In an increasingly urbanizing world, governments and international corporations strive to increase productivity of cities, recognized as economy growth hubs, as well as ensuring better quality of life and living conditions to citizens. Although significant effort is performed by international organizations, researchers, etc. to transform the challenges of Cities into opportunities, the visions of our urban future are trending towards bleak. Social services and health facilities are significantly affected in negative ways owed to the increase in urban populations (70% by 2050). Air pollution and urban exacerbation of heat islands is exacerbating. Nature will struggle to compensate in the future City, as rural land is predicted to shrink by 30% affecting livability. VARCITIES puts the citizen and the “human community” in the eye of the future cities’ vision. Future cities should evolve to be human centered cities. The vision of VARCITIES is to implement real, visionary ideas and add value by establishing sustainable models for increasing H&WB of citizens that are exposed to diverse climatic conditions and challenges around Europe through shared public spaces that make cities livable and welcoming.
VARCITIES has the following specific objectives:
To shape the cities of the future by developing innovative NBS that integrate Digital, Social, and Cultural (DSC) innovation with high potential for replication across seven European cities. These solutions are grounded in real-world urban challenges and supported by practical implementation frameworks and a Replication Toolkit that showcases 18 best practice examples.
To design visionary NBS interventions that enhances citizens’ H&WB through a co-creation process involving the public, local authorities, and industry stakeholders. Building on the co-identification and co-design stages, the final co-implementation and co-evaluation phases were conducted across all pilots. Over 50 workshops, town halls, and public events were organized, engaging citizens, schools, professionals, and local groups, ensuring inclusivity and long-term value.
To assess the sustainability and overall impact of the implemented interventions, VARCITIES advanced and applied a comprehensive set of over 100 Health and Well-Being (H&WB) KPIs. These indicators were developed and validated through a combination of stakeholder input, pilot-specific priorities, and sensor-based data collection. The evaluation framework is detailed in the City Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Handbook and further substantiated through Social Return on Investment (SROI) analyses conducted across pilot sites.
To foster knowledge exchange and maximize the impact of EU investments through strategic clustering with other European, national, and regional initiatives. This is facilitated through the Healthy Cities Helix, an online community with over 789 members from 49 countries, and through collaborations with projects such as NetworkNature.
To support the sustainable transition to smart and resilient cities by developing tailored Governance, Business, and Financing (GBF) models. These models, shaped in collaboration with municipalities and stakeholders, ensure the long-term viability and adaptability of visionary solutions, supported by the Business Plan and CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA 18237:2025, D2.3).
To implement robust monitoring systems for assessing the improvements in H&WB, using real-time data collected from sensors and visualized through the Health & Well-Being Digital Platform.
To actively involve STKs in all phases of co-design, ensuring alignment with EU policy frameworks such as the New Urban Agenda, MAES, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The stakeholder engagement process is supported by a dynamic co-creation strategy and capacity-building activities.
To ensure the long-term transferability and exploitation of project results by establishing the Healthy Cities Helix and the VARCITIES Replication Toolkit, both designed to upscale best practices and foster continued collaboration among industry actors, cities, researchers, and investors beyond the life of the project.
