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We designed People-Driven City to feel like a city itself: a meeting place where different formats of discussions take place and surprises and encounters happen naturally. Our curatorial approach brought together diverse perspectives, ensuring that neighbourhood voices were equally represented alongside institutional expertise.
The first edition in 2017 took place in the main hall of the University of Helsinki, establishing the seminar's academic credibility while maintaining accessibility for community participants. This foundational event attracted over 500 participants representing cities, corporations, NGOs, universities, and media.
For 2019, we expanded the concept beyond a single city, organizing Lähiöfest across four Finnish cities—Espoo, Riihimäki, Kauniainen, and Helsinki. The People-Driven City conference served as the culminating event where findings and learnings from the festival were shared and digested, taking place at Dipoli, Aalto University in Otaniemi, Espoo.
We structured the conference to explore critical questions around empowering locality in fast-growing cities, examining diversity, equity, and whether desirable, sustainable, and affordable neighbourhoods were achievable goals or utopian dreams. Our programming addressed practical challenges like crowdfunding and public projects, citizen engagement in urban planning, and strategies for maintaining community character amid rapid change.
Our approach emphasized the importance of community and collaboration as drivers of urban change, reflecting our belief that as cities become more significant in the global context, neighbourhood-level solutions and local empowerment become increasingly vital. We wanted People-Driven City to inspire on many levels, which is why we included contributions from street photography artists, musicians, and even schools performing for the participants.
