Co-management and activation of large urban spaces in the era of climate transformation

The area of Cartuja in Sevilla, hosts a science park, parts of the University of Sevilla campus and additional compagnies hosted in the buildings of the Expo92 which took place in Sevilla. In between there are significant portions of underutilised and unmanaged public spaces, which are deserted at night despite the proximity of Cartuja to the centre. The area has, therefore, significant revitalisation potential. On the other hand, changing climate conditions mean that public life is in fact threated in Sevilla, as during the summer months temperatures are expected to reach an average of 37 degrees with extreme temperature rising to 50 degrees for more than 10 consecutive days. Lastly, due to its ‘in-between’ nature and its foreseen usage, there was no obvious accountable owner of the specific space which in practice is ‘a park within a park’.

The outbreak of the global COVID-19 campaign elevated the need for recapturing, safeguarding and revitalising public spaces in such a way as to allow liveability under diverse climatic conditions and multifunctionality. CartujaQanat is an exemplary case in this respect as it has the potential to function as a space for events organisation, academic lectures delivery and general daily recreation.

After renovating a previously semi-derelict public space, a new approach must be identified which will bring citizens closer to the space and will help meet social engagement needs. A comparative analysis between existing international practices for open space management included famous paradigms from Collective occupations in Spain to the management of Kings Cross in London, UK and led originally to the Spanish cooperative model as a potential optimal approach. A formal entity would be created in the  form of a cooperative between the current key stakeholders who are linked to the space such as the Municipality of Sevilla, the University and PCT Cartuja as well as involving additional stakeholders from the organised and non-organised third sector that were to be identified.

However the above plan would be faced with a number of internal and external barriers:

• A standing prohibition to local administrations to create new entities on the basis of Spanish Law. This prohibition was put in place in the period after the 2009 EU financial crisis as a means to control the activity and expenses of the public sector. As a result, the City of Sevilla itself would in fact be excluded from the formation of a cooperative.
• The economic regulatory framework as it is currently in Spain could prevent the transfer of public sector funds to the new cooperative. Partly, this prohibition is in fact related to the absence of experience relative to such initiatives. In other words, the potential management innovation is not currently mirrored in Spanish Law and as such, according to the constitutional provisions for the operation of public entities the cooperative cannot function. A solution would be a new regulation that would specifically clarify the operational framework of public interest cooperatives.
• The outbreak of COVID19 and the global lockdowns which followed, distorted the citizen consultation process as well as the activation efforts relative to the space itself. A consultation process took place online but it was limited in terms of participation and detached from the space as there were no activities aloud.
• EMASESA and the City of Sevilla are currently working with the ‘interventor’ to identify the optimal regulatory solution to allow for the continued maintenance of the space.

• The key stakeholders of the space are EMASESA, Cartuja Science and Technology Park, the University of Sevilla and the Ayuntamiento of Sevilla (The City of Sevilla). These key entities have had divergent perceptions and interests as to the future usage of the space which, for example, referred to the possible types of uses such as event coordination, organising lectures and other student related activities or current maintenance and safety and security responsibilities.
• In addition, under the present status of the space there are several unknown factors including the future maintenance costs, the volume of activities and who will have the ultimate responsibility for any types of risks that may emerge.