RE-IMAGINE CITY SPACES- A Community’s Guide to Activating Public Spaces

This handbook is designed to serve as a comprehensive guide to the activation of public spaces in Cyprus. It draws on the findings of an extensive community survey and presents practical examples of spatial interventions, with a particular focus on the “Agora” -a transformative spatial installation at the heart of the MAPS (Mobile Agora for …

(UN) common Patchwork at Agora in Afro Banana Festival 2024

It was a total blast: This incredible action happened at AfroBanana Festival. We brought 150 kilos of fabric donated by Sipone Textiles, George Kyrou, Georgia Moditi and Monica Hadjivasileiou where a production space was created within our Agora Structure where a huge patchwork was created in an ongoing process throughout the three days of the …

Engeki Quest: Secret Treasures in Cities- Orangcosong presentation and public discussion

In a notable gathering at the Agora, the Cyprus-based Urban Gorillas hosted a discussion with Orangcosong, an innovative art collective from Japan. Orangcosong, during its artistic residency in Cyprus, presented a distinctive approach to incorporating local life, community engagement, and historical context into its global projects. This event marks the beginning of a series of …

Agora in AfroBanana Festival

Agora is a mobile structure designed by Urban Gorillas that aims to enhance public engagement by providing a platform for diverse voices to express themselves. Ingeniously designed, Agora’s flexible and ,modular structure allows for new spatial configurations to develop allowing for co-creation and creativity during its assembly. The structure remained at the open-air sports ground …

“Hitsudankai – From now/here, Silence” at Afro Banana Festival

Agora, ingeniously designed by Urban Gorillas, is a mobile structure that champions public engagement by offering a unique platform for various voices. During the Afro Banana festival, Agora transcended into an oasis of non-verbal expression and tranquility. This space, devoid of spoken words, invites attendees to a realm of introspection and spiritual rejuvenation. Participants will …

Kaimakli on Wheels

Wheel you Kaimakli? Join us for a cycling journey that aims to explore the neighborhood of Kaimakli across borders, on wheels. We will cycle from (Buyuk) Kaimakli to (Küçük) Kaymaklı and document this journey with videos, photos and stories. We wish to capture the essence of our community and document our shared experiences presenting this …

What about the publicscape? A new outlook for creative cities

A new research paper written by our team members Rene Carraz, Veronika Antoniou and Yiorgos Hadjichristou is published at the Journal of Regional Development Studies of Toyo University. ‘What about the publicscape? A new outlook for creative cities’ examines different notions of public space with an examination of case studies from Urban Gorillas, Cyprus and …

“Activating the Publicscape. The case of Urban Gorillas”

“Activating the Publicscape. The case of Urban Gorillas” is a journal article under the “Art and Activism in Public Space” issue of The Journal of Public Space. It describes the story of Urban Gorillas following the aftermath of the 2013 socio-economic crisis in Cyprus, where the notion of publicness was deeply shaken. Urban Gorillas has …

The Island: Co-curating the Garibaldi Journal

As part of the Independent project, a research project focusing on the identification and promotion of independent spaces and thinking, MAXXI museum publishes the online journal, Garibaldi, that investigates a range of perspectives, different themes and geographical contexts. The third issue focuses on the notion of the island. Topos of independence, the Island is investigated as in its terrestrial …

The Independent project – MAXXI Museum, Rome

Within the context of Maxxi museum’s The Independent project, Urban Gorillas and co. are presenting Urban Spectacle, a series of public interventions exploring basic human activities in urban spaces, starting out from the relationship that is established between observer, player and spatial context and attempting to spark a new dialogue between them. The project is designed to encourage …