Placemaking Week Europe 2025 is Europe’s largest festival dedicated to urban place-making, scheduled to take place in Reggio Emilia, Italy, from September 23 to 26, 2025. The event is organised by the city of Reggio Emilia in partnership with Placemaking Europe, bringing together over 400 urban professionals, policymakers, community leaders, and innovators to exchange ideas and showcase best practices for creating vibrant, inclusive public spaces.
The 2025 edition leverages Reggio Emilia’s reputation as a hub of civic participation, social cooperatives, and educational innovation. Participants will explore four central themes: valuing diversity and inclusive design, reimagining historic city centres, fostering well-being in mid-sized cities, and rethinking urban mobility for greater connectivity and sustainability. Sessions, workshops, and site visits will highlight local and international examples of urban transformation, with venues such as the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre and Chiostri di San Pietro providing immersive learning environments.
The event emphasizes collaboration and mutual learning to address contemporary urban challenges, such as accessibility, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability, especially relevant for cities balancing tradition with innovation. Placemaking Week Europe 2025 offers a unique forum for practitioners to advance creativity, resilience, and liveability in public space development, showcasing Reggio Emilia as both a laboratory and exemplar for progressive urban strategies.