Enablers for New European Bauhaus Transformation
Innovation for recovery
Innovation for Recovery: A participatory model for recovery after the Valencia floods
Innovation for Recovery reimagines disaster recovery as a collective and democratic process. Developed after the deadly floods in Valencia, it brings together communities, institutions and experts to rebuild not only damaged places, but also trust, local agency and everyday life.
Spain
Regional
Flood-affected municipalities in the southern metropolitan area of Valencia (l’Horta Sud), Spain
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It involves other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2025-04-30
No
No
Yes
Organisation
After catastrophic floods in October 2024 devastated Valencia’s southern metropolitan neighbourhoods, caused 229 deaths, and exposed deep weaknesses in disaster governance, Innovation for Recovery was launched to ensure rebuilding would be shaped by those most affected. The project created a civic platform bringing together around 1,500 residents, civil society organisations active in emergency response, researchers, local authorities and international experts. Led by Placemaking Europe and the independent digital newspaper elDiario.es, with support from affected municipalities, the provincial government of Valencia and national institutions, the initiative turned crisis into a structured process of civic dialogue and action.
The project developed a community-driven, place-based framework for post-disaster rebuilding, integrating social, cultural and environmental dimensions of recovery. It unfolded in three phases: a public survey gathering 1,500 responses from affected residents; a participatory mapping session with civic organisations, researchers and municipal representatives to identify recovery initiatives, governance gaps and territorial priorities; and dialogue sessions connecting community leaders, institutions and international experts to translate local insights into policy recommendations.
These outcomes were synthesised into a decalogue of ten principles for fair and resilient recovery, guiding institutions on rebuilding in ways that are socially inclusive, environmentally responsible and territorially resilient. The project offers a collaborative and transferable model for European regions increasingly exposed to climate-related disasters.
The project developed a community-driven, place-based framework for post-disaster rebuilding, integrating social, cultural and environmental dimensions of recovery. It unfolded in three phases: a public survey gathering 1,500 responses from affected residents; a participatory mapping session with civic organisations, researchers and municipal representatives to identify recovery initiatives, governance gaps and territorial priorities; and dialogue sessions connecting community leaders, institutions and international experts to translate local insights into policy recommendations.
These outcomes were synthesised into a decalogue of ten principles for fair and resilient recovery, guiding institutions on rebuilding in ways that are socially inclusive, environmentally responsible and territorially resilient. The project offers a collaborative and transferable model for European regions increasingly exposed to climate-related disasters.
Innovation for Recovery emerged directly from the lived experience of the DANA floods that devastated the southern metropolitan area of Valencia. Several members of the Placemaking Europe team are from Valencia and witnessed first-hand the impact of the disaster on local communities. In the aftermath, recovery discussions were largely dominated by technical and institutional perspectives, while the voices of residents and local organisations remained largely absent. The project was therefore conceived as a civic initiative to bring those voices back into the recovery conversation.
Developed by Placemaking Europe and the independent digital newspaper elDiario.es, which closely documented conditions in the affected areas, the initiative created a platform where citizens, municipalities, civil society organisations, researchers and international experts could jointly reflect on recovery and future resilience.
The project unfolded in three phases. First, a public survey gathered around 1,500 responses from flood-affected residents, capturing their experiences, perceptions of the institutional response and priorities for recovery. Second, a participatory mapping session brought together around 30 representatives from civic organisations, municipal administrations, researchers and community actors to identify key challenges and initiatives. Third, international dialogue sessions hosted by Florida Universitària connected local stakeholders with international experts to translate these insights into principles for resilient recovery.
Following the success of the first edition, the initiative will return in 2026 as an innovative form of citizen monitoring of disaster recovery, helping reassess progress through data, critical reflection and lived experience, while giving residents and civil society a renewed voice.
Developed by Placemaking Europe and the independent digital newspaper elDiario.es, which closely documented conditions in the affected areas, the initiative created a platform where citizens, municipalities, civil society organisations, researchers and international experts could jointly reflect on recovery and future resilience.
The project unfolded in three phases. First, a public survey gathered around 1,500 responses from flood-affected residents, capturing their experiences, perceptions of the institutional response and priorities for recovery. Second, a participatory mapping session brought together around 30 representatives from civic organisations, municipal administrations, researchers and community actors to identify key challenges and initiatives. Third, international dialogue sessions hosted by Florida Universitària connected local stakeholders with international experts to translate these insights into principles for resilient recovery.
Following the success of the first edition, the initiative will return in 2026 as an innovative form of citizen monitoring of disaster recovery, helping reassess progress through data, critical reflection and lived experience, while giving residents and civil society a renewed voice.
disaster response
climate adaptation
civic participation
community-led recovery
place-based resilienc
Innovation for Recovery contributes to sustainability by strengthening long-term climate and territorial resilience after extreme flooding. The DANA floods that devastated the southern metropolitan area of Valencia exposed not only environmental vulnerability but also structural weaknesses in coordination, land-use planning and preparedness for disaster risk. The project therefore seeks to ensure that recovery integrates environmental, social and governance dimensions rather than remaining a purely technical exercise.
Through a participatory and evidence-based process, the initiative generated a shared understanding of recovery challenges and future risks. A public survey gathering around 1,500 responses from affected residents, combined with participatory mapping and international dialogue sessions, identified key sustainability issues such as climate adaptation, protection of vulnerable communities, restoration of public spaces and stronger coordination between institutions responsible for territorial planning and disaster response. These insights were translated into ten principles for fair and resilient recovery, offering practical guidance for local governments and policymakers on how to rebuild while strengthening long-term resilience.
The project is exemplary because it turns disaster recovery into a continuous learning and governance process. By repeating the initiative in 2026 and introducing citizen monitoring of recovery, it enables communities and institutions to assess progress, identify emerging challenges such as housing pressure and delayed reconstruction, and adapt strategies as climate risks intensify.
Through a participatory and evidence-based process, the initiative generated a shared understanding of recovery challenges and future risks. A public survey gathering around 1,500 responses from affected residents, combined with participatory mapping and international dialogue sessions, identified key sustainability issues such as climate adaptation, protection of vulnerable communities, restoration of public spaces and stronger coordination between institutions responsible for territorial planning and disaster response. These insights were translated into ten principles for fair and resilient recovery, offering practical guidance for local governments and policymakers on how to rebuild while strengthening long-term resilience.
The project is exemplary because it turns disaster recovery into a continuous learning and governance process. By repeating the initiative in 2026 and introducing citizen monitoring of recovery, it enables communities and institutions to assess progress, identify emerging challenges such as housing pressure and delayed reconstruction, and adapt strategies as climate risks intensify.
Innovation for Recovery recognises that rebuilding after disaster is not only about restoring infrastructure but also about restoring the lived quality, identity and meaning of places. In the flood-affected municipalities of the Valencia metropolitan area, the destruction of streets, public spaces and cultural venues disrupted everyday life: places for walking, meeting and local commerce became unusable, altering how people experience their neighbourhoods and relate to one another.
Through a participatory process gathering the voices of the many, residents expressed that recovery should not focus only on functionality but also on the quality and character of public spaces. For many, rebuilding meant recovering streets, squares and community spaces as places for daily encounters, social life and cultural expression, where people can once again feel comfortable, safe and connected.
The initiative therefore created spaces for dialogue, co-creation and reflection, bringing together residents, civic organisations, local authorities and experts to collectively define how their towns should feel and function in the future. These exchanges reinforced the idea that recovery is not only a technical process but also a collective act of care.
By enabling residents to shape how their towns are rebuilt, the project contributes to restoring local identity, cultural continuity and a renewed sense of belonging. Public spaces are understood as the stage of everyday life, becoming places where social ties and community life are rebuilt after crisis. Restoring their quality, comfort and cultural character is not secondary to recovery but central to it.
The project is exemplary because it shows that aesthetic quality in post-disaster contexts emerges from participatory processes that restore meaningful and shared experiences of place, placing human experience and collective care at the centre of recovery.
Through a participatory process gathering the voices of the many, residents expressed that recovery should not focus only on functionality but also on the quality and character of public spaces. For many, rebuilding meant recovering streets, squares and community spaces as places for daily encounters, social life and cultural expression, where people can once again feel comfortable, safe and connected.
The initiative therefore created spaces for dialogue, co-creation and reflection, bringing together residents, civic organisations, local authorities and experts to collectively define how their towns should feel and function in the future. These exchanges reinforced the idea that recovery is not only a technical process but also a collective act of care.
By enabling residents to shape how their towns are rebuilt, the project contributes to restoring local identity, cultural continuity and a renewed sense of belonging. Public spaces are understood as the stage of everyday life, becoming places where social ties and community life are rebuilt after crisis. Restoring their quality, comfort and cultural character is not secondary to recovery but central to it.
The project is exemplary because it shows that aesthetic quality in post-disaster contexts emerges from participatory processes that restore meaningful and shared experiences of place, placing human experience and collective care at the centre of recovery.
Innovation for Recovery places inclusion at the centre of disaster recovery by ensuring that those most affected by the floods can actively shape how their territories rebuild. The project promotes social, spatial and governance-related inclusion, creating spaces where communities, civil society organisations, public authorities and experts can jointly reflect on recovery priorities.
The process began with a large public survey reaching around 1,500 residents, many directly affected by the floods. This ensured that lived experience became a key source of knowledge alongside institutional and technical expertise, bringing community perspectives into discussions often dominated by top-down decision-making.
Building on these insights, the project organised participatory forums where a wide and diverse range of actors engaged in dialogue on recovery challenges and future priorities. Participants included community groups, cultural and music organisations, financial cooperatives, municipal staff, researchers and international experts. This diversity reflected the breadth of civil society in the affected territories and strengthened the inclusiveness of the process, while also helping bridge the gap between institutions and communities in a context marked by political tension and fragmented governance.
A distinctive feature of the initiative is its collaboration with eldiario.es, whose Valencian newsroom remained present in the affected territories after the floods. Through locally anchored journalism, the project amplified community voices and sustained public debate on recovery.
The initiative will continue in 2026 through a renewed participatory process and citizen monitoring mechanism, enabling communities to assess progress and shape the next steps of reconstruction.
The process began with a large public survey reaching around 1,500 residents, many directly affected by the floods. This ensured that lived experience became a key source of knowledge alongside institutional and technical expertise, bringing community perspectives into discussions often dominated by top-down decision-making.
Building on these insights, the project organised participatory forums where a wide and diverse range of actors engaged in dialogue on recovery challenges and future priorities. Participants included community groups, cultural and music organisations, financial cooperatives, municipal staff, researchers and international experts. This diversity reflected the breadth of civil society in the affected territories and strengthened the inclusiveness of the process, while also helping bridge the gap between institutions and communities in a context marked by political tension and fragmented governance.
A distinctive feature of the initiative is its collaboration with eldiario.es, whose Valencian newsroom remained present in the affected territories after the floods. Through locally anchored journalism, the project amplified community voices and sustained public debate on recovery.
The initiative will continue in 2026 through a renewed participatory process and citizen monitoring mechanism, enabling communities to assess progress and shape the next steps of reconstruction.
Innovation for Recovery is built on a participatory model that mobilises collective intelligence, placing affected communities at the centre of the recovery process and recognising lived experience as essential knowledge for rebuilding. Citizens, civil society organisations, local authorities, researchers, humanitarian organisations, independent media and international experts all contributed, bringing together different forms of knowledge and experience.
Community involvement ran through all key phases. The process began with a large public survey that gathered the voices of around 1,500 residents, many directly affected by the floods. This allowed people to share their experiences, concerns and priorities for recovery, ensuring the process started from the lived realities of affected communities.
The second phase brought together local actors through participatory mapping and dialogue sessions. Civil society organisations such as Fundació Horta Sud, Coordinadora Valenciana de ONGD, Fundación FAD Juventud and Metges del Món joined municipal representatives, cultural agents, researchers and community leaders to analyse challenges and map existing initiatives. Academic institutions including the Universitat de València, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Florida Universitària contributed research and territorial expertise.
A third phase connected local experience with international perspectives on recovery planning, with contributions from practitioners and experts from the USA, Türkiye, Poland, Mexico and the UK.
Participation played a decisive role in shaping the project’s outcomes. Community input informed the diagnosis of recovery challenges, while dialogue among diverse actors helped translate these insights into principles and policy directions for rebuilding.
Community involvement ran through all key phases. The process began with a large public survey that gathered the voices of around 1,500 residents, many directly affected by the floods. This allowed people to share their experiences, concerns and priorities for recovery, ensuring the process started from the lived realities of affected communities.
The second phase brought together local actors through participatory mapping and dialogue sessions. Civil society organisations such as Fundació Horta Sud, Coordinadora Valenciana de ONGD, Fundación FAD Juventud and Metges del Món joined municipal representatives, cultural agents, researchers and community leaders to analyse challenges and map existing initiatives. Academic institutions including the Universitat de València, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Florida Universitària contributed research and territorial expertise.
A third phase connected local experience with international perspectives on recovery planning, with contributions from practitioners and experts from the USA, Türkiye, Poland, Mexico and the UK.
Participation played a decisive role in shaping the project’s outcomes. Community input informed the diagnosis of recovery challenges, while dialogue among diverse actors helped translate these insights into principles and policy directions for rebuilding.
Innovation for Recovery was designed as a platform for collaboration between local communities, municipal administrations, regional institutions and international networks, recognising that effective disaster recovery requires coordination across multiple levels of governance.
The initiative brought together stakeholders that rarely engage in structured dialogue, including affected municipalities in the Valencia metropolitan area, regional institutions, civil society organisations, researchers and the pan-European network Placemaking Europe. Through this collaboration, the project created one of the first civic processes in the region where citizens and public authorities at different governance levels could jointly reflect on recovery challenges and priorities.
At the local level, municipalities and community organisations contributed knowledge about the immediate impacts of the floods and the practical challenges of reconstruction. Regional actors and public institutions provided policy perspectives related to territorial planning, climate adaptation and disaster preparedness. The project also connected these discussions with international expertise through Placemaking Europe and invited practitioners working on recovery and resilience in other cities.
Cooperation between these different levels was organised through participatory workshops, dialogue sessions and public forums that created a shared space for discussion and knowledge exchange. This process helped bridge institutional silos and encouraged more coordinated approaches to rebuilding.
The multilevel character of the initiative strengthened the legitimacy and impact of the project. By connecting community knowledge with municipal practice, regional policy and international experience, Innovation for Recovery demonstrates how collaborative governance can support more coherent and inclusive recovery strategies in territories facing climate-related disasters.
The initiative brought together stakeholders that rarely engage in structured dialogue, including affected municipalities in the Valencia metropolitan area, regional institutions, civil society organisations, researchers and the pan-European network Placemaking Europe. Through this collaboration, the project created one of the first civic processes in the region where citizens and public authorities at different governance levels could jointly reflect on recovery challenges and priorities.
At the local level, municipalities and community organisations contributed knowledge about the immediate impacts of the floods and the practical challenges of reconstruction. Regional actors and public institutions provided policy perspectives related to territorial planning, climate adaptation and disaster preparedness. The project also connected these discussions with international expertise through Placemaking Europe and invited practitioners working on recovery and resilience in other cities.
Cooperation between these different levels was organised through participatory workshops, dialogue sessions and public forums that created a shared space for discussion and knowledge exchange. This process helped bridge institutional silos and encouraged more coordinated approaches to rebuilding.
The multilevel character of the initiative strengthened the legitimacy and impact of the project. By connecting community knowledge with municipal practice, regional policy and international experience, Innovation for Recovery demonstrates how collaborative governance can support more coherent and inclusive recovery strategies in territories facing climate-related disasters.
Innovation for Recovery was designed as a transdisciplinary initiative bringing together knowledge from multiple fields to address the complex challenges of disaster recovery. The project combined perspectives from urban planning and placemaking, social sciences, public governance, emergency response, journalism, environmental and territorial studies, and international recovery practice.
Collaboration across these disciplines was structured through participatory processes that allowed different forms of expertise to interact. The project began with a public survey capturing residents’ experiences and generating social data on how communities perceived both the disaster and the recovery process. These insights were then explored through co-creation workshops and dialogue sessions involving practitioners from different backgrounds.
A key moment of interdisciplinary exchange took place during a working session hosted at eldiario.es’ Valencian newsroom, where around thirty participants from diverse fields discussed recovery priorities and challenges. Civil society organisations such as Fundació Horta Sud, Coordinadora Valenciana de ONGD, Fundación FAD Juventud and Metges del Món contributed humanitarian and community perspectives. Researchers from the Universitat de València, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Florida Universitària provided academic and territorial expertise.
The process was further enriched through international dialogue sessions involving Ryan Smolar of Asheville, Hanna Balik from Türkiye, Jakub Mazur, Deputy Mayor of Wrocław, Guillermo Bernal from Mexico City and Philipp Rode of LSE Cities.
By combining community knowledge, academic research, policy perspectives and international experience, the project shows how transdisciplinary collaboration can produce more comprehensive and context-sensitive approaches to recovery and territorial resilience.
Collaboration across these disciplines was structured through participatory processes that allowed different forms of expertise to interact. The project began with a public survey capturing residents’ experiences and generating social data on how communities perceived both the disaster and the recovery process. These insights were then explored through co-creation workshops and dialogue sessions involving practitioners from different backgrounds.
A key moment of interdisciplinary exchange took place during a working session hosted at eldiario.es’ Valencian newsroom, where around thirty participants from diverse fields discussed recovery priorities and challenges. Civil society organisations such as Fundació Horta Sud, Coordinadora Valenciana de ONGD, Fundación FAD Juventud and Metges del Món contributed humanitarian and community perspectives. Researchers from the Universitat de València, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Florida Universitària provided academic and territorial expertise.
The process was further enriched through international dialogue sessions involving Ryan Smolar of Asheville, Hanna Balik from Türkiye, Jakub Mazur, Deputy Mayor of Wrocław, Guillermo Bernal from Mexico City and Philipp Rode of LSE Cities.
By combining community knowledge, academic research, policy perspectives and international experience, the project shows how transdisciplinary collaboration can produce more comprehensive and context-sensitive approaches to recovery and territorial resilience.
Innovation for Recovery is sustained through a blended public-civic collaboration model that reflects the shared responsibility of rebuilding territories after disaster. Rather than depending on a single funder, the initiative combines contributions from civic actors, media, municipalities, academic institutions and territorial partners, allowing it to operate as an independent but locally embedded platform for recovery dialogue, research and public accountability.
This model is relevant because many essential dimensions of recovery, such as trust-building, citizen participation, community monitoring and cross-sector coordination, are critical for long-term resilience but often fall outside conventional emergency or infrastructure budgets. Innovation for Recovery helps fill this gap by combining financial support, in-kind contributions, communication capacity, research expertise and institutional collaboration.
The first edition was made possible through the joint involvement of Placemaking Europe, eldiario.es, participating municipalities, regional institutions and organisations engaged in recovery and territorial development. eldiario.es contributed editorial capacity, visibility and public engagement, while public, academic and civil society partners supported workshops, dialogue sessions, research, facilitation and local outreach.
The total cost of the first edition, including survey design and analysis, facilitation, event production, communication, video documentation, travel and logistics, was approximately €150,000. This investment enabled a multi-phase process combining citizen engagement, research, international dialogue and public dissemination.
The initiative does not rely on commercial revenue. Its sustainability lies in the public value it generates: actionable knowledge, participatory methodologies and governance tools that strengthen inclusive and resilient recovery.
This model is relevant because many essential dimensions of recovery, such as trust-building, citizen participation, community monitoring and cross-sector coordination, are critical for long-term resilience but often fall outside conventional emergency or infrastructure budgets. Innovation for Recovery helps fill this gap by combining financial support, in-kind contributions, communication capacity, research expertise and institutional collaboration.
The first edition was made possible through the joint involvement of Placemaking Europe, eldiario.es, participating municipalities, regional institutions and organisations engaged in recovery and territorial development. eldiario.es contributed editorial capacity, visibility and public engagement, while public, academic and civil society partners supported workshops, dialogue sessions, research, facilitation and local outreach.
The total cost of the first edition, including survey design and analysis, facilitation, event production, communication, video documentation, travel and logistics, was approximately €150,000. This investment enabled a multi-phase process combining citizen engagement, research, international dialogue and public dissemination.
The initiative does not rely on commercial revenue. Its sustainability lies in the public value it generates: actionable knowledge, participatory methodologies and governance tools that strengthen inclusive and resilient recovery.
Innovation for Recovery has strong replication potential because it offers a structured yet adaptable methodology for community-driven disaster recovery. Rather than a one-off initiative, the project provides a practical framework that territories affected by climate-related disasters can use to organise inclusive recovery processes, generate shared knowledge and strengthen coordination among key actors.
Its most transferable element is a three-phase methodology. The first phase gathers community knowledge through large-scale citizen engagement, producing empirical insight into how residents experience both disaster and recovery. The second phase convenes local actors through participatory mapping and dialogue sessions, connecting civil society organisations, institutions and researchers to analyse challenges, identify existing initiatives and reveal governance gaps. The third phase brings local experience into exchange with international expertise on disaster recovery and territorial resilience, helping translate local realities into broader lessons and policy directions.
This structure can be adapted to different territorial contexts, scales and budgets. It does not depend on exceptional resources, but on capacities that many territories already have or can mobilise: civic organisations, local institutions, research partners, independent media and skilled facilitation.
Replication requires trusted local partnerships and the ability to connect community knowledge with institutional dialogue. These conditions help ensure that the process remains grounded in lived realities while also informing more strategic recovery decisions.
As climate-related disasters become more frequent across Europe, Innovation for Recovery offers a transferable model for more inclusive, place-based and knowledge-driven recovery.
Its most transferable element is a three-phase methodology. The first phase gathers community knowledge through large-scale citizen engagement, producing empirical insight into how residents experience both disaster and recovery. The second phase convenes local actors through participatory mapping and dialogue sessions, connecting civil society organisations, institutions and researchers to analyse challenges, identify existing initiatives and reveal governance gaps. The third phase brings local experience into exchange with international expertise on disaster recovery and territorial resilience, helping translate local realities into broader lessons and policy directions.
This structure can be adapted to different territorial contexts, scales and budgets. It does not depend on exceptional resources, but on capacities that many territories already have or can mobilise: civic organisations, local institutions, research partners, independent media and skilled facilitation.
Replication requires trusted local partnerships and the ability to connect community knowledge with institutional dialogue. These conditions help ensure that the process remains grounded in lived realities while also informing more strategic recovery decisions.
As climate-related disasters become more frequent across Europe, Innovation for Recovery offers a transferable model for more inclusive, place-based and knowledge-driven recovery.
