The bi-annual project days provide an excellent opportunity for updates and an intensive exchange of experiences within the entire project team. The atmosphere was one of action and motivation - both to give the pilot projects further impetus and to give a boost to the redesign of streets and squares throughout Austria and internationally.

The project team took stock

It all started with the different work packages. These ranged from project management to the buddy programme, participation and communication strategies, public relations, toolbox navigator, practical handbook, best practice community and follower programme, evaluation and monitoring. Much has been achieved - much is in the pipeline.

The wide range of pilots brings an enormous diversity of perspectives and challenges to the research project and gives us the opportunity to grow together. It has become clear that some pilots have 'broken through the bottleneck' in recent months and have gained considerable momentum. The tenor: to get through all the 'ups and downs' of project development, you need 'stamina and elephant skin' and flexibility - because 'things usually turn out differently than planned'.

The meeting was very inspiring and showed that obstacles and levers are often similar and that solutions can be found together through dialogue. Sometimes, however, very specific frameworks are needed, such as the 'tree budget' in Graz. This means that trees are not cut down if the project budget is tight.

First summary

In the two years of working together on the project, we have all learned a great deal, benefited from each other and appreciated how mutual support and innovative perspectives can help a project move forward.

A participant with knowledge of research projects said: 'There is no disillusionment in the Trans|formator:in project. On the contrary, the project team is burning with enthusiasm. The halfway point motivates us and makes us beam with joy - even if there is still a lot to do.

Outlook

The Trans|formator:in project will continue in rapid succession over the following months. A few milestones: the publication of the practical handbook is in the starting blocks, more voices of transformation will provide success stories in video format, the buddy programme will provide new insights with on-site workshops - the first joint excursion will lead to Maribor in November, the learning hub will continue to rotate, the content of the toolbox navigator will be further expanded and the pilot projects will attract attention with some news.