Go Green Routes – Urban Play Europe
Go Green Routes – Urban Play was a six-city European initiative led by A Playful City to activate Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) sites through intergenerational play. Taking place in Burgas, Lahti, Limerick, Tallinn, Umeå and Versailles, the project addressed challenges around community engagement, inclusivity and sustainable urban design.
Over six months, the initiative combined cultural exchange, street games, and nature-based play through a three-phase process of promotion, play activation and documentation, fostering social inclusion, well-being and lasting connections to public spaces.
The project demonstrated how playful, inclusive urban activations and programmes can strengthen community bonds, encourage physical and mental well-being, and support sustainable development.
Collaborating with local governments, schools, artists and community groups, A Playful City tailored activations that bridged cultural differences and created accessible spaces for all ages, inspiring ongoing community involvement and environmental awareness across six diverse European cities.
GoGreen Routes 2024 Highlights
Through play and shared experiences, the GGR Urban Play events brought communities together and celebrated the potential of nature-based solutions to create healthier, more inclusive urban environments.
For information on GGR: gogreenroutes.eu
Burgas
Key project objectives of GGR - Urban Play included:
Creating inclusive and accessible play spaces in urban environments.
Facilitating intergenerational interactions and relationships.
Promoting physical activity and well-being.
Strengthening community bonds and fostering a sense of belonging.
The Triangles
The A Playful City team created a brief for collaborator and architect, Julie Molloy to design bespoke installations for the GGR Urban Play events.
The final brief sought an installation that would be;
Bright, colourful,eyecatching/act as event decor
Large enough in scale to make an impact in the space
Compact, lightweight and easy to travel with
Easy to set up and take down
Able to act as an informational display for information about GGR, NBS and the GGR Urban Play event itself.
Lathi
“By joining forces we created a big event which was also noticed in local media. Many young people asked if this kind of event will be organised in the future.”
- Taru Suutari, Project Manager; Municipality of Lahti, Finland
Limerick
“Allowing for opportunities to get feedback from younger users on how the space can be further enhanced, to tell us what’s missing.”
- Sharon Lynch and Carmel Lynch; Limerick City and County Council, Ireland
Talinn
“To organise a perfect event, you have to go to the people. ”
- Maria Derlõš; Municipality of Tallinn, Estonia.
Umea
“We have learnt the importance of how we invite our citizens to our events.”
- Eva Maaherra Lövheim, Traffic Planner; Municipality of Umea, Sweden.
Versailles
“It has been a great event today bringing nature to an urban landscape and activating the new green space (NBS) even more and listening again to the local people on what they wish for the use of the space”
- Julia Gäckle, Research Associate | Landscape Architecture M.Sc. Institut und Lehrstuhl für Landschaftsarchitektur, RWTH Aachen University
"Go Green Routes Urban Play Report: An Image Based Guide," details the Go Green Routes (GGR) project, an EU-funded initiative aimed at increasing nature-connectedness and promoting nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas.