NITRA
ART AND ENVIRONMENT HUB
On this page you will learn about the Visionary and Integrated Solutions (VIS) implemented in the pilot city of Nitra during the course of the IN-HABIT project.
About the city
Nitra is a small city in the Slovak Republic with less than 80,000 inhabitants. With the arrival of large employers, it has experienced an increase in foreign immigration. Foreign investments have brought wealth to the city, but also important challenges linked to its inhabitants’ health and wellbeing.
Thematic focus: Art and Environment
Geographical focus: Dražovce neighbourhood
OBJECTIVE
The project aimed to improve opportunities for inclusion and wellbeing by transforming a cycle road with numerous innovations.
VIS SUMMARY
IN-HABIT established a reversible multifunctional open-source urban landscape along the cycle road linking the Industrial Park and Dražovce with the city centre. A series of movable multifunctional elements provided a platform for social, cultural, educational and sport activities along the cycle road. Interactive lighting solutions and experimental gardens were also developed as part of the project.
DISCOVER NITRA’S VISIONARY AND INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
1. Participatory site-specific art residency as an engagement, co-design tool and an inclusive art and urban intervention
2. Participatory photography as an engagement, co-design tool and an inclusive art, education and therapeutic solution
3. BioBlitz Combined with Participatory Phytosociological Analysis as an Inclusive Co-Design and Environmental Education Tool
4. Community bike-sharing as a sustainable and inclusive business model, a community alternative to bike-sharing services provided by public authorities
5. Slow Impact Incremental Design as a Participatory Urban Planning Methodology for Sensitive Communities
6. Adaptive Urban Furniture Add-on as a low-cost solution to increase accessibility of modern urban seating furniture
7. Flood-Proof Countersunk Public Grills for Public Spaces, as innovative urban facilities to create engaging but also safe places in flood-prone areas
8. Modular, Multifunctional and Reversible Urban Furniture: A Durable, Eco-Inclusive Solution for Vandalism-Prone Urban Areas
9. Eco-Stabilising Land Art as a Nature-Based Solution for Biodiversity, Well-being, and Environmental Education
1. Participatory site-specific art residency as an engagement, co-design tool and an inclusive art and urban intervention
Type: Soft and Hard VIS / Social and Cultural innovation
A participatory site-specific art residency involves artists working directly within a community or urban environment to create contextually relevant art interventions. It integrates local narratives, urban challenges, and community aspirations into creative works. The approach blends co-design methodologies with art-based urban interventions, fostering participatory public space development. During the Nitra pilot, four participatory site-specific art residencies were conducted at Hidepark. These residencies were integrated into broader community activities, including workshops, co-deployment of art interventions, and public presentations. The final artworks were unveiled during large scale events with hundreds of participants in attendance.
2. Participatory photography as an engagement, co-design tool and an inclusive art, education and therapeutic solution
Type: Soft VIS / Cultural Innovation
Participatory photography is a visual storytelling method that enables individuals, particularly from marginalized backgrounds, to document their experiences and perspectives. It can be a powerful engagement tool, fostering discussions on urban environments, inclusion, and community needs. The process typically involves training workshops, community photo walks, discussions, and public exhibitions. The participatory photography initiative was launched as part of the IN-HABIT project in Nitra with a specific target of Ukrainian refugees and people with disabilities. Participants were provided with simple-to-use photographic cameras (they were gifted the cameras) and received basic training in photography techniques. Several group photo sessions were held to capture aspects of participants’ lives, focusing on their experiences within the city, project-related activities, and especially their positive and negative experiences in Nitra’s public places. The final images were exhibited during the city visit in September 2023 and at selected locations along the cycling corridor.
3. BioBlitz Combined with Participatory Phytosociological Analysis as an Inclusive Co-Design and Environmental Education Tool
Type: Soft VIS / Social and Nature-Based Innovation
This VIS was developed as an innovative educational and co-design methodology that introduces children to local biodiversity while directly informing the ecological design of public spaces. At Nitra, the phytosociological analysis was organised in collaboration with ecologists, landscape architects, teachers, and community facilitators to map biodiversity in areas targeted for IN-HABIT interventions, including the Picnic Meadow. The activity involved Roma children from the segregated elementary school in Dražovce and pupils from one mainstream city school, creating a rare opportunity for shared participation between socially divided groups. During the events, children engaged in hands-on species identification supported by ecologists and teachers. The findings from these sessions directly informed the planting concepts and ecological design strategies for several IN-HABIT spaces, ensuring that the new green infrastructure supported local biodiversity. The process also fostered informal learning and dialogue between children, teachers, and experts, contributing to greater environmental awareness and trust-building between segregated communities.
4. Community bike-sharing as a sustainable and inclusive business model, a community alternative to bike-sharing services provided by public authorities
Type: Soft and Hard VIS / Cultural Innovation
There is a growing demand in urban areas seeking affordable, sustainable transport solutions that align with green mobility goals, particularly in cities aiming to involve communities more actively in promoting active lifestyles. This business model relies on using community resources rather than a large initial investment, suitable for deployment on a neighbourhood level, especially in marginalised communities. The community bikesharing service provides access to bicycles made from spare parts based on seasonal leases, supporting sustainable mobility. It includes a bike repair workshop to ensure functionality and engage users in maintaining the service, where several bike-repair workshops were held. It is based out of Hidepark, an IN-HABIT consortium member.
5. Slow Impact Incremental Design as a Participatory Urban Planning Methodology for Sensitive Communities
Type: Soft VIS / Social innovation
This VIS is a long-term, participatory methodology for shaping public space in communities where rapid change may be counterproductive or even harmful. The method is particularly relevant for areas with a history of distrust towards institutions, intergenerational exclusion, or socio-spatial marginalisation – e.g. Roma communities, refugees, and people facing poverty or poor living conditions. This approach was piloted in the urban margin of Dražovce with low-threshold engagement activities, trust-building events and creative participatory tools. These included informal cultural and community events doubling as data collection, art-therapy exercises, and establishment of school club at the segregated Roma elementary school. Rather than preparing a finished project design and then seeking approval, the team deployed small, highly visible, and low-cost interventions as trust-building tools. These helped to materialise progress while creating space for learning and feedback. Over time, the intervention scaled to include new public green spaces, play elements, and permanent improvements. The co-design process evolved into a co-management model with local actors, transforming the space into a dynamic outdoor classroom.
6. Adaptive Urban Furniture Add-on as a low-cost solution to increase accessibility of modern urban seating furniture
Type: Hard VIS / Technological innovation
Across urban areas, modern seating often lacks ergonomic enhancements, making it difficult for seniors or people with mobility limitations to sit down and stand up safely. This design intervention introduces an affordable, adaptable, and non-invasive solution that improves the functionality of urban furniture. The metal add-on serves as an additional support feature, making public seating more inclusive and user-friendly. In the Nitra pilot, the add-on for seating furniture was designed as a multifunctional element crafted from metal, allowing for customisation based on users’ mobility and ergonomic needs. This addition aims to improve accessibility and comfort in urban spaces without requiring the replacement of existing seating infrastructure. The process involved assessing key locations where public seating lacked ergonomic elements such as backrests or arm supports and engaging with potential users, particularly seniors and individuals with mobility challenges, to co-design the most effective solution.
7. Flood-Proof Countersunk Public Grills for Public Spaces, as innovative urban facilities to create engaging but also safe places in flood-prone areas
Type: Hard VIS / Nature-Based Innovation
Flood-prone urban areas and parks face challenges in maintaining functional and weather-resilient communal spaces. Traditional public grills require elevated concrete platforms, which contribute to soil sealing, disrupt natural drainage patterns, and reduce green space permeability. This design countersinks the grilling area into the natural landscape, allowing it to withstand occasional flooding without damage or functional loss. By relying on terrain modulation rather than built structures, the solution enhances public infrastructure while ensuring ecological balance and sustainability. This concept was piloted in Nitra as a nature-based solution, integrating flood resilience, social engagement, and environmental sustainability.
8. Modular, Multifunctional and Reversible Urban Furniture: A Durable, Eco-Inclusive Solution for Vandalism-Prone Urban Areas
Type: Hard VIS / Cultural Innovation
Modular urban furniture from plastic terrazzo and reclaimed wood represents a context-sensitive, resilient, and environmentally responsible approach to public space interventions in areas affected by vandalism, misuse, or underutilisation. Developed and prototyped within the Nitra pilot, this solution offers a robust alternative to conventional urban furniture through innovative material use and participatory production processes. It addresses both functional and symbolic dimensions of urban design: combining durability and anti-vandalism logic with creative reuse, environmental education, and community engagement. The production process involved students and volunteers under professional guidance, reinforcing the community and educational aspects of the intervention.
9. Eco-Stabilising Land Art as a Nature-Based Solution for Biodiversity, Well-being, and Environmental Education
Type: Hard VIS / Cultural and Nature-Based Innovation
This Eco-Stabilising Land Art is an innovative, nature-based installation developed within the IN-HABIT project in Nitra to integrate ecological functionality, aesthetic value, and educational benefits. Constructed from locally-sourced deadwood and branches using a unique spiral binding technique, the structure creates microhabitats that attract xylophagous insects dependent on decaying wood, provide nesting opportunities for birds, and form trophic niches that support biodiversity. It combines artistic expression with ecological restoration, creating a multifunctional public element that fosters both environmental and social impacts. Positioned directly along a popular cycling route, the installation acts as a visual landmark and encourages public interaction with natural processes. It has also been integrated into environmental education, serving as a demonstration site for schools, university courses, and citizen science monitoring activities.
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