English Information
urbanize! 2026
RECLAIM THE STREETS!
Public space or traffic area, sea of asphalt or green space, multifunctional or one-dimensional – the street is a space of social negotiation. It has always been a site of social struggles and political gatherings, a space for urban society. It is in constant flux, uniting proximity and distance, encounter and anonymity. Depending on its design, it can bridge or divide, create connections or isolate, and ensure that either might makes right or justice prevails. With the challenges posed by the climate crisis, social division and urban growth, the street – as a space of social, ecological and democratic possibility – is increasingly coming into focus as a key element of climate- and socially-just urban planning.
urbanize! 2026 brings together urban researchers, activists, artists and politicians to discuss the necessities and possibilities for transforming monofunctional traffic spaces back into vibrant, public urban spaces: How can we bring about the shift from a car-centred to a people-centred city? What possibilities open up for street space when equitable use of space becomes the norm? Is the street (still) suitable as a democratic space and a space for protest? How must streets and squares be redesigned so that the quality of life for everyone improves, despite the climate crisis?
The festival takes to the streets – and looks around: many positive measures are paving the way for the future, yet the streets are still predominantly used by cars. Despite the city’s overheating and the massive CO₂ emissions from traffic, it is proving difficult to move away from ›motonormativity‹. This also applies to Vienna, where fewer than a third of residents own a car. How can we bring about the cultural shift needed to accelerate the urban mobility transition? There is huge potential to transform street space back into an attractive, vibrant urban space: according to the VCÖ, Vienna’s 480,000 public parking spaces alone take up roughly as much space as the districts of Neubau, Josefstadt and Innere Stadt combined. It is high time to revive the streets as spaces for people to spend time in, as green recreational and play areas, and as spaces for active mobility. The many pilot and flagship projects are paving the way for genuine change in transport and urban planning policy. urbanize! 2026 focuses on the street as a public urban space: from green space justice and climate adaptation, through the social and health effects of ›motonormativity‹ – and ways to overcome it – to the street as a space for protest, negotiation, encounter and celebration, this multifaceted exploration of the street as a space of possibility spans a wide range of themes.
Join us and Reclaim the Streets!
Click here for the programme (mostly in german)
Overview of events and activities in English
13 OCT 2026
KÜCHENSCHIFF: A community kitchen based on solidarity in Matzleinsdorf
14 OCT 2026
PLAYING IN TRAFFIC: Exploring the street as a workplace between delivery apps and asphalt
> registration required
15 OCT 2026
PULS – Photo Walk: As part of the exhibition PULS, the collective westwaerts invites you on a westwalk through Ottakring (camera required).
GOLFCLUB ASPHALT: Playfully reclaiming street space in Hernals
16 OCT 2026
LIQUID PUBLIC SPACE DONAUKANAL: The Donaukanal between waterway, flood protection and urban river swimming
> registration required
NEGOTIATING THE CITY: Towards a New Role of Public Participation in Urban China. Book launch, workshop, exhibition and bar
THE POLITICS OF ACTION: Panel discussion: bringing climate change adaptation and greenspace justice to the street
17 OCT 2026
THE ART OF CROSSING STREETS: Participatory Performance by Geht-Doch and Kollektiv Klaus at Praterstern
PLAY THE STREET!: An intergenerational street festival to play, connect, and join in
18 OCT 2026
AUTOBAHN: Screening of Autobahn (Daniel Abma | DE 2019 | 85 min | OV w/ EST) and Autobahn-Knoten-Raten (Christoph Schwarz | AT 2022 | 4min | OV), followed by a conversation with Jutta Matysek (Rettet die Lobau – Natur statt Beton) and Klara Schenk (VCÖ)
> Tickets
ABOUT
urbanize! Int. Festival for Urban Explorations has been organised by dérive - Society for Critical Urban Research in Vienna, Berlin (2018) and Hamburg (2016) since 2010. The independent association is also editor of the quarterly journal dérive, which has been published since the year 2000 as an independent platform of discussion for critical urban research and urban activism. Furthermore dérive also regularly produces the podcast Radio dérive, which is dealing with questions of urbanity on different scales and is licenced as creative commons.
derive.at