Making Place

What happens when architecture becomes a tool for connection, experimentation, and community engagement? Making Place is a research project culminated in a unique summer workshop held in the heart of Naples, where students from the University of Naples Federico II and the Chinese University of Hong Kong explored how temporary architectural interventions can give life to underused urban spaces. Set within the historic church of Santi Demetrio and Bonifacio, this immersive experience turned the city into a living laboratory. Over ten intense days, six diverse sites across Naples became grounds for collaborative design, participatory research, and hands-on construction. From in-depth urban analysis to full-scale model-making and public exhibitions, students reimagined the potential of public space through creativity and critical thinking. Bridging academic research with real-world action, Making Place offers insights into temporary urbanism as a responsive and inclusive methodology—one that empowers communities, revitalizes neglected areas, and reframes the role of architecture in contemporary city life.