Cities have accumulated layers of functions, infrastructures, regulations and expectations, while the physical space itself has remained finite. Mobility, logistics, housing, public life, energy, and climate adaptation now compete within the same constrained urban fabric. Among these pressures, urban logistics stands out as both indispensable to city life and insufficiently integrated into spatial and planning decisions. Too often treated as a technical afterthought, logistics is in fact a powerful lens through which to rethink how urban space is shared, governed and valued.
Research and practical experience increasingly show that many urban challenges are not only technological, but also spatial and organisational. Questions such as where activities take place, how space is shared over time, and how different urban functions coexist have a strong influence on the performance and sustainability of cities. However, these questions are often examined separately by planners, public authorities, private operators and researchers, each using their own tools and approaches. This makes it difficult to fully understand interactions, constraints and possible synergies.
A key lever to address these challenges is the multifunctional use of urban space. Rather than allocating space to a single function, cities are increasingly exploring how the same space can serve different uses over time or simultaneously, combining logistics, mobility, public space, and economic activities. Parking areas, streets, and underutilised infrastructures represent a significant opportunity to support more flexible, efficient and sustainable urban systems. Unlocking this potential requires new ways of planning, managing and governing space, as well as stronger collaboration between stakeholders. The Urban Space Community places this approach at its core, promoting solutions that maximise the value of limited urban space while balancing the needs of cities, businesses and citizens.
Encouragingly, progress has already been made. Logistics considerations are increasingly being integrated into urban planning and building design, while cities and stakeholders are also experimenting with the use of existing and underutilised spaces. Several promising initiatives have emerged across Europe and beyond, demonstrating the potential of more integrated and flexible approaches.
The ambition of the Urban Space Community is to connect experience with evidence, strategy with practice, and vision with implementation. By bringing together public and private experts across disciplines and territories, the Urban Space Community seeks to co-produce ideas, frameworks and solutions that help cities move toward more resilient, inclusive and efficient uses of space. This community aims at “co-creating the future of urban logistics and space management within an integrated mobility transition scheme”, as stated in the EPA-POLIS-ALICE joint statement, Co-creating the future of urban logistics: a strategic dialogue between cities, parking managers and logistics innovators.
Signed in September 2025 at the EPA Conference in Brussels, the Joint Statement emphasises several priorities for the future of urban logistics and space management:
DISCO, DELPHI, URBANE, GOLIA, LogE-Hubs and the newest one NEXTLOGIC.
Join the Urban Space Community and:
Coordination and contact:
marion.cottet@etp-alice.eu, ALICE Deputy Programme Manager