Metamorphosis: Child-friendly transformation of neighbourhoods to increase the quality of life of all inhabitants

© Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis (Greek) means "transformation" and is normally used to describe the development of different animals. Yet the term is not exclusively used in the field of biology, as shown by the EU funded project “Metamorphosis”. In cooperation with eleven partners, the Chair of Transport Ecology aims to transform streets, squares and neighbourhoods, especially for one target group: children. Children friendly areas are, for example, places with little or no car traffic, with a lot of green, with opportunities for playing and seating, with an environment that invites you to linger and engage in conversations. Such spaces support a sustainable transport development. In short: they are strengthening neighbourhoods, where families, the elderly, mobility reduced people and everybody else feel comfortable and safe.

In the course of the project, suitable measures are being developed in seven cities, in collaboration with municipalities and in particular with children. Measures could be (temporary) road blockages or raised beds for vegetables or flowers instead of parking lots. In each project step children will be involved - in the analysis, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of the results. This proceeding gives the opportunity to analyse the problems from the children's perspectives as well as to develop adequate and accepted measures.

The Chair of Transport Ecology is responsible for the scientific process monitoring and the impact evaluation. In addition to enhancing the neighbourhoods in the seven partner cities, the aim is to develop a guide for other municipalities.

Further information and news you can find on the official project website: http://www.metamorphosis-project.eu/

FINANCING

• European Commission (Horizon 2020)

PARTNERS

• Forschungsgesellschaft Mobilität (FGM), Austria (project leader)
• City of Alba Iulia, Romania
• City of Meran, Italy
• City of Tilburg, The Netherlands
• City of Southampton, Great Britain
• City of München, Germany
• Lendwirbel Graz, Switzerland
• NHTV Breda University of Applied Science, The Netherlands
• TU Dresden, Chair of Transport Ecology, Germany
• University of Southampton, Great Britain
• Ökoinstitut Südtirol, Italy
• synergo Mobilität-Raum-Politik GmbH Zürich, Switzerland

LEADERSHIP

• Prof. Dr. Udo Becker
• Dipl.-Ing. Rosemarie Baldauf (on Maternity leave since Nov. 2019)
• M.Sc. Jan Peter Glock

RESEARCHERS

• Dipl.-Ing. Rosemarie Baldauf (on Maternity leave since Nov. 2019)
• M.Sc. Jan Peter Glock
• M.Sc. Loredana Dazzo

TERM

• 06/2017 to 05/2020