DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-025-2-0233

REMINISCENCE OF THE FIRST MEETING: REACTIVATING URBAN VOIDS THROUGH PERFORMATIVE URBANISM STRATEGIES

Miroslav Čibik¹, Katarína Jankechová²

¹ Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia

² Institute of Literary and Artistic Communication at the Department of Ethics and Aesthetics, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia

Urban voids—often neglected and underutilised spaces—present opportunities for temporary, low-cost ephemeral invasive interventions that can reshape public space dynamics. This research investigates the potential of tactical urbanism and performative urbanism in reactivating such spaces, transforming them into platforms for social interaction, memory-making, and engagement. Through the case study of “Do you remember how we met?”, a temporary intervention in the centre of Bratislava, the study examines how participatory design and performative strategies can foster new spatial narratives. The intervention, an object-based installation, engaged passers-by in an interactive process, prompting reflection on first meetings and collective memory. Data collected from participants’ recollections revealed distinct layers of remembrance, illustrating the emotional and psychological dimensions of urban experience. The study further explores how tactical urbanism enables flexible, adaptive transformations of urban voids, while performative urbanism activates space through embodied social participation. Findings highlight the potential of ephemeral interventions to catalyse urban vibrancy, but also reveal challenges related to material resilience, engagement sustainability, and unintended interactions. This research contributes to the evolving discourse on temporary urbanism, advocating for experimental and participatory approaches that reimagine public space as a dynamic and socially responsive entity.

Keywords: tactical urbanism, public space, voids, invasive intervention, urban tourism

pages: 233-236, Published: 2025, online: 2025