Exploring Alternative Financing Models for Temporary Uses
On 15 and 16 April 2025, the Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL) hosted the 4th Interregional Thematic Seminar of our project. The meeting officially opened the fifth semester of activities, kicking off a new shared learning cycle focused on alternative financing models and mechanisms for temporary uses.
Project partners and stakeholders from across Europe gathered in Lille to exchange experiences, share policy innovations, and visit on-the-ground examples of how temporary use can be sustained and scaled—financially, socially, and institutionally.
Setting the Agenda: A European Vision for Temporary Uses
Opening the seminar, Mr Dominique Baert from MEL reminded participants of the growing importance of temporary use in urban policy. Citing the transformation of Place Jacques Février as a case in point, he called for more structured support systems and cross-sector collaboration to make time-limited interventions a real tool for equitable urban regeneration.
Mr Stefano Baccelli echoed this vision from the Tuscany region. He described how temporary use is increasingly central to Tuscany’s regional strategy, not only to reduce land consumption but also to activate spaces with community-led solutions. Funding instruments and pilot projects are already being deployed to embed these practices into long-term planning.
Together, these two opening speeches framed the conversation that followed: how can we make temporary uses more viable, accessible, and impactful, starting with financial mechanisms?
Diverse Practices, Shared Questions
During the presentation of good practices, each partner brought its local perspective, offering an insight into the tools, incentives and governance models already in use.
- Tuscany Region shared how it leverages structural funds to finance temporary uses, creating synergies between EU programmes and community needs.
- Mazovia Region presented the Citizens’ Budget of the Commune of Sochaczew as a concrete example of civic-driven funding.
- Bucharest-Ilfov RDA illustrated how “living labs” and adaptive governance support bottom-up experimentation and multi-actor collaboration.
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria introduced a model where traditional markets double as social spaces, supported through targeted local investments.
- Riga shared practical incentives like tax discounts for social initiatives and property taxes on neglected buildings to unlock spaces for temporary use.
- Métropole Européenne de Lille focused on governance arrangements to facilitate tax exemptions for vacant properties made available for transitional uses.
Two additional presentations complemented these examples:
Mazovia Region presented survey results indicating a growing interest—but still low awareness—around temporary use among local stakeholders.
Plateau Urbain (Paris), guest of the meeting, showcased innovative hybrid financing models that combine public funding with entrepreneurial revenues, making temporary uses more resilient and inclusive.
Learning on the Ground: Study Visits in Roubaix and Lille
The second day took participants beyond the meeting room, exploring how ideas discussed in theory play out in practice.
Terrain Rouge – Activating Space through Participation
In Roubaix’s Alma district, the Terrain Rouge project is reclaiming a former public space through incremental, low-cost interventions. Led by SEM Ville Renouvelée and Atelier Powa, the initiative mobilises local residents—especially youth—in co-designing and building temporary elements like gardens, play areas, and shaded rest spots. These features don’t just bring life back to the space; they’re also shaping the future permanent park by trial and feedback.
Les Manufactures Tissel – A Circular Economy Hub
Not far away, Les Manufactures Tissel demonstrates how temporary use can support circular economic models. A former textile factory now hosts a range of actors working on sustainability—from eco-construction to creative upcycling. Shared equipment, collaborative production, and access to affordable space make the site an ecosystem for green innovation and urban resilience.
Fives Cail Babcock – Large-scale Adaptive Reuse
Back in Lille, the former Fives Cail Babcock industrial site is being transformed into a mixed-use, sustainable neighbourhood. Through eco-design, phased development, and strong civic engagement, the project integrates housing, education, and entrepreneurship while preserving its industrial heritage. Temporary uses have helped activate and test new functions during redevelopment.