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Poster Short Abstract

Viareggio Futura employs participatory action-research and generative communication to engage diverse stakeholders through hybrid labs and strategic gatekeeper mapping, fostering inclusive dialogue and collective knowledge co-creation for territory planning.

Poster Abstract

This poster presents the methodological framework of Viareggio Futura, an action-research initiative by Centro Ricerche sAu focused on co-designing the future of Viareggio. Central to the project is the integration of generative communication and participatory action-research practices, which enable dialogic processes between governance, citizens, businesses, and institutions.

Key methodological components include the establishment of “Officina” community labs—both physical and virtual—where citizen science practices collect and analyze local perceptions on themes such as culture, health, and mobility. These hybrid spaces, combined with the InComuneLab platform, merge digital tools with face-to-face interactions to support inclusive, democratic co-creation.

The engagement strategy revolves around identifying and involving strategic gatekeepers across economic, social, and cultural sectors, who, together with ambassador organizations and ordinary citizens, participate through differentiated roles in visioning and planning. Special attention is given to making participation accessible to vulnerable groups—women, elderly, socially excluded—through targeted listening pathways.

By advancing a replicable model of territorial action-research and collective intelligence, Viareggio Futura fosters systemic innovation in urban governance and creates a framework for other cities to adopt participatory and inclusive future planning processes.