Highlights from the CONIFER Meeting in Matosinhos

Last week, from February 4th to 6th, the CONIFER consortium gathered in the beautiful coastal city of Matosinhos, Portugal, for three days of intense collaboration, creative visioning, and strategic planning. Hosted by the University of Aveiro, partners from across Europe came together to align on our mission: transforming urban mobility through the eyes of children and youth.

Here is a look at what happened during this milestone meeting.
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Day 0: Innovation in motion (February 4, 2026)

Before the official meeting kicked off, partners had the opportunity to visit CEiiA. This research center is a hub for high-tech sectors, focusing on designing and developing the next generation of technologies and services for mobility. It was the perfect inspiration to set the stage for our discussions on future urban landscapes.
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Day 1: Understanding mobility landscapes (February 5, 2026)

The first full day focused on the progress of Work Package 3 (WP3), which aims to identify current mobility cultures in our six civic labs.

• Collaborative diagnostics: We reviewed preliminary results from workshops involving 212 participants across Brussels, Budapest, Cologne, Ghent, and Matosinhos. Data showed that while 47% of students across all cities commute to school via car, 33.5% are already navigating their cities alone.
• The power of Photovoice: Partners shared moving insights from Task 3.3, where students used photography to express their emotions regarding urban spaces. From the "tension" of commercial spaces in Toruń to the "irritation" caused by blocked sidewalks in Cologne, these photos are shaping a deep understanding of youth urban experiences.
• Postcards to CONIFER: In a heartwarming joint activity, partners wrote "postcards" to the project, reflecting on Year 1. Key themes included the inspiration found in working with children and the importance of interdisciplinarity.

The day concluded with a consortium dinner at Restaurante Dom Peixe, fostering the "teamwork" spirit that partners identified as crucial for our success.
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Day 2: Imagining the future (February 6, 2026)

On the final day, we shifted our focus toward Work Package 4 (WP4): Imagining 15-minute city futures.

• Creative visioning methods: We explored how we will use AI, computer games (like Minecraft), and art to help children co-create scenarios for their ideal neighborhoods.
• CRISPA & scenarios: Partners discussed the use of CRISPA software to develop raw scenarios based on the needs identified in WP3. We’re asking: "What if children’s independent mobility was high, and motorized transport support was low?".
• Operationalizing civic labs: We refined the Methodology Handbook to ensure our labs remain living, participatory environments where students and teachers can actively shape their communities.
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What’s next for CONIFER?

As we move into the next phase, we are preparing for:

• Signature events: Planning car-free experimentation phases in our partner cities between March and July 2026.
• Policy recommendations: Ensuring these youth-led visions become actionable inputs for City Councils.

Matosinhos reminded us that while the "system context" of cities is complex, the "optimism" of the next generation is our greatest driver for change.

Stay tuned as we continue to stitch together the future of the 15-minute city! 🌲✨

#CONIFER #15MinuteCity #UrbanMobility #CivicLabs #Matosinhos #SustainableCities

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