T-Factor, Łódź

T-Factor is a Horizon 2020 project designed to unlock the transformative potential of temporary use in urban regeneration. The project gathered together cities, universities, businesses and grassroots organisations. All shared a commitment to creating new knowledge, tools and approaches to temporary urbanism to support inclusive, sustainable, and thriving futures in cities. The project developed temporary use programmes within regeneration initiatives across Europe and China, using culture and creative collaboration to prototype urban hubs of sustainability, social innovation and inclusion.

Throughout this journey, T-Factor also leveraged the experience of advanced cases of urban regeneration that have shown pioneering approaches to temporary urbanism. Working with both early and advanced regeneration initiatives, T-Factor aimed to create sustainable and resilient communities, empower local stakeholders, and inspire global dialogue on the role of temporary use in shaping vibrant, equitable and adaptable urban environments for generations to come.     

As a research project, T-Factor primarily researched different modalities in which temporary use can contribute to urban regeneration. However, instead of theoretical research, T-Factor focused on eight advanced cases that allowed researchers to gain first-hand, practical experience from temporary use and adaptive reuse processes. These advanced cases included EC1 and New Centre in Łódź, Friche la Belle de Mai in Marseille (FR), King’s Cross in London (UK), Industry City in New York (USA), Manifattura Tabacchi in Firenze (IT), Red Town in Shanghai (China), 22@ in Barcelona (ES), and Union Quarter and Dortmunder U in Dortmund (DE). They contributed to a rich set of findings and learnings to inspire ongoing and future redevelopments.

Furthermore, the project supported six pilots that enabled the consortium to test new methods, tools and instruments and observe their efficiency, results and impact. These pilots included the Amsterdam Science Park (NL), Aleksotas in Kaunas (LT), Euston in London, MIND in Milan (IT), Trafaria in Lisbon (PT), Zorrotzaurre in Bilbao (ES), NICE 2023 in Nice (FR), and Xinhua Community Design Centre in Shanghai. 

Łódź’ contribution to T-Factor was carried out by the Łódź Municipality and the University of Łódź. Local work was organised around the case of EC1 Łódź, a revitalised and expanded complex of a former combined heat and power plant, which has become the seat of a cultural and scientific institution. The mission of EC1 is educational, with a focus on natural sciences and visual narrative arts – films, comics, video games – as well as entertainment to add pleasure to the process of acquiring knowledge. 

Activities in EC1 included guided tours of the facilities for the inhabitants, organised picnics, concerts, including classical music prepared in cooperation with the Łódź Philharmonic, as well as various exhibitions and performances. Besides cultural and educational activities, a series of design workshops, called “Stitch up the city”, helped generate new ideas for the adaptive reuse of the premises, leading to a new masterplan for the complex.

T-Factor, with research conducted and pilots supported in various cities across Europe and beyond, offers a series of learning points for multiplication and transfer. The difference in scale of the advanced cases and the pilots also suggests that scaling up the methods and tools of temporary use is possible, extending the impact of interventions on the urban regeneration process.