ULL Valencia Workshop 27th-28th march 2024
The second workshop took place in Valencia on March 27–28, 2025. The visiting partners were introduced to the case of the city’s historic centre (Ciutat Vella) through the lens of the 15-minute city concept. Key issues were addressed, including the conflict between housing and tourist apartments, the loss of social fabric and the disappearance of traditional and artisanal businesses, as well as challenges related to mobility, transportation, and last-mile logistics.
Day 1 (27th march 2024)
The workshop was held at various locations within the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). The Valencia team presented their work to the other groups from Trondheim, Oxford, and Gdańsk in the projection room of the School of Architecture. Afterwards, participants were divided into working groups to co-create solutions to the issues presented.
In the afternoon session, the group visited research facilities, where the research team showcased their use of Extended Reality (XR), digital twins, and empathetic evaluation of urban environments. We even experienced their VR tools — what if we could anticipate urban transformations before they happen?
The day continued with a walking tour of Valencia’s historic centre, led by Amics del Carme, starting from Torres de Serranos and moving towards El Carmen. The route highlighted the city’s medieval roots, preserved narrow streets, architectural heritage, and ongoing urban transformations. The team also visited José Luis March’s workshop, witnessing firsthand how craftspeople navigate the changing urban landscape.
Walking tour of Valencia’s historic centre
Carlos and Teresa took us through the historic centre of the city to visit the key places in person. We walked through the main tourist streets of the city seeing the abandoned residential buildings, tourist flats, traditional shops and the main cultural attractions. We had the opportunity to visit the old workshop of Pepe March, member of a saga of artisans of more than 4 generations. His workshop was in danger of disappearing as a result of urban speculation, but a neighbourhood and popular mobilisation managed to ensure that it remained.
Day 2 (28th march 2024)
The workshop was held at Las Naves, a cultural and innovation centre run by the Valencia City Council. The session included the following contributions:
- Javier Bono from ARQUEHA introduced InPlan, a platform designed to make urban planning smarter with data. A field survey of Valencia’s historic centre revealed 44 available commercial spaces — enough to meet four times the current local demand.
- Ernesto Faubel Cubells presented the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC), which aims to connect local digital twins across Europe and emphasises the critical role these tools play in shaping resilient, data-driven urban development.
- Paula Llobet Vilarrasa, Councilor for Innovation, Digital Agenda, Investment Attraction and Tourism at Valencia City Council, offered a deep dive into Valencia’s leadership in urban innovation, highlighting forward-thinking projects that enhance urban resilience and sustainability.
- Ángel Navarro Moros from Valencia Innovation Capital shared insights from the Urban Sandbox of València, focusing on urban logistics — including supply chains, vehicle types, consolidation centres, cargo bikes, regulations, and public-private partnerships. He stressed the importance of stakeholder engagement in testing and validating urban strategies to ensure alignment with real-world conditions.
Following these presentations, the groups formed on Day 1 presented their analyses and proposed solutions, addressing challenges related to housing, tourist apartments, urban logistics, and the preservation of traditional crafts in Valencia’s historic centre.
ENACT 15 mC 