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WECARE

Warding Ecosystem Commons through Action-Research and Education

WECARE is a European Project that brings together people from Barcelona, Bucharest, and Krakow to understand the importance of environmental commons. It uses an action-research methodology that brings neighbours, students, and researchers together to discuss the issue.

This page shows a compilation of some activities that the team realised during the first kick-off workshop, as well as the reflections on those meetings

Barcelona

PLANTADA. A Living Monument to Community, Memory and Green Resistance in Besòs i Maresme.

On April 5th, the courtyard of Escola Concepción Arenal in the Besòs i Maresme neighbourhood of Barcelona became the heart of a powerful act of collective imagination. Organised by MITO Collective within the framework of the WECARE project (Warding Ecosystem Commons through Action-Research Education, funded by the European Union), PLANTADA brought together neighbours, artists, activists and local entities to construct a living counter-monument—a participatory and symbolic intervention rooted in ecological care, cultural memory and neighbourhood solidarity.

Bucharest

Ierbar de Crângaşi

The Crângași Herbarium, a curated collection of drawings, maps, photographs, analyses, texts, and dioramas contained in a small piece of furniture located inside a public library in the Crângași neighbourhood. The herbarium presents a condensed story of the minor history of how residents live in the neighbourhood and the ways in which practices of neighbourliness and conviviality manifest in the spaces of the city.

Kraków

The Four Seasons of the Mistrzejowice

During the second half of 2024 and the early months of 2025, the Institute of Architecture Foundation team researched the archival materials, history press materials, and historic iconography, as well as met with still-active authors of the architectural and artistic projects completed in Mistrzejowice District and Złotego Wieku (Golden Age) Estate in particular

Barcelona

Networks of support

El Besòs i el Maresme is one of the most culturally diverse and socially challenged communities in Barcelona. In this context, there are different networks of people who work together to provide mutual support. From learning to read and write Spanish and Catalan to having a plate to eat every day, the neighbours organize to fulfil all the necessities of the community.

Barcelona

Struggle for Clean Air

In our neighbourhood, there is everything that Barcelona rejects”, explains Ramon Tur, who is part of the Coordinator of Neighborhood Entities and representative of Barri Net and Airenet. Barcelona has displaced to El Besòs i el Maresme the services, infrastructure and equipment that do not fit in the city centre. The most notable cases are the combined cycle power plant; the contamination due to the presence of asbestos left by the demolition of the old industrial fabric; and the Forum complex, where mass tourism leisure events and macro-festivals generate annoyance for the residents living around the area; plus the air pollution due to the presence of the Ronda Litoral.

Barcelona

Re-naturalize the tree pits to unite the community

The neighbourhood of el Besòs i el Maresme lacks well-maintained green spaces that could become biodiversity shelters and improve the climatic conditions. The drought suffered in the area in recent years has caused water distribution problems in both the private and public sectors, resulting in the lack of watering of trees from the streets. Some residents have started to revert this situation by “sponsoring” the tree pits they have close to home. This way, they have been taking care of them, watering and planting some smaller bushes, and building shelters for insects and little animals.

Bucharest

A Tale of Two Lakes

With the process of reorganising large areas of Bucharest in the 1980s, the Dâmbovița River was systematised. Two artificial dam lakes were planned at opposite ends of the city: Lake Morii and Delta Văcărești to prevent flooding. But they became much more. This video shows part of their story.

Bucharest

The Library as an Engine for Social Relations

The Nichita Stănescu Public Library, located in Bucharest’s Crângaşi district, is one of the last remaining parts of the city’s public equipment network.
The public libraries in Bucharest are important resources for local communities. This video shows how they can become focal points for the neighbourhood hosting different activities and providing resources and spaces for the neighbours.

Bucharest

Gardening as a Resistance

Green areas near residential buildings are important resources for some residents of the Crângaşi district. They serve both aesthetic and therapeutic functions for those who design them, creating a collective mosaic.

Krakow

Neighbourhood Resources: Greenery and Community

The Zlotego Wieku housing state organizes its greenery in a large-scale park. Nevertheless, apart from all the trees and bushes close to the dwellings, there are also some extended green areas. One of these is the territory near the Stronghold 48: Batowice, a military construction from the end of the 19th century. Until today, the Metropolitan area of Krakow is surrounded by these military constructions, creating a green belt for the city. Nowadays, the fortification of Batowice is empty, with no use.

Krakow

Architectural Barriers and Drought

Looking at the age pyramid of the Zlotego Wieku housing state, it becomes clear that a significant part of the residents are old people. The peaceful and quiet neighbourhood of Mistrzejowice is surrounded by greenery. Becoming a welcoming place to retire. This greenery was a key point during the design of the place. All the people living here are aware of the wealth of these surroundings that are now threatened by the increase in car use and the need for parking places. They are coming together to defend it and ensure it remains as it is now.

Krakow

Active local community

The strength of the Mistrzejowice district is its well-rooted community. Residents of this estate feel bonded to it and are involved in the matters that affect them. Some social infrastructures such as the Kuznia Club are key to hosting the residents and reinforcing their organization.