ROCK

Title: Regeneration and Optimisation of Cultural heritage in creative and Knowledge cities
Acronym: ROCK
Funding: Horizon 2020 | H2020-SC5-2016-2017
Lead Applicant: Comune di Bologna
Duration: 36 months
Website: www.rockproject.eu



ROCK aims to develop an innovative, collaborative and systemic approach to effective regeneration and adaptive reuse strategies in historic city centres. By implementing a repertoire of successful heritage-led regeneration initiatives, it will test the replicability of a spatial approach and of successful models addressing the specific needs of historic city centres. ROCK will deliver new ways to access and experience Cultural Heritage [CH] ensuring environmental sound solutions, city branding, bottom-up participation via living labs, while increasing accessibility and safety in the involved areas.


The added value is the combination of sustainable models, integrated site management plans and associated funding mechanisms encouraging PPP, based on successful financial schemes and promoting the creation of industry-driven stakeholders’ ecosystems in 7 Role Model cities (Lyon, Turin, Liverpool, Vilnius, Cluj, Athens, Eindhoven) and 3 Replicator cities (Lisbon, Skopje, Bologna).


Urbasofia is mainly responsible for the Implementation of Role Model Initiatives through the application of ROCK technologies and tools, aiming to redefine the accessibility to public space facilities, cultural institutions and architectural monuments through location based services while addressing environmental changes, enhancing the potential for developing new local economies, as well as enabling local governance capacities and efficiency. The implementation activities of Role Model Initiatives or/and on-going projects could be gathered under the following 3 topics:

  • Culturalscapes and creative urban environments, as a comprehensive tool, highlighting the role of city branding in promoting cultural heritage identity, by pioneering a system for digital cultural heritage preservation;
  • Monitoring and management tools, aimed at evaluating results, impacts and thus providing necessary feedback for improving citizens’ life conditions;
  • Heritage Governance, based on a collaborative multi-stakeholder platform as an efficient means to increase public participation and gain agreement and support of all relevant stakeholders (local communities, entrepreneurs and businesses).

ROCK Kick-off Meeting was held in Bologna, as a key venue for the topic of Cultural Heritage [CH]. During the 3-day conference (June, 14th-16th), Bologna benefitted from the presence of more than 130 participants, from 13 countries in Europe, counting 3 partners from Romania: URBASOFIA, Cluj-Napoca Municipality and ARIES Transilvania. As a little reminder of the intense, but at the same time productive work during the project opening, we invite you to take a look at some inspiring pictures: