One of the partners of SmartUrbI, Han van Geel (Board Member of the National Platform of Area-based Working (LPB) and District Director municipality of Zutphen), reflects on his lessons learned from the latest Transnational Lab in Govan, Glasgow.
What makes a smart urban intermediary effective? Reflections from Andrew Magowan
One of the key questions in this SmartUrbI project is how the work of a smart urban intermediary becomes effective. Andrew Magowan, a Link Up Programme Manager in Scotland was present during the recent Transnational Living Lab in Glasgow and tried to cover some essential characteristics in this new blog based on this paper.
Govan: a hub of activism – Building the first Govan Lab
Our first Lab was held at the Pearce Institute in Govan (Glasgow), an important community space in this neighbourhood. The session brought together eight smart urban intermediaries (SUIs) –people who are making a difference locally– and five cooperation partners, who are helping to connect local learning to national networks.
Govan: A site of urban innovation
At the centre of our collaborative research is Govan, a former ship-building neighbourhood with a long working-class history in Glasgow. As many industrial sites, Govan was harshly hit by the process of de-industrialisation. Unemployment and the dismantling of former industrial sites are just some of the issues that Govan had to face.