The Mediterranean is currently at the epicenter of the climate crisis, with increasingly frequent urban heatwaves and extreme weather events accelerating the degradation of both urban and natural environments. At the same time, interdependent crises such as energy poverty, housing insecurity, and austerity intensify the already existing social impacts of the climate crisis. These impacts are manifestly unevenly distributed, reproducing and reinforcing existing social, economic, and cultural inequalities. Within this context, the cities and landscapes of Greece, the Balkans, and the broader Mediterranean are rapidly transforming, often in uncontrolled and unjust ways, highlighting the urgent need for spatial justice and a care economy that shields the most vulnerable.
The 3rd Conference on Participatory Design focuses on the complex and multi-layered interactions between climate change and spatial inequality in cities. The conference seeks to explore how the right to space is embodied and reclaimed through everyday experiences, planning, urban policies, forms of governance and movement action, in an environment of accelerating environmental and socio-economic crises.
Particular emphasis is placed on the connection between research results, but also experiences and projects from the field.
In this context, the central themes of the conference are the following :
The Right to the City
Urban Fabric, Public Space,
Everyday Life, Housing
The Right to Nature
Climate, Biodiversity,
Landscape, Disasters
The Right to the Commons
Natural Resources, Public Goods,
Infrastructures, Transportation
The Right to Visibility
Inequalities, Exclusions,
Gender, Origin
The "Research Dialogues" Forum, as part of the 3rd Conference on Participatory Design organized by participatory LAB on 5–7 December 2025 at the Agricultural University of Athens, aims to serve as a platform for presenting research, creative work, and movement approaches around the climate crisis, spatial justice, and participatory design. It invites researchers, urban planners/spatial planners, geographers, artists, activists, professionals/ practitioners in the field and representatives of relative institutions to collectively explore and critically reflect on how spatial justice can serve as a lever for social and environmental transformations in a context of multiple crises.
Focusing on the spatial dimensions of the climate crisis, the Forum explores:
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how everyday life, spatial planning, urban policies, and spatial governance are being reconfigured.
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how the role and action of urban movements in the city and planning are determined.
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how contemporary policies, strategies, and forms of governance manage the challenges of the climate crisis
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how communities in Greece, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean advocate for more democratic, just, and participatory approaches to spatial transformation.
This call is addressed to :
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Researchers, PhD candidates, postgraduate students or collectives intereseted in presenting part of their work or research
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Urban planners, architects, geographers and other professionals / practitioners.
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Representatives of relative institutions, municipalities and the broader public sector.
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Final-year students or recent graduates of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Planning or related fields, who wish to present models and design works related to the conference’s themes.
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Artists and designers interested in related themes.
Means of participation:
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Posters: A concise presentation of research results. (each participant will present their work in a 10-minute oral presentation during the conference as part of organised discussion panels)
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Design Projects: Presentation of undergraduate or postgraduate thesis design projects, related to the themes of the conference.
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Audiovisual material (e.g., video and/or photos)
For more information on the above please refer to the Submission Guidelines and the Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
Submission deadline extended until September 30th, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q) on participation submissions:
1. What do we mean by “spatial justice”?
As we have learned from critical and radical geographers such as Ed Soja, Doreen Massey, and David Harvey, spatial justice is not just about fair and equal access to space, resources, and opportunities in the city or countryside. More importantly, it is about the claiming of these rights and the efforts to address social, economic, and environmental inequalities as they manifest in space. These efforts are carried out both through urban environmental and social movements and through spatial planning. For this conference, we are interested in work that shows how spaces can be claimed or designed in ways that reduce inequalities and promote collective well-being.
2. I believe my submission touches on more than one of the conference themes. What should I do in this case?
Your proposal can certainly relate to more than one theme. When choosing a template, you may select the one that best represents your submission—or opt for the neutral template that is also provided.
3. I’m interested in submitting a design proposal. Does it need to be explicitly related to participatory design?
Submissions in any form (research, design, activism) are welcome as long as they align with the conference themes and can be evaluated for inclusion. For instance, a design proposal focused on improving accessibility for people with disabilities in public spaces could fall under the theme "Right to Visibility" without necessarily involving participatory design methods.
4. Does my submission need to be related to all three keywords (participatory design, climate crisis, spatial justice) in order to fit the conference framework?
We are looking for research-based, creative, or activist projects that reflect issues of spatial justice and contribute to the dialogue on how space is organized, who is excluded, and which inequalities are reinforced—especially in relation to the climate crisis, the environment, and everyday life. Submissions may address one or more of the following themes: the right to the city, the right to the commons, the right to nature, and the right to visibility—without necessarily addressing all of them. Please consult the detailed open call for more information.
5. Is there a participation fee for the conference?
Both participation and attendance are free and open to the public.
6. Do I need to register in order to attend the conference?
There is no need to (pre)register to attend the conference. Registration will take place at the conference desk, which will be open throughout all the days of the event.
7. I can't edit the .ppt file for the poster. Can I request access to the file?
There’s no need to request access. To fill in the poster template, first download the file to your computer. You can then edit it using PowerPoint or Google Slides.
8. My thesis is too long to fit into a 5-page PDF. What should I do?
We understand the size of a thesis, but for the purposes of the conference submission, a short summary (filled in via the Google Form) along with a 5-page PDF with key visuals is sufficient for the evaluation process.
9. Can I submit a proposal for a presentation or paper at the conference?
This year’s open call only concerns participation through posters, design proposals, or videos, with submissions accepted until September 14, 2025. The remaining sessions of the conference will be organized by the scientific committee and will be open to everyone for attendance.
10. Can I submit only a poster without an accompanying design proposal?
Yes. The Posters category is open to those who wish to present exclusively research results or projects without a physical model.
11. My thesis is research-based. In which category should I submit it?
Even though it is a thesis, you may submit it under the Posters category, provided it mainly focuses on methodologies or theoretical issues and is at postgraduate level or above, rather than being a design proposal.
12. My thesis is design-oriented but I do not have a model. Can it be included in the Design Proposals category?
No. The Design Proposals category requires at least one completed model to be exhibited at the conference. If no model is available, your work can be submitted in the Posters category.
Scientific Committee (the list will be updated)
Nicolas Anastasopoulos Associate Professor, School of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens, Researcher
Thanos Andritsos Architect- Urban Planner, PhD candidate, School of Architecture, NTUA, commonspace
Evangelos Asprogerakas Associate Professor, Dir. at Research Unit of Tourism Planning, Research and Policy, Dept of Planning and Regional Development, UTH
Evangelia Athanasiou Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning School of Architecture, AUTh
Giouli Athousaki Physicist, Actor, Educational and Cultural Programs Manager, commonspace
Efthimios Bakogiannis Associate Professor, School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, NTUA
Thomas Bizas "West Front" Social Initiative in West Attica
Ombretta Caldarice Associate Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at Politecnico di Torino
Nadia Charalambous Associate Professor, Director of Society and Urban Form (SURF) lab, Department of Architecture University of Cyprus
Anastasia Christaki Architect, MSc in Urban Planning, Head of the School of Architecture, NTUA, commonspace
Alex Damianos Lecturer/Researcher in environmental law & property law, University of Kent
Agnes Deboulet Professor of Sociology at the University of Paris 8 and researcher at LAVUE/CNRS
Agnes Deboulet Professor of Sociology at the University of Paris 8 and researcher at LAVUE/CNRS
Aggeliki Demertzi Economist - Urbanist, MSc, NTUA PhD, Co-Founder Symbolo GP
Ilaria Geddes Dr. Researcher at Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab, University of Cyprus
Katerina Gkoltsiou Assistant Professor, Agricultural University of Athens, President IFLA Europe
Giorgos Gritzas Professor, School of Spatial Planning and Development, AUTh, Dir. of the Postgraduate Program ‘Social & Solidarity Economy’ HOU
Stefania Gyftopoulou Architect - Urbanist, MSc Building and Urban Design in Development
Costis Hadjimichalis Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography, Harokopio University Athens
Sonja Horster Prof. Landscape Architect, Participation and Communication in Landscape Architecture, Weihenstephan Triesdorf, University of applied sciences
Eirini Iliopoulou Architect - Urbanist, co-founder at Symbolo GP
Platon Issaias Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, AUTh / Architectural Association
Dimitra Kanellopoulou Associate Professor École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture Paris-Malaquais, Founder of Politopia.eu
Emmy Karimali Architect, Human Geographer, PhD in Urban Studies, Researcher at Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Eleni Katrini Architect & Postdoctoral Researcher NTUA
Garyfallia (Fyllio) Katsavounidou Dr. Architect Engineer, SMArchS MIT, Associate Professor of Urban and Town Planning
Department of Spatial Planning and Development Engineering, AUTh
Rena Klampatsea Associate Professor, School of Architecture, NTUA
Alessio Kolioulis Lecturer in Urban Economic Development, The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (UCL)
Aliki Kosyfologou Dr. Political Science and Sociology, Gender and Social Policy Expert
Artemis Koumparelou Architect, MSc Geography, commonspace
Penny Koutrolikou Professor in Urban studies and urban design, School of Architecture, NTUA
Dionisia Koutsi Dr. Urban and Regional Planner, MSc Environment and Development, NTUA, commonspace
Vasiliki Krommyda Post-doctoral Researcher/ Department of Geography, University of the Aegean & Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Eleni Kyramargiou Senior Researcher Institute of Historical Research / National Hellenic Research Foundation
Olga Lafazani Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Humboldt University of Berlin
Apostolos Lagarias Assistant Professor of Spatial Planning and Climate Change, Department of Planning and Regional Development, UTH
Barbara Liepetz Professor of Urban Development Planning, DPU, Bartlet Faculty, UCL
Chiara Lucchini EUI/URBACT Expert
Kostas Manolidis Professor, Department of Architecture, UTh
Fabiano Micocci Assistant Professor, Deptartment of Architecture, UTh
Angeliki Mitropoulou PhD Candidate, University of the Aegean & Scientific Associate at the ENA Institute
Eleni Mougiakou Agricultural Engineer, MSc Geoinformatics, PhD Candidate, Agricultural University of Athens, commonspace
Michalis Nikolakakis Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Crete
Spyridoula Ntemiri Chemical Engineer, PhD, climate change expert and project manager/monitoring officer in climate change related projects
Aggeliki Paidakaki Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Harokopio University of Athens
Yannis Paraskevopoulos Surveying - Geoinformatics Engineer, MSc in Urban Planning, PhD candidate, NTUA, commonspace
Angeliki Paraskevopoulou Associate Professor, Agricultural University of Athens
Dimitris Pettas Senior Researcher, Technische Universität Berlin
Maria Pigaki Laboratory Teaching Staff, School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, President of Hellenic Geographical Society
Dimitris Poulios Dr. Architect-Urban Planner, NTUA, commonspace
Maria Sitzoglou Architect, Urban Designer, Founder of Design Clips studio
Pantelis Skayannis Professor Emeritus University of Thessaly, Professor POLIS University, Tirana
Nicola Tollin Professor wsr in Urban Resilience,Chairholder and Coordinator, UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience, University of Southern Denmark
Loukas Triantis Assistant Professor of Urban and Spatial Planning at the Department of Architecture of the AUTh, President of SEPOX
Sofia Tsadari Dr. Architect-Urban Planner, NTUA, commonspace, Vice president of SEPOX, member of excecutive committee of ECTP-CEU
Aristotle Tympas Professor, Director of the Interdepartmental Graduate Program 'Science, Technology, Society / Science and Technology Studies (STS)'
Dina Vaiou Professor Emeritus, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Architecture, NTUA
Giorgos Velegrakis Affiliated Lecturer, University of Crete, commonspace
Kostas Vourekas Architect-Urban Planner, commonspace, President of SADAS Attica
Organizing Committee
Sylvain Adam Architect, Non-Profit Organisation APPUII, COMMONSPACE
Thanos Andritsos Architect-Town Planner, COMMONSPACE
Giouli Athousaki AUTh Physicist, COMMONSPACE
Anastasia Christaki Architect-Urban Planner, COMMONSPACE
Mariza Daouti Architect, PhD researcher University of Manchester, KÆNA
Stefania Gyftopoulou Architect - Urbanist, MSc Building and Urban Design in Development
Aliki Kosyfologou Phd in Political Science and Sociology, Gender and Social Policy Expert
Artemis Koumparelou Architect, MSc in Geography, COMMONSPACE
Dionisia Koutsi Dr. Urban and Regional Planner, MSc Environment and Development, NTUA, commonspace
Natasa Lekkou Architect - Set designer, KÆNA
Eleni Mougiakou Agricultural Engineer, MSc Geoinformatics, PhD Candidate, Agricultural University of Athens, COMMONSPACE
Yannis Paraskevopoulos Geoinformatics Engineer-Urban Planner, PhD Candidate, National Technical University of Athens, COMMONSPACE
Dimitris Poulios Architect-Urban Planner, PhD NTUA, COMMONSPACE
Eftychios Savvidis Architect, KÆNA
Sofia Tsadari Dr. Architect-Urban Planner, NTUA, commonspace, Vice president of SEPOX, member of excecutive committe of ECTP-CEU
Giorgos Velegrakis Affiliated Lecturer, University of Crete & COMMONSPACE
Katerina Ventouri Administration Manager, COMMONSPACE
Melina Vlachou Architect - Illustrator, COMMONSPACE
Kostas Vourekas Architect-Urban Planner, President of the Attica chamber of Architecture Union, COMMONSPACE
The conference organisation is a collaboration between COMMONSPACE and KÆNA.
The project is financed with funds provided to RLS office in Greece
by the German Ministry of Economic Co-Operation and Development
