The Future DiverCities Learning Series is a new program designed to foster knowledge exchange and critical reflection on key topics at the intersection of art, culture, and urban transformation. Through a series of talks, the program will bring together experts, practitioners, and project participants to discuss pressing issues and share innovative approaches.
#1 Making a Garden to Make a Community
The first talk, “Making a Garden to Make a Community,” took place on Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 13:00 CET.
Click here to watch it.
This session explored participatory practices in community-building, artistic interventions for biodiversity, and using vacant spaces for cultural activities, with experiences from Italy, Romania, and Greece.
The guest speakers approached questions such as how can art practices foster community participation? What role does biodiversity play in urban cultural regeneration? How can we activate vacant urban spaces for collective benefit?
Speakers: Arianna Pace, Lucian Avramescu, and Bjorn Ricketts moderated by Dario Marmo (Lama).
Arianna Pace was one of A dimora’s artists for the 2024 edition. Arianna Pace is a visual artist and landscape researcher. Her practice reflects the perceptual process of belonging to the landscape that occurs as the gaze shifts to that part that is not immediately apparent to the observer. Like a palimpsest, the history of human beings, composed of traditions and traces, is layered on top of the natural history. The artist’s observation of the layers of time on earth reveals life forms that have left a precious trace; she studies them, reworks them, documents and archives them, trying to transform the care of material memory and scientific study into a form of survival that she shares with those who participate in his work. Recent projects include: “Dalle sculture nella città all’arte delle comunità”, Pesaro capitale italiana della cultura 2024 (Pesaro, IT); Tara Europa Expedition (IT – FR); “Nuovo Grand Tour”, Domain de Boisbuchet (Lessac, FR); BigCi Environmental Awards (Bilpin, New South Wales, AU); Una Boccata d’arte (Rivello, Basilicata IT); Mac (Padova, IT); primo premio, YAG/garage, scuola marchigiana (Pescara, IT). Arianna was also the winner of The Special GNAM Prize for her work Einfühlung.
More links to delve into her work and her research: artwork for A dimora 2024; Instagram; latest interview; artist’s website.
Lucian Avramescu is a third-generation beekeeper with a deep passion for the fascinating world of bees. He manages an apiary with over 120 beehives, a place where nature and technology harmoniously intersect. In addition to his beekeeping endeavors, he has built a solid career as an electronics engineer in the automotive industry, with over 18 years of experience and more than 10 years dedicated to project and team management. In 2024, he completed a master’s degree on “Using Blockchain Technology for the Traceability of Beekeeping Products,” an initiative that merges innovative technology with the rich tradition of beekeeping. Since last year, he has been pursuing a PhD at the Life Science University in Timișoara, where he is researching the evolution of honey quality in the Banat region over the past half-century.
Bjorn Ricketts is a highly experienced Cultural Production Manager at PLEX and Bios Organisation, specializing in film production and visual theory. With several years of dedicated work in both the creative and civic engagement sectors, he has established himself as an expert in managing the entire lifecycle of film projects. Throughout his career, Bjorn has supervised numerous film productions, demonstrating a deep understanding of every stage of the process—from initial ideation and design, through preproduction, and on to final production, realization, and distribution. His comprehensive expertise ensures that creative visions are seamlessly translated into compelling, high-quality productions.
In addition to his work in film, Bjorn has been actively involved in various civic initiatives. This engagement has enriched his skills in developing effective programs and implementing best practices that foster community involvement and cultural enrichment. His ability to blend artistic innovation with civic responsibility makes him a valuable asset in any creative project. Renowned for his innovative approach and commitment to excellence, Bjorn Ricketts continues to drive cultural and artistic projects that make a meaningful impact on both the arts community and society at large.
#2 Urban Regeneration and Sustainability (cluster commoning)
“Urban Regeneration and Sustainability (cluster commoning)” took place on Wednesday 19 March 2025 at 13:00 CET (90 min).
Click here to watch it.
This session explored the activation of the stakeholders, sustainable urban regeneration, and the integration of the culture in urban planning.
The guest speakers approached questions such as how can stakeholders from different sectors collaborate effectively in urban regeneration projects and plans? What role can art and culture play in creating sustainable urban futures? How can lessons from successful regeneration projects be adapted to other urban contexts?
Speakers: Nicolas Dupont, Lisa Birgand, and Milla Kallio, moderated by Dario Marmo (Lama).
Co-founder of FEMMA Planning, Milla Kallio is an urban geographer who works towards creating socially and ecologically sustainable urbanities. Milla has been working with participatory urban planning for 8 years and has a strong strive to improve urban planning processes towards a more participatory and bottom up approach. Milla is a geographer at heart but also applies futures studies and design thinking methods in her work.
FEMMA Planning was founded in 2019 by Milla Kallio and Efe Ogbeide and specializes in participatory urban planning. FEMMA works with municipalities, private developers, art institutions, museums and universities in engaging residents, youth, entrepreneurs, artists and other stakeholders in urban development in order to create a more holistic urban planning process that takes into account residents’ varying needs and hopes for the future. FEMMAs methods include participatory research, ethnographic interviews & observation, co-creation and scenario workshops.
Before founding FEMMA Planning Milla worked at startup incubators and ran workshop programs on concept development and community creation, first at Helsinki Think Company and later at Dololo Namibia in Windhoek, Namibia.
Lisa Birgand is in charge of territorial relations at the cultural action service of SCIC Friche la Belle de Mai. Having arrived four years ago in this dynamic ecosystem that is La Friche, she is responsible for connecting with social and cultural structures in the area to assist them in co-constructing cultural action projects. In this role, she coordinates the youth activities at La Friche. She is convinced that the key to meaningful projects that respect cultural rights lies in the human relationships that stakeholders are able to create and maintain. Her work is to facilitate the emergence of these connections and contribute to strengthening them.
As part of Future DiverCities, Lisa worked with the social actors in the neighborhood involved in the garden project.
Nicolas Dupont is in charge of local cooperation at Friche la Belle de Mai. He facilitates relations between La Friche and the surrounding area (socio-cultural organizations, businesses, residents’ collectives) to strengthen interactions, forge new relationships, and make La Friche’s resources more accessible. He also leads a territorial cooperation initiative within the Belle de Mai neighborhood to promote mutual understanding, identify common issues in the area, and develop collective strategies. Prior to this, he worked for 15 years in the field of participatory audiovisual media within the Tabasco Vidéo association and developed citizen media projects and territorial storytelling initiatives.
Nicolas actively participated in the first phase of the project Future DiverCities to identify an available space, establishing relationships with residents, public authorities, and private operators.
#3 Urban Biodiversity Practices (Part I)
“Urban Biodiversity Practices (Part I)” will take place on Thursday 24 April 2025 at 13:00 CET (90 min).
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This session explores biodiversity practices, bio-design in architecture, and DIY interventions in public spaces.
The guest speakers approached questions such as how can biodiversity principles be integrated into urban design? What innovative methods can make sustainability approachable for local communities? How do DIY and artistic practices contribute to urban revitalization?
Speakers: Katja Banović, Diana Giurea, Alex Lambert and Florine Cruel, moderated by Dario Marmo (Lama).
Katja Banović is an architect and designer, and co-founder of 7:37, a practice that explores the intersections of architecture, set design, and performative spaces. Holding a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Applied Arts Vienna, her work focuses on framing and narrative construction. Bacteria Babies, developed in collaboration with Xavier Madden, investigates decentralized production, environmental conditions, and the evolving relationships between people and living materials.
Diana Giurea is an architect and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Politehnica University of Timișoara, Romania, where she currently serves as Head of Department. Her academic and professional work converges in both the theory and practice of temporary architectural structures, with a particular focus on integrating natural principles into architecture, as well as applying digital tools and fabrication techniques. Over the past decade, she has led the design and construction of the Plai Festival and served as lead designer, project manager, and site manager for ARChA—the faculty’s new flagship space—nominated for the Beta Architecture Awards in the Interior Design category.
Alex Lambert and Florine Cruel are members of Terrains Vagues, a multidisciplinary collective based in Marseille since 2020. Embracing an active, site-specific approach, the collective investigates the social dynamics, needs, and collective memories of a territory to develop installations rooted in place-based realities. Through the construction of micro-architectures, adaptable objects, and graphic interventions, Terrains Vagues reimagines spaces as sites of potential—enabling encounters and the reappropriation of shared resources.
