Three Days, One Shared Vision: Inside the aRTes Mid-Project Meeting in Madrid

From 12–14 May 2026, aRTes partners gathered in Madrid for the Mid-Project Meeting hosted by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), bringing together researchers, practitioners and stakeholders to review progress, exchange ideas and shape the next phase of the project.

Across three intensive and collaborative days, partners discussed ongoing activities, aligned priorities and explored how Active Rooftops can contribute to more sustainable, resilient and people-centered urban environments.

The meeting began with project updates and discussions across work packages, providing an opportunity to assess progress and strengthen collaboration between partners. Beyond presentations and reporting, the sessions focused on identifying synergies and defining the next steps needed to move project activities forward.

A key highlight of the second day was the Pilot Design Activity, where participants worked in teams and were challenged to rethink rooftop spaces creatively. Each group received a rooftop scenario and was asked to design an innovative rooftop concept incorporating all necessary components while remaining open to future expansion and adaptation. Without predefined limitations, teams explored possibilities for integrating functionality, sustainability and flexibility into rooftop environments. Ideas were translated into drawings, sketches and visual diagrams, allowing concepts to become tangible and encouraging interdisciplinary discussion.

The day continued with the “Rooftops, A Higher Vision” conference, opening broader conversations around the future potential of rooftops and their role in sustainable urban transformation.

Partners then participated in building visits across Madrid, where they explored real rooftop implementations and observed sustainable solutions in practice. These visits offered valuable insights into how rooftop spaces can be transformed into multifunctional environments integrating energy production, green infrastructure and community-oriented uses.

The final day introduced another collaborative exercise, “2028 – We Made It”, inviting participants to imagine the future success of the project. Working in teams, partners reflected on what the aRTes project could achieve by 2028 and mapped the steps, milestones and decisions that would make this vision possible. Through brainstorming activities, drawings and group discussions, participants identified pathways toward impact and long-term success.

Beyond the sessions themselves, the meeting strengthened collaboration, encouraged knowledge exchange and created space for collective thinking around the future of active rooftops. The ideas developed and lessons shared throughout these three days will continue supporting the next stages of aRTes as the project moves forward.

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