Funding the Cooperative City looks into the financial and economic structures that define the ownership of and the right to spaces. Within the context of the post-welfare transition of Western societies defined by austerity measures, unemployment, the financialisation of real estate and speculation-driven urban development, it is particularly important to create awareness, offer strategies and provide tools for community-led urban development. Funding the Cooperative City explores different mechanisms of fundraising and investment; shared ownership and long-term land lease, self-organisation, resistance and cooperation with institutions; and highlights the ways citizen initiatives, cooperatives, non-profit companies, community land trusts, crowdfunding platforms, ethical banks and anti-speculation foundations can step out of the regular dynamisms of real estate development and arrange new mechanisms to access, purchase, renovate or construct buildings for communities.
ExRotaprint in Berlin: an example of collective ownership and the involvement of anti-speculation foundations
Largo Residencias in Lisbon: an example of how can a building a hub for the social economy and neighbourhood employment
Paralelni Polis in Prague: an example of how can virtual currencies be channeled into physical spaces
Stara Trznica in Bratislava: an example for long-term public-civic partnership in rethinking a public building
Granby Four Streets Community Land Trust in Liverpool: an example for the community ownership of land
