U!R Commons Day 2026

The international and interdisciplinary U!R Commons Day took place on 28.04.2026 15.00 -17.30 CET and attracted about 90 participants from the European University network. This year the focus was vacant or underused spaces and commons-oriented solutions in U!REKA cities.

This event takes place once a year and brings together reseachers from U!REKA universities with teachers and students of the current Urban Commons courses of the involved partner universities. This year participants were from HOGENT, Meteropolia Helsinki, IPL Lisbon, VSB Ostrava, as well as students from the departments of Architecture, Geomatics, Civil Engeneering, as well as Social Work and Health from Frankfurt UAS.

This years contributions included the screening of student documentary videos “Culture Campus: Vacant Spaces in Transition” of the project module: Co-Laborate: Social Architectures (BA Social Work, Frankfurt UAS), we recieved an input by Tine Vanthuyne (HOGENT and eCO-CITY) on “Vacant Spaces and Social Justice” followed by exchange in smaller interdisciplinary and international groups of students and staff on current projects and plans for the semester. Furthermore inputs by Tereza Majstríková (VSB Ostrava) “Commons in Revitalizing Brownfields – Case Study of Bravantice Castle and other places in the Czech Republic” and “Choreographic Creation in the Museum ” by Angelo Neto (IPL Lisbon) as well as by the Metropolia student Samantha Azacon Garcia (Metropolia UAS Helsinki) on a disused commercial space in a residential area in Finland widened the scope.

Most felt that it was a very interesting and lively event, that they got to know U!REKA and the European University better and could get new (interdisciplinary and international) perspectives from the contributions and exchange in the network. Many saw the event was very useful for their project work and professional development and highlighhted that they would like to join further U!REKA events in the future.