Public spaces do not always have to wait years for planning and major investment. Sometimes all it takes is the initiative of people who want to improve a place they use every day.
Today, the area in front of GRG7 Kandlgasse secondary school in Vienna's Neubau district has been transformed into a welcoming space shaped by the entire school community. Students, teachers, parents and neighbours worked together to create a place for breaks, socialising and everyday school life.
The community installation took place on 8 June. As part of the project, we donated our Platform parklet to the community. With the support of the mmcité team, the students assembled it themselves directly in front of the school, becoming active participants in transforming a place they will use every day.
The project is based on the principles of tactical urbanism. The temporary intervention is not the end goal but the first step towards a permanent transformation. As part of the project, raised planters made from Euro pallets were built, new greenery was planted, and new urban furniture was installed. Over the coming months, the school forecourt will serve as a living laboratory, with insights gained from its everyday use helping to shape its final design.
Projects like this demonstrate that even small changes can have a significant impact. When the local community is directly involved in transforming public space, people naturally develop a stronger connection to the place.
