Emergency Makeover: First Aid for Flood-Damaged Public Spaces

The EmMa (Emergency Makeover: First Aid for Flood-Damaged Public Spaces) project was a rapid response to the recent floods in the small village of Žerjav in the north of Slovenia. The August 2023 floods were the biggest natural catastrophe in recorded history in Slovenia, with homes and infrastructure destroyed nationwide. Acknowledging the municipality’s staff and financial constraints, the project aimed to provide essential support. Its goal was to provide the municipality with a long-term conceptual design for the public spaces of Žerjav. To achieve this, the project was implemented using a UX research methodology, which allowed for a user-centered approach to understanding and addressing the needs of the local community. This included a design concept for selected public spaces and guidelines for further spatial interventions, connecting public spaces in Žerjav and its surroundings into a coherent network following the environmental principles for climate change adaptation, which aimed to boost the resilience of the community.  

The project is part of the EIT Community New European Bauhaus. It is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.