STARGATE
Basic information
Project Title
STARGATE
Full project title
Alpines’ self-built platforms for cultural resonances between the valleys
Category
Reconnecting with nature
Project Description
The STARGATE project engaged youngsters, experimenting with the theme of "urban regeneration” and self-build actions in our mountain territories, which are characterized by social and economic fragility (difficult accessibility, lack of services and infrastructure, depopulation) and where, instead, the quality of the environment can also become both a cultural and business value.
STARGATEs are conceived as temporary/mobile structures, made of lightweight materials (including salvaged materials.
STARGATEs are conceived as temporary/mobile structures, made of lightweight materials (including salvaged materials.
Geographical Scope
Regional
Project Region
Lombardy, Pindemont and Friuli Venezia Giulia., Italy
Urban or rural issues
Mainly rural
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
The project was located in three Alpine areas: the province of Sondrio in Lombardy, characterized by its mountainous terrain; Ampezzo and its surroundings in Udine, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia; and Ostana, one of the smallest villages in the Cuneo province (Pindemont), all known for their low population densities. These regions, while offering a potentially high quality of life, face amplified community fabric weaknesses due to their small, isolated, and fragmented nature. These areas lack educational opportunities for adolescents and young people, particularly activities available in other regions. Local youth policies have long suffered from a gap, even predating the pandemic, with the closure of crucial places like Informagiovani and Centers of Aggregation, historically dedicated to promoting youth activities and a sense of belonging.
However, the Italian Alps are witnessing a phenomenon of new inhabitants, indicating a dialectic dynamic between remaining and returning communities. While the pandemic year strained isolated areas with limited services, it also reinforced community cohesion, accelerated digital infrastructure, and brought to the forefront the phenomenon of reviving hamlets and marginal areas, highlighting their potential as spaces for healthy living and promising work opportunities. Our design studio has been situated in Valtellina since 2016, having moved from Milan city in search of new experiences in social innovation.
The STARGATE project involved youngsters by offering a trans-alpine AniMakers Academy, an online school accessible to young people from various valley areas. The aim was to impart skills from maker culture, design tools, and basics of self-construction and 3D printing. Additionally, three hands-on LABs were conducted to involve the local community in constructing the STARGATEs’ structures, aiming to revitalize their own public spaces in the villages.
However, the Italian Alps are witnessing a phenomenon of new inhabitants, indicating a dialectic dynamic between remaining and returning communities. While the pandemic year strained isolated areas with limited services, it also reinforced community cohesion, accelerated digital infrastructure, and brought to the forefront the phenomenon of reviving hamlets and marginal areas, highlighting their potential as spaces for healthy living and promising work opportunities. Our design studio has been situated in Valtellina since 2016, having moved from Milan city in search of new experiences in social innovation.
The STARGATE project involved youngsters by offering a trans-alpine AniMakers Academy, an online school accessible to young people from various valley areas. The aim was to impart skills from maker culture, design tools, and basics of self-construction and 3D printing. Additionally, three hands-on LABs were conducted to involve the local community in constructing the STARGATEs’ structures, aiming to revitalize their own public spaces in the villages.
Key objectives for sustainability
The Stargate is a fictional device found in the science fiction universe, born in 1994 from Roland Emmerich's famous film. Its main function is to transport people or objects, creating an artificial wormhole between two connected points (the stargates in fact). With this inspiration, also in the case of our project, the final outcome of the co-creaton process (we will practice both co-design and co-production actions) is the STARGATE: a physical module that will - conceptually and digitally - connect several micro-locations in the Alpine arc.
The pandemic crisis has forced communities to rethink the spatial dimension as a qualitative and quantitative element of daily living. It is within these context, and its micro-localities (concieved as laboratories of emerging creativity and innovation) that we intend to focus our attention and re-read the phenomenon of tactical urbanism in a new way. According with some of ESRI's recommendations, through the project’s actions we intend - even in the small mountain scale - to react to the pandemic crisis to accompany the youngsters of Valtellina to "re-write the future" of public places.
We chose a disciplinary approach based on participatory design, which provides for the active involvement of all stakeholders in the design process, to ensure that the result satisfies the need. Due to these premises the first project action (the AniMakers Academy) was born envisaging an online school open to young people from different valley areas, with the aim of transferring skills from makers' culture, design tools, and rudiments of self-construction and 3D printing. The proposed path pays great attention to the training of local youth figures, who will be the real protagonists of the regeneration in progress. The second action of STARGATE has the aim to engage the local community in self-build local LABs led by the young people already engaged into the AniMakers Academy.
The pandemic crisis has forced communities to rethink the spatial dimension as a qualitative and quantitative element of daily living. It is within these context, and its micro-localities (concieved as laboratories of emerging creativity and innovation) that we intend to focus our attention and re-read the phenomenon of tactical urbanism in a new way. According with some of ESRI's recommendations, through the project’s actions we intend - even in the small mountain scale - to react to the pandemic crisis to accompany the youngsters of Valtellina to "re-write the future" of public places.
We chose a disciplinary approach based on participatory design, which provides for the active involvement of all stakeholders in the design process, to ensure that the result satisfies the need. Due to these premises the first project action (the AniMakers Academy) was born envisaging an online school open to young people from different valley areas, with the aim of transferring skills from makers' culture, design tools, and rudiments of self-construction and 3D printing. The proposed path pays great attention to the training of local youth figures, who will be the real protagonists of the regeneration in progress. The second action of STARGATE has the aim to engage the local community in self-build local LABs led by the young people already engaged into the AniMakers Academy.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The role of the designers cannot and must therefore not be solved in a cosmetic and aesthetic intervention, conceived "in the laboratory" and lowered from above, but takes the form of a path of accompanying the community, in which needs and expectations can be deepened; in which perspectives and ideas, fantasies and suggestions are shared in the direction of identifying a common language that will eventually be synthesized and made accessible through recognizable and shared signs really grassrooted in the villages (TOGETHER). Two crucial aspects make the project decisive, first of all the ability to decode the demands of the community into concrete, relevant and convincing signs and solutions to be trasferred into temporary urban objects. The other important element is the creativity necessary to synthesize an idea into a solution that combines perceived beauty (BEAUTIFUL) with effectiveness, ergonomics and environmental impact.
The distinctive essence of the STARGATE project lies in amalgamating contemporary logics and aesthetics with traditional, and in some cases, forgotten spaces, precisely aimed at restoring collective meaning to these locations and establishing new landmarks within the three villages that were the focus of the self-construction workshops. The involvement of young participants (AniMakers) and local communities in the self-construction ensured a blending of languages and a mutual understanding in terms of cultural needs and aesthetic expectations regarding the re-appropriation of urban space. The phrase that titles the STARGATEs ("Take me among the stars") was conceived precisely during these collective moments.
The distinctive essence of the STARGATE project lies in amalgamating contemporary logics and aesthetics with traditional, and in some cases, forgotten spaces, precisely aimed at restoring collective meaning to these locations and establishing new landmarks within the three villages that were the focus of the self-construction workshops. The involvement of young participants (AniMakers) and local communities in the self-construction ensured a blending of languages and a mutual understanding in terms of cultural needs and aesthetic expectations regarding the re-appropriation of urban space. The phrase that titles the STARGATEs ("Take me among the stars") was conceived precisely during these collective moments.
Key objectives for inclusion
The public spaces of the dense city, where the collective dimension is in contrast and competition with the private one, have become unfit for use because of the danger of infection. In contrast, the rural or semi-rural dimension has revealed the full potential of a territory where space is sufficiently extended and managed so as to become a common and shared good.
Thanks to the STARGATE project the language of temporary architecture built in a participatory manner actively engages the territory, bringing the gaze of inhabitants and visitors to discover or rediscover the natural and built landscape, to look at it with the new eyes, purpose, and proposals of use. Community-centred design requires that facilitators develop two areas of competence, the ability to learn about the community and its habitat, and the power of creatively collaborating with non-designers. Civic engagement also helps to foster stronger relationships and trust across a local system, strengthening a society's ability to work together to achieve shared goals for the future.
We refer to this collaborative design approach as Community-centred design (Manzini & Meroni, 2014), which can prompt or feed the service design mindset (Meroni & Selloni, 2018) that is increasingly characteristic of today's creative communities (Meroni, 2007). Additionally, participatory practices allow Alpine territories to go beyond rhetorical or generic objectives of liveability and competitiveness and develop futures with a deeper awareness of local assets. The project revealed timely with the possible futures to draw specific actions to shape preferable outcomes. As the global pandemics challenged traditional paradigms, any change appeared to be possible, moving beyond centre-periphery in a polycentric approach calling for collective action to open-up exciting futures to build.
Thanks to the STARGATE project the language of temporary architecture built in a participatory manner actively engages the territory, bringing the gaze of inhabitants and visitors to discover or rediscover the natural and built landscape, to look at it with the new eyes, purpose, and proposals of use. Community-centred design requires that facilitators develop two areas of competence, the ability to learn about the community and its habitat, and the power of creatively collaborating with non-designers. Civic engagement also helps to foster stronger relationships and trust across a local system, strengthening a society's ability to work together to achieve shared goals for the future.
We refer to this collaborative design approach as Community-centred design (Manzini & Meroni, 2014), which can prompt or feed the service design mindset (Meroni & Selloni, 2018) that is increasingly characteristic of today's creative communities (Meroni, 2007). Additionally, participatory practices allow Alpine territories to go beyond rhetorical or generic objectives of liveability and competitiveness and develop futures with a deeper awareness of local assets. The project revealed timely with the possible futures to draw specific actions to shape preferable outcomes. As the global pandemics challenged traditional paradigms, any change appeared to be possible, moving beyond centre-periphery in a polycentric approach calling for collective action to open-up exciting futures to build.
Results in relation to category
The STARGATE project addresses the community at large, with the aim of starting collaborative activities and opening a dialogue between and with the population.
As mentioned, the project specifically targets young people, who represent the new workforce, the driving force of innovation; they bring energy, even if, especially in these inland areas, they find themselves in a situation of difficulty and marginality (due to lack of job opportunities, distances to travel, limited web access, etc.) that leads them to move to the city and leave their native territory.
In terms of quantitative results, we:
engaged 25 participants (under 35y) at the online AniMakers Academy, from a variety of alpine arc villages;
co-designed up to 4 concepts for the STARAGTEs in a collaborative way;
co-produced 3 real prototypes of the STARGATE in Villa di Tirano (valtellina) Amezzo (Udine) and Ostana (Cuneo), using mostly waste or recycled material as raw material plus including into the LABs non only the AniMakers (who will lead the design+building workshops) but also at least 3 different “second target”: kinds of local communities (such as scholars, fragile adolescents, elderly, foreigners inhabitants) and extra-local ones (e.g. design and architecture’s students, tourists, youngsters from the near Swiss border).
The qualitative goals have been:
youngster cross-geographical networking;
local inter-generational experience;
skill transfer (AniMakers Academy) and a general “diffuse design” practice (Manzini, 2015) to enable participants to design their own solutions and prove to communities the power of this approach;
help locals to enlarge their horizons about what is now definitely possible to do in a non-urban context;
to experiment with non-urban regeneration and tactical “urbanism” in alpine context.
As mentioned, the project specifically targets young people, who represent the new workforce, the driving force of innovation; they bring energy, even if, especially in these inland areas, they find themselves in a situation of difficulty and marginality (due to lack of job opportunities, distances to travel, limited web access, etc.) that leads them to move to the city and leave their native territory.
In terms of quantitative results, we:
engaged 25 participants (under 35y) at the online AniMakers Academy, from a variety of alpine arc villages;
co-designed up to 4 concepts for the STARAGTEs in a collaborative way;
co-produced 3 real prototypes of the STARGATE in Villa di Tirano (valtellina) Amezzo (Udine) and Ostana (Cuneo), using mostly waste or recycled material as raw material plus including into the LABs non only the AniMakers (who will lead the design+building workshops) but also at least 3 different “second target”: kinds of local communities (such as scholars, fragile adolescents, elderly, foreigners inhabitants) and extra-local ones (e.g. design and architecture’s students, tourists, youngsters from the near Swiss border).
The qualitative goals have been:
youngster cross-geographical networking;
local inter-generational experience;
skill transfer (AniMakers Academy) and a general “diffuse design” practice (Manzini, 2015) to enable participants to design their own solutions and prove to communities the power of this approach;
help locals to enlarge their horizons about what is now definitely possible to do in a non-urban context;
to experiment with non-urban regeneration and tactical “urbanism” in alpine context.
How Citizens benefit
The value of intergenerational contacts in the context of co-design practices and collaborative sense-making is immeasurable. The fusion of young minds and university students with the experience and wisdom of senior citizens has created fertile ground for incredible synergy, not just in exchanging perspectives but also in the sharing of practical and manual skills. This exchange intertwines coding expertise with artisanal wisdom, combining basic carpentry interventions with electronic implementation in the project.
This collaboration has not only enriched the outcomes of our initiatives but has also created a space where mutual respect and learning have become fundamental pillars for building a shared and inclusive future.
Moreover, the locations where the STARGATEs were installed, once constructed, even if temporarily, transformed into cultural landmarks: clear signs in space, aesthetic totems that were also communicative (as they were connected online to other project sites), pretexts for gatherings and "new hearths" around which to offer cultural experiences (concerts, readings, performances).
This collaboration has not only enriched the outcomes of our initiatives but has also created a space where mutual respect and learning have become fundamental pillars for building a shared and inclusive future.
Moreover, the locations where the STARGATEs were installed, once constructed, even if temporarily, transformed into cultural landmarks: clear signs in space, aesthetic totems that were also communicative (as they were connected online to other project sites), pretexts for gatherings and "new hearths" around which to offer cultural experiences (concerts, readings, performances).
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Innovative character
In the Alpine regions, co-creation stands as both a methodology and a mantra for innovation, fostering an environment that attracts and engages the youth. The initiative fits commendably within a trend of non-urban reactivations, which we can categorize as projects addressing remoteness, reflections on new commons, and the potential of non-urban territories in offering a more harmonious and inclusive future development for communities.
The unique topography, while offering breathtaking landscapes, also presents challenges: small, dispersed communities amplify the need for collective solutions. Co-creation becomes the linchpin in navigating these challenges, offering a platform for the amalgamation of diverse ideas, skills, and perspectives. The allure of co-creation in these Alpine regions lies in its ability to transform abstract ideas into tangible solutions. It thrives on collaboration, inviting the young minds to participate actively, encouraging them to co-design, co-produce, and co-implement initiatives. This involvement transcends the mere exchange of ideas, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility in the youth toward the solutions they help create. The Alpine region's shift towards co-creation embraces a holistic approach to innovation, where ideas germinate from shared experiences, collaboration, and the intersection of diverse perspectives. It paves the way for a promising future, one where the young generations, as active co-creators, become the harbingers of transformative change.
The unique topography, while offering breathtaking landscapes, also presents challenges: small, dispersed communities amplify the need for collective solutions. Co-creation becomes the linchpin in navigating these challenges, offering a platform for the amalgamation of diverse ideas, skills, and perspectives. The allure of co-creation in these Alpine regions lies in its ability to transform abstract ideas into tangible solutions. It thrives on collaboration, inviting the young minds to participate actively, encouraging them to co-design, co-produce, and co-implement initiatives. This involvement transcends the mere exchange of ideas, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility in the youth toward the solutions they help create. The Alpine region's shift towards co-creation embraces a holistic approach to innovation, where ideas germinate from shared experiences, collaboration, and the intersection of diverse perspectives. It paves the way for a promising future, one where the young generations, as active co-creators, become the harbingers of transformative change.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
The STARGATE project is basically divided into three main actions:
1\ ANIMAKERs ACADEMY - we created a digital trans-regional Alpine Community of Makers and Community organizers. The action (currently ongoing) has been promoted with an online call and spread both by web channels and -locally- by high Schools and word of mouth. The participants have been selected giving at least 50% chances to females, taking into account the geographic variety and including a diversity of cultural and professional backgrounds (creative and social professionals).
2\ Design+building LOCAL LABs - we enabled local communities to self-define and solve their own project goal in term of the use of public space for cultural production and fruition, considering bottom-up requests and make visible the new needs in term of “plaza dinamics", phygital socializing, and place belonging. The action will take place starting in June and aims to include the second target of the project. We will provide a public call for participants to send by AniMakers personal networks, local institutions and high Schools, and via institutional channels (eg. Design School, Politecnico di Milano portal "Passion in Action", that is dedicated to initiatives on social design).
3\ STARGATE in use - we connected the modules, digitally, with a simple QR code access that links all the content in a unique online repository. Cultural activity, locally planned, will be open to virtual access from the other territories and, in general, be always available for remote fruition.
This blend of actions demanded a multidisciplinary team, both among project leaders and concerning the participants. Anthropologists, designers, architects, illustrators, educators, art historians, and makers represent the primary "types" of professionals who found a creative space and played a leading role within the framework of STARGATE.
1\ ANIMAKERs ACADEMY - we created a digital trans-regional Alpine Community of Makers and Community organizers. The action (currently ongoing) has been promoted with an online call and spread both by web channels and -locally- by high Schools and word of mouth. The participants have been selected giving at least 50% chances to females, taking into account the geographic variety and including a diversity of cultural and professional backgrounds (creative and social professionals).
2\ Design+building LOCAL LABs - we enabled local communities to self-define and solve their own project goal in term of the use of public space for cultural production and fruition, considering bottom-up requests and make visible the new needs in term of “plaza dinamics", phygital socializing, and place belonging. The action will take place starting in June and aims to include the second target of the project. We will provide a public call for participants to send by AniMakers personal networks, local institutions and high Schools, and via institutional channels (eg. Design School, Politecnico di Milano portal "Passion in Action", that is dedicated to initiatives on social design).
3\ STARGATE in use - we connected the modules, digitally, with a simple QR code access that links all the content in a unique online repository. Cultural activity, locally planned, will be open to virtual access from the other territories and, in general, be always available for remote fruition.
This blend of actions demanded a multidisciplinary team, both among project leaders and concerning the participants. Anthropologists, designers, architects, illustrators, educators, art historians, and makers represent the primary "types" of professionals who found a creative space and played a leading role within the framework of STARGATE.
Methodology used
The STARGATE process embraces a codesign approach and tools in order to nurture participation and answer the specific need of including significant non-expert viewpoints especially concerning young generation. We can take the example of the most common and acknowledged design creative processes, the Double Diamond conceptualized by the Design Council (2014) arguing that all the steps of the divergent and convergent phases could be developed collaboratively. We start asking ourselves how could design support the activation of communities, in developing future desirable scenarios. In Massive Codesign, as Meroni et al. (2018) said, a crucial issue is how to conduct the practice of «joint inquiry and imagination» of codesign. It is described as a process «in which diverse people jointly explore and define a problem and collectively develop and evaluate solutions. It is a process in which participants can express and share their experiences, to discuss and negotiate their roles and interests, and to jointly bring about positive change» (Steen, 2013, pp. 27- 28).
This mindset allowed us to foster participation and make co-creation accessible. The initiatives grounded in co-creation serve as bridges, connecting the scattered dots of Alpine communities. Through the AniMakers Academy and STARGATEs’ collective construction, youth engagement becomes the catalyst for change: these platforms not only impart technical skills but also instill a sense of community belonging and empowerment among the young residents. Designers and tutors played the facilitators' role, encouraging interactions among participants, and raising awareness of the process. They also facilitated participants' interaction, critical thinking, self-criticism, and their capacity to think out of the box and beyond their own comfort zone.
This mindset allowed us to foster participation and make co-creation accessible. The initiatives grounded in co-creation serve as bridges, connecting the scattered dots of Alpine communities. Through the AniMakers Academy and STARGATEs’ collective construction, youth engagement becomes the catalyst for change: these platforms not only impart technical skills but also instill a sense of community belonging and empowerment among the young residents. Designers and tutors played the facilitators' role, encouraging interactions among participants, and raising awareness of the process. They also facilitated participants' interaction, critical thinking, self-criticism, and their capacity to think out of the box and beyond their own comfort zone.
How stakeholders are engaged
SHIFT is the scientific coordinator of the project. We are a multi-disciplinary studio which designs and implements workshops and groups of practice, allowing stakeholder to participate actively by using co-design techniques for analysis and development of systemic design and new services with a strong social or environmental impact. SHIFT was founded in 2016 and it is now a Benefit Corporation. We pursue social, inclusive and happy communities. We love working with places: neighborhoods, public spaces, cities and villages, inland areas (rural and alpine). We design interventions and implement ad-hoc tools to dialogue and co-create with citizens; to develop meaningful design solutions that improve lives and regenerate public utility spaces.
We realized the STARGATE project, thanks to partial funding got by the Italian MIC Ministry, under the program “Creative Living Lab 2021” III call ( https://is.gd/BlNyoZ ). The program enables us to create a trans-regional network with other organizations (FORME social enterprises, Viso a Viso Cooperative Community, CRAMARS social enterprises, La Capagrossa assn, TSD assn, Fab Lab Sondrio, Ambria Jazz assn, and all the municipalities in the same regional areas that are Piedmont, Lombardy, and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) and offer the Academy and all STARGATE labs for free.
We realized the STARGATE project, thanks to partial funding got by the Italian MIC Ministry, under the program “Creative Living Lab 2021” III call ( https://is.gd/BlNyoZ ). The program enables us to create a trans-regional network with other organizations (FORME social enterprises, Viso a Viso Cooperative Community, CRAMARS social enterprises, La Capagrossa assn, TSD assn, Fab Lab Sondrio, Ambria Jazz assn, and all the municipalities in the same regional areas that are Piedmont, Lombardy, and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) and offer the Academy and all STARGATE labs for free.
Global challenges
The exodus of youth to urban areas has led to a decline in rural communities, impacting their vibrancy and potential. The task at hand is to create compelling opportunities that entice and empower young people to not just stay but thrive in these non-urban territories. Even more, the pandemic years have accentuated the importance initiatives able to promote belongin, bringing to light the necessity for robust, adaptable community structures. It not only stimulates innovation but also re-addresses the social, educational, and economic needs of the Alpine youth.
Reviving the narrative of mountain communities involves providing innovative prospects that resonate with the aspirations of the youth. The aim is not merely to retain young residents but also to encourage those who have migrated to urban centres to consider returning, bringing with them fresh perspectives and energy.
Empowering mountain communities through entrepreneurship, educational programs, technological advancements, and sustainable practices is key to enticing the younger demographic. By offering opportunities for growth, be it in fields like technology, eco-tourism, or artisanal endeavors, these regions can position themselves as dynamic hubs, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among the younger generation. The revival of non-urban areas hinges on a collective effort, a collaboration between local governance, innovative enterprises, educational institutions, and, significantly, the active involvement and ideas of the youth. This revitalization seeks to make the mountain territories not just habitable but enticing, enabling the youth to see these areas as platforms for personal and collective success; vibrant cultural communities, where the young play a pivotal role in shaping a promising future.
Reviving the narrative of mountain communities involves providing innovative prospects that resonate with the aspirations of the youth. The aim is not merely to retain young residents but also to encourage those who have migrated to urban centres to consider returning, bringing with them fresh perspectives and energy.
Empowering mountain communities through entrepreneurship, educational programs, technological advancements, and sustainable practices is key to enticing the younger demographic. By offering opportunities for growth, be it in fields like technology, eco-tourism, or artisanal endeavors, these regions can position themselves as dynamic hubs, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among the younger generation. The revival of non-urban areas hinges on a collective effort, a collaboration between local governance, innovative enterprises, educational institutions, and, significantly, the active involvement and ideas of the youth. This revitalization seeks to make the mountain territories not just habitable but enticing, enabling the youth to see these areas as platforms for personal and collective success; vibrant cultural communities, where the young play a pivotal role in shaping a promising future.
Learning transferred to other parties
The project is highly replicable. The contents of the AniMakers Academy are available online (via an e-learning platform), along with the architectural designs of the STARGATE structures. These, when combined with Arduino programming for the lighting components, can be deemed products within open-sourcing. Likewise, the use of local materials, even those from secondary supply chains, represents a significant and highly sustainable element for future editions of the project. This commitment to sourcing materials from the local area or nearby supply chains not only aligns with sustainability goals but also fosters a stronger connection with the community and contributes to the region's economic resilience.
These highly replicable procedural aspects and the "toolkits" need to be combined with an extra-local ingredient: one or more entities or informal community promoters advocating for the initiative's concept. The grassroots nature of these local promoters is crucial for the project's success, as Alpine communities are more easily reached through word-of-mouth and by leveraging local "heroes."
This local advocacy is essential for garnering community support and participation, ultimately ensuring the initiative's effectiveness and resonance within the Alpine regions.
These highly replicable procedural aspects and the "toolkits" need to be combined with an extra-local ingredient: one or more entities or informal community promoters advocating for the initiative's concept. The grassroots nature of these local promoters is crucial for the project's success, as Alpine communities are more easily reached through word-of-mouth and by leveraging local "heroes."
This local advocacy is essential for garnering community support and participation, ultimately ensuring the initiative's effectiveness and resonance within the Alpine regions.
Keywords
Co-creation
Youngster
New commons
Alpine changemakers
Upcycling
