About
Convinced that residents and end-users of urban space must be at the heart of the processes that produce the city, urbaMonde is committed to sustainable cities produced by and for residents.
Created in 2005 in Switzerland and in 2015 in France, our association aims to promote participatory housing at the local and international level.
Faced with the challenges of urbanization, climate change and the amplification of inequalities, and in a global context where the unbridled privatization of public services and the advent of the financialization of cities are attacking the right to the city and the fundamental right to adequate housing, urbaMonde is committed to working alongside residents, urban professionals and public authorities For a world in which all inhabitants have access to dignified, safe and affordable housing by becoming actors in the transformation of urban space understood in the sense of the common good.
In this context, participatory housing is a practice that strengthens the capacity of the city’s inhabitants, citizens and users to organize themselves collectively and in solidarity, in order to plan, finance, build, manage and sustainably improve their living spaces at all levels of the city.
Our commitments
- Participation and self-management
Residents must be at the heart of the production and management of their living spaces. Encouraging their active participation in reflection, the formulation of proposals, decision-making and implementation strengthens their empowerment and resilience.
UrbaMonde promotes the application of principles of self-management and methods of democratic and inclusive governance, and helps to activate the role of residents as supportive citizens and experts in their environment.
- Access to land and financing
Residents must be at the heart of the production and management of their living spaces. Encouraging their active participation in reflection, proposal formulation, decision-making and implementation strengthens their power to act and their resilience.
UrbaMonde promotes the application of self-management principles and methods of democratic and inclusive governance, and helps to activate the role of residents as citizens in solidarity.
- Technical assistance
Collaboration between residents and housing professionals is an essential aspect of ensuring the success and sustainability of a collaborative housing project. In a context of climate emergency, the technical support provided to collaborative housing projects should aim at the adoption of resilient construction techniques adapted to local contexts and favouring the circular economy, as well as innovative ecological solutions that are affordable and appropriable by the inhabitants.
UrbaMonde adopts a professional posture of support and advice, and promotes adapted and participative technical assistance.
- Social and solidarity economy
The social and solidarity economy provides interesting keys to promote sustainable economic activities, anchored in a regional territory and based on strong social values, such as solidarity and social inclusion. By favouring short circuits and creating local jobs, it contributes to the development of a living social and economic fabric that respects the environment.
UrbaMonde promotes reasoned and participatory urban planning, aiming to strengthen local and sustainable economic development, and to favour the rational use of resources.
Our approach
In the face of current and future environmental, social and health challenges, the implementation of the right to adequate housing is more topical and urgent than ever.
In this context, urbaMonde is committed, both locally and internationally, to supporting and networking with residents, urban professionals and public authorities.
Technical support
We support groups of residents in their participatory processes of habitat production, through the strengthening of their community organisation, their technical and economic capacities, access to information, and more generally their collective power to act and their resilience.
Resources and network
We are working to create an international community of collaborative housing actors and are developing, in a concerted and horizontal manner, tools for capitalization, transversal analysis, exchange of experiences, participatory and open data documentation, dissemination of good practices and peer training.
Our local partners
Consult our document base
Annual reports
Financial reports
Organization charts
Click here to consult the organisational charts of urbaMonde-Suisse, urbaMonde-France and urbaMonde-Vaud.
Lessors and partners
Our projects are made possible thanks to the financial support of our backers.
