Abstract
The neighbourhood GMS in Heerlen-Noord, the Netherlands, is one of the 16 Dutch neighbourhoods that need extra focus to its livability and socio-economic challenges due to the historical development in the area and its current stigma in society. Placemaking as a planning philosophy and urban living labs as a planning approach both offer potential to address GMS its current urban challenges and reinvent itself as an area by drawing upon its unique values. In fact, this paper shows that while doing so and taking into account its local urban complexity is helpful to enable an inclusive
participatory process from the start as well as including the multitude of local values to generate a physical intervention in place to seek transformation. Parallel, it shows the relevance of urban living labs as an infrastructure for innovation in education and being capable of enhancing student learning through interdisciplinary collaboration among urban stakeholders involved.