What turns a space into a place?

Vivian is an urban planner, geographer and board member of Placemaking Europe. For her, placemaking is more than activating a square or adding colourful furniture. It is a mindset that brings communities, public authorities and professionals together to rethink how shared places are used, experienced and cared for.

What happens when a city turns back towards the water? And what do we lose when public space becomes too controlled, too polished or too predictable?

With Vivian, I talk about Thessaloniki’s rediscovered waterfront, hidden water beneath Athens and why a little friction and chaos might actually be good for urban life.

We also get into the bigger questions: climate change, privatisation, democracy and the pressure on the people trying to change cities. Because placemaking is not on ...