VIRTUAL Barcelona Livable Cities

Abstract

This paper explores the role of community-led spatial practices in shaping urban livability through the case of the Kilburn Space Lab, an emerging initiative based in North West London. Developed as part of the One Kilburn alliance—a grassroots platform for collaborative urbanism—the project brings together local residents, designers, students, and policymakers to co-develop a vision for a community-driven “One Kilburn room.” The aim is to create a socially inclusive, adaptable space that enables civic dialogue, celebrates local identity, and supports sustainable futures. Drawing on outcomes from the Rebellious Spaces workshop held in March 2025—developed with Middlesex University, UCL’s Bartlett School of Planning, Politecnico di Milano, and supported by Camden Council—this paper critically reflects on how participatory design processes and interdisciplinary collaboration can serve as tools to counteract gentrification, privatization of public assets, and spatial injustice. Rather than proposing a singular solution, the workshop’s format enabled multiple spatial imaginaries to surface: from mobile storytelling installations and cultural bus stops, to modular public furniture and collective broadcasting hubs. These speculative interventions, rooted in deep mapping and community knowledge, challenge dominant narratives around regeneration and offer alternatives grounded in care, access, and local agency. This contribution sits at the intersection of Architecture, Communities & Cultures, and Public Services, offering a compelling case study on how micro-scale, civic design processes can contribute to broader debates around livability, governance, and public space in contested urban contexts like Kilburn—and beyond.