Translocality as Urban Design Tool for the Inclusive City: The Case of Europan

Abstract

In this article, I unpack the notion of translocality as an urban design tool that interrelates architecture, infrastructure and territory in Europe. The notion of translocality entails a strategic design tool to form specific relations between mobility and place towards the goal of a European inclusive city. Translocality involves mobility as an agent for co-producing locality as well as territories as hosts for place-making mobilities. I argue that Europan, a 30-year-old biennial urban design competition network for ideas and their implementation, has discreetly set the foundations for collectively addressing the inclusive city, offering many kinds of translocality. The article is based on the examination of diaries and notes of the author’s reflective practice thanks to his involvement in the Europan network. In addition, it examines the documents produced by the reflective practice of Europan. The findings help us formulate a strategic framework for collaborative European networks of urban design that can instigate common urban imaginaries for the inclusive city.