Hybrid Spaces: values, relations and participation

Abstract

This chapter frames the rise of socio-cultural hybrid spaces (SCHS) as a response to underutilised public interiors and shifting patterns of access produced by the digitalisation of public services in Italy. It situates SCHS at the intersection of cultural production, social innovation, and urban regeneration, arguing that their adaptive, multifunctional character enables new forms of civic infrastructure, participatory governance, and inclusive value creation. Building on the PRIN 2022 action-research project OSMOSI, and two pilot sites—Open Casello (Milan) and the Museo delle Città del Mondo (Palermo)—the contribution proposes a transferable framework to guide public administrations and stakeholders in designing, managing, and evaluating SCHS across diverse contexts. It further examines the role of digital collaborative environments (including metaverse-based co-design) in extending participation, while cautioning on access and inclusivity, and advances a strategic shift from temporary, consumption-led projects toward permanent, public-facing infrastructures that anchor everyday civic functions.