A vision for the future

Cartagena, a district lost and found once again
"There is a new place to visit in town...", announces our Spanish partner's vision for the future of its military heritage. This place is "Los Moros Fortress", which the Municipality of Cartagena has taken charge of with the aid of volunteers and associations based in the surrounding Los Mateos District and elsewhere, recovering most of the original XVII century building. A pleasant walk takes you to the top of the hill, among colourful and aromatic Mediterranean gardens.
Once inside, the historical castle, you can stop for a drink at the small bar in the upper bulwark, where an impressive view of the port and part of the city lies before you, or you can explore the lower pit, a wide open area where different events take place during the year: “La Mar de Musicas” in August, “Cartagineses y romanos” in September or “Ruta de las Fortalezas” in April.
All around, Los Mateos bustles with life after its streets and buildings have been repaired and renovated. The scent of organic products from the urban orchards in the neighbouring land spreads in the air, whilst you take a look in the many souvenir shops searching for handcrafted local goods. And what else can you wish for, at the end of your tour, if not a typical dish such as caldero rice, michirones or the special asiatico coffee?

Piacenza, embodying a dream
Our Lead Partner city has given its plan for the future the name of the Patron Saint of Piacenza: Antonino. In 2036 he will be a 18 year-old who can finally appreciate the urban ecosystem of his town, depicted as a human body in which the former military sites involved in our MAPS project are vital organs. A regeneration process made possible by the URBACT Integrated Action Plan!
What used to be the Pontoon Lab is now the brain: due to its location as a gateway to the city centre, it is now the showroom of innovation, the gathering point for events, exhibitions and leisure activities, but also a place where different generations can mix together. The heart, in Piacenza, has turned bright green and corresponds to the area where the “Pertite” bullet factory once stood, now transformed in an urban park and the site of biological production, with its roots in agriculture and rural landscape. The Lusignani Barracks represent the fruitful belly, developing innovative models for research, manufacturing and lifestyle.
Here is the portrait of a smart and creative European city!

Serres, from a gray zone to a green lung of free land
Nestled on the Northern border of Greece, Serres is a medium-sized urban context facing the aftermath of the economical crisis in the Aegean Peninsula.
The vision for its future cannot ignore the meaning and memories retained by its former military camp, consisting of vast open areas and several, enormous buildings that have survived disasters and fires. All around, lies a town in need of green and cultural spaces. This is the starting point from which the idea of an Integrated Cultural and Recreational Center based in Papalouka camp was born…
How will it be designed? The first complex will refer to the history of Serres, dating back to ancient years, passing through the Roman and Bizantine period and reaching the Turkish and Bulgarian occupation. A second complex will focus on tradition and folklore, whilst various points of cultural production will be gathered around the area, interacting with each other and attracting tourists: from fine arts to photography, from architecture to jewllery design, not to forget music and theatre.
This will turn a gray zone of hate and grief into a unique green lung of free land, valuable for the urban revitalization and the future of the city.

Szombathely, cycling through time and nature
Time is set in 2028, in Szombathely’s vision. Here we are again, five years after our last visit, travelling back to Hungary for a cycling trip.
Arriving from the main station, our first stop is the new green area close to the heart of the city, where the Hussar military barracks used to be. Once a closed, almost dead, forgotten zone also for the people who live in Szombathely, now it is completely different: a welcoming, open, lively and eco-friendly space. The fences have been removed and it’s easy to enter for a walk or a bike ride. We pedal along towards the central park, surrounded by new residential blocks and streets, small urban copses, playgrounds, a community garden and the former military barracks, standing there as a precious heritage from history. Four of the buildings now host flats, preserving the original architectural style.
But don’t be misled: a thematic museum, a civic incubator, a community atelier and gallery for young artists, a co-working space for creative industry Sme-s and a Waldorf institution make sure there is always something going on! A happy home for residents, but also an open-air stage, with dozens of contemporary sculptures, trees and flowers growing in abundance, making it an unforgettable sight also for visitors!

Varazdin, sustainability and education are the key words
Craving for new public spaces – multifunctional, responding to high quality standards, contemporary in their style – Varazdin has defined its vision on the need to create different settings for urban cultural events: an open-air cinema showing non commercial movies, spaces capable of hosting exhibitions, performing arts or art colonies.
Our Croatian partner city feels this is the path to follow in order to improve social inclusion, producing high-quality architectural and urban design, merged with fascinating horticultural projects that support biodiversity. A green, sustainable world where all generations can meet and people with a different social, economic and educational background gather. A place where a science playground for adults and children can stand next to a flea market. The expertise and know-how of architects, engineers and urban designers will be required, but also local craftsmen will be encouraged to be part of the team, in order to ensure a familiar imprinting, which can express the cultural roots of tradition.
On the other hand, innovation will be the key to guarantee an eco-friendly environment, based on renewable sources of energy and the sustainable exploitation of water and other natural resources. 

Telsiai, an electric car running towards the future
Time has gone by in our Lithuanian partner city, where an old lady walks with her granddaughter around the modern business and leisure district built in Telsiai, telling the child how the same appeared was ten years earlier. Just as in a less than amusing fairytale, the grandmother describes a precinct having no streets nor wider roads, no gardens nor attractive playgrounds, but full of old buildings.
“When I was a little girl like you – the old lady recalls – the only means of transport were horses. And this place was no more than a compound for soldiers and tanks”. Suddenly, she points her finger at the small red electric car passing by, marvelled by its efficiency: “Isn’t this wonderful! You can go from one end to the other without moving a single muscle. I couldn’t have imagined all this seventy years ago, but smart business companies are producing all we need for a better life”.
Holding hands, two generations representing the past and the future are the symbol of renewal and urban regeneration in the former military quarters of Telsiai, historically set as a base for the Soviet army before Lithuania’s independence, now busy drawing its new identity on the premises of the URBACT Integrated Action Plan.

Longford, the barracks in the heart of urban life
The Connolly Barracks in Longford are located right in the city centre. Dating back to the 19th century, they were closed in 2009 leaving a derelict, abandoned space where over 200 soldiers once used to work.
A large part of the site was bought by the local Council and since then it has occasionally hosted seasonal Festivals, which have confirmed that the former military space has a great potential both for public use – conferences, meetings, exhibitions or entertainment – and as the headquarters of new business activities.
The Barracks could represent a safe setting for various types of activities and are sufficiently wide to welcome several companies, associations and large numbers of citizens. Our Irish partner city strongly believes that enjoying and sharing this space could make people proud, once again, of their own town and community. The image that encloses their vision for the future of the former military area is meaningful: a torch that could light the path and take people out of the darkness. It's a strong metaphor, but it explains well the feeling of hope and the expectations linked to the reuse and renovation of this vast portion of urban territory.
Schools are among the ideal users of the future Connolly area, which could bring back joy, jobs and fun for peope in Longford. Maybe it could also help to clear whether it's true, as legend has it, that there is a network of underground tunnels linking the Barracks to the properties in the Main Street...