Future Cities at Placemaking Week Europe 2026

Four days full of ideas, encounters and inspiration: Future Cities joined more than 500 placemaking practitioners at Placemaking Week Europe 2026 in Wrocław, one of Europe’s largest gatherings for people working to create more liveable, inclusive and resilient cities.

Future Cities contributed to the programme with a workshop on the Liveability Design Approach (LDA). Set in the special atmosphere of a 15th-century church, the session explored how the approach can support cities in developing more liveable places together with local communities. Experiences from Gdynia offered valuable insights into how the LDA has been applied in practice and sparked an exchange with participants about its potential in different local contexts.

Another highlight was a panel discussion on the New European Bauhaus (NEB), moderated by the Future Cities team. The well-attended session brought together different perspectives and showed just how broad the NEB has become: from strategic urban development and resilience to community building and even sport. The discussion highlighted the many ways in which the NEB principles of sustainability, inclusion and aestehtics can translate into local action.

Beyond the sessions, Placemaking Week Europe offered countless opportunities to exchange experiences, make new connections and discover Wrocław itself. Walking through the city, meeting practitioners from across Europe and discussing ideas in very different settings made the week a rich source of inspiration for the work ahead.

Future Cities left Wrocław with new perspectives, new connections and plenty of ideas to carry into the platform over the coming years.