As cities across Europe work to become more climate-resilient and community-focused, Cluj-Napoca is stepping forward with a unique approach: giving students a central role in shaping the future of its green spaces.
In partnership with the Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Development at USAMV Cluj-Napoca, the URBREATH project recently hosted a student design workshop that brought theory to life—bridging education, ecology, and urban transformation.
Designing with Purpose
The idea for the workshop took root during autumn discussions within Cluj’s Local Actor Network (LAN). Faculty and students at USAMV were eager to align their academic work with real-world urban needs. The result: a two-day intensive design atelier, followed by two weeks of individual work, focused on four pilot sites across the city.
Participants were tasked with developing three planting concepts per site, guided by recent community consultations. Each proposal needed to integrate ecological analysis, planting plans, and actionable nature-based solutions tailored to the specific conditions of each location.
Day 1: Observing the Ground, Listening to Voices
The workshop opened with an overview of the URBREATH project and its role in the wider European push for sustainable urban regeneration. Cluj, as a front-runner city, is exploring strategies to improve residential green pockets, blue-green corridors, and transport-adjacent zones.
Students were introduced to their design brief and then hit the ground—literally—visiting the four selected sites. Equipped with thermal cameras and checklists, teams examined everything from existing vegetation to mobility flows. Observations revealed common urban issues: heat-retaining materials, a lack of street furniture, fragmented green areas, and informal land use practices.
Day 2: From Insights to Ideas
The second day began with a deep dive into Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)—how ecological systems can inform design choices and restore urban ecosystems. Students also heard from a local urban planner, who shared examples of small-scale interventions that brought real change to Cluj neighborhoods.
Armed with this knowledge, the student teams spent the rest of the day developing their initial design concepts. These ranged from biodiversity-focused plantings to community-centered green layouts, each tied to the site’s specific conditions and user needs.
By the end of the day, the students presented their drafts in a collective feedback session. These early concepts now form the basis for a two-week individual refinement phase, where each team will finalise its proposals.
The Future is Collaborative
This workshop is more than an educational exercise—it’s a model of what urban co-design can look like when young people, academic institutions, and local communities work together. By empowering students to lead with both knowledge and empathy, Cluj is investing in a greener, smarter, and more inclusive future.
Stay tuned as the URBREATH pilot sites evolve, and these student-led visions begin to take root in the heart of the city.