and Mobilityscapes  focus on the city as spaces offering health and wellbeing through active mobility. Finally, Healthscapes denote  urban spaces designed to include specific affordances built into space in connection with wellbeing and health-enhancing activities.  

TARGET GROUP AND LECTURERS

The symposium will contribute to the education and inspiration of many professionals working in municipalities or other public institutions, and in architecture and planning offices; it addresses also urban planners, social scientists, higher education, investors, politicians, and decision makers as a whole. The lecturers are leading researchers and practitioners from Sweden, Italy, Spain and Denmark. 

REGISTERING

Symposium, lunch and coffee are free. In case of no-show, an invoice of DKK 375 will be sent. The symposium can only accommodate up to 200 participants, after the first come first served principle. 

TIME SCHEDULE 

09:30 : Associate Professor and moderator René Kural, KADK.Welcome and introduction to the symposium’s topics.

10:15 : Professor and honorary keynote speaker Deane Simpson. After Liveability. 

ACTIVE URBAN SPACES CONNECTING PEOPLE 

10:20 : Associate Professor Karin Book, MAU. Welcome to Malmö and introduction to the city’s many challenges. 

10:50 : Professor Jens Troelsen, SDU. How the design of urban environments can prevent physical inactivity. 

11:20 : Professor Mar Santamaria Varas, CEO 30.000 Km/s. Ensuring liveability in a compact city: The example of Barcelona. 

12:00 : LUNCH 

FOOD-, ACTIVITY- AND MOBILITYSCAPES 

13:00 : Associate Professor and moderator René Kural, KADK. Welcome to the afternoon. 

FOODSCAPES 

13:10 : Professor Bent Egberg Mikkelsen, AAU. City, food, and wellbeing. 

ACTIVITYSCAPES 

13:40 : Associate Professor Anders Koed Madsen and PhD-student Asger Gehrt Olesen, AAU. Digital ways of looking at the city. 

14:20 : Associate Professor Antonio Borgogni, University of Bergamo. Socio-educational challenges and opportunities in making activityscapes. 

14:50 : COFFEE BREAK 

MOBILITYSCAPES 

15:20 : Gustav Svanborg Edén, Skateboarding Coordinator and Per Wisenborn, Traffic Planner, City of Malmoe. Malmoe - Creating opportunities for skateboarding and biking. 

15:50 : PhD and moderator Elena Dorato, University of Ferrara. Welcome to the afternoon. 

16:00 : All speakers. Towards active urban spaces connecting people. 

16:45 : PhD and moderator Elena Dorato, University of Ferrara. What’s next?