Under Collective Construction. About the participatory and social potential in city-making

The paper presents some findings of «Under Collective Construction»; an action-research programme (urban laboratory) focused on participatory methodologies addressed to foster a sustainable urban development founded on a social and human approach. Its final purpose is to stress the importance of improving the synergy between ‘formal’ and ‘informal’; developing an experimental participatory urban tool: «temporarily open»; a space-time device addressed to enhance urban quality working on public spaces and strengthening social solidarity. As its name suggests; its key issue is time: it works with different urban temporalities (considered in terms of rhythm; urgency and duration); using short-term actions to create better conditions and opportunities for long-term ones; concretely showing the possible long-lasting effects of the ephemeral.