The Ecosystem

Icon-Hub

Hubs

An unique incubator for businesses.

Icon-Community

Community

A virtual incubator for businesses with activities to create tomorrows society.

Icon-Challange

Initiatives

Bringing initiatives together with solutions.

Icon-Join

Collaboration

Let’s join forces and make an impact.

The Playingfield

Icon-Heartbeat

Explained

What is the playingfield and what are we active in.

Icon-Package

Thema's

Themes and Branches We Address.

Icon-Heartbeat

Our Offer

Focused on a more sporty + vital world.

Contact Information

Send a Email

info@sportsvitality.com

News & updates

Stay informed.

Icon-Join

Schedule an introduction?

Schedule an introduction with one of our connectors.

M
Event

Activating Europe’s empty buildings

turning vacancy into vibrancy

Turning vacant spaces into vibrant places

Across Europe, thousands of buildings stand empty. Factories, churches, warehouses and schools wait for a new purpose. What if these forgotten places could become the beating heart of communities?

In this next ESWAM webinar, we explore how sport, exercise and creativity can transform abandoned spaces into hubs of vitality and connection. From Copenhagen’s Tunnelfabrikken to Manchester’s Dirt Factory, you’ll discover real-life examples of cities that have successfully turned vacancy into vibrancy. What’s the role as a city council to facilitate these concepts?

We’ll dive into the key challenges and opportunities cities face when activating unused buildings, like:
Safety and Security; creating safe and accessible spaces for all.
Energy and Sustainability; transforming old structures into energy-efficient, climate-conscious facilities.
Environment and Circularity; reusing materials and reducing waste through adaptive reuse.
Financing and Operations; building sustainable models through partnerships, funding and community ownership.
Community Engagement; ensuring local people, youth and organisations are at the heart of every transformation.

This session features inspiring European case studies with practical insights on how activating empty buildings can spark lasting change. Register for this FREE webinar.

INSPIRE

INTERACT

IMPACT

November 26, 2025

Online

Registration

Reserve your seat.

PROGRAM

Discover the latest program (latest update October 27, 2025). All times are Central European Time, please take this into account.

10:00"Word of Welcome"
Arno Hermans (initiator @ ESWAM / co-founder @ Sports+Vitality)
You are invited to (re)present your city.
10:10"Indoor BMX in a factory"
Daniel Makin (founder / CEO @ Dirt Factory Manchester)
Dirt Factory in Manchester transformed a disused warehouse into the UK’s first indoor bike park, proving that sport can breathe new life into forgotten spaces. Founded by Daniel Makin and his team, the project offered mountain bikers and BMX riders a creative, weatherproof place to ride and connect. What began as a temporary pop-up quickly became a community hub, attracting thousands of visitors and inspiring similar projects across Europe. The initiative combined sustainability, social impact and urban regeneration, showing what’s possible when vision meets vacant space. Today, Dirt Factory stands as a model for how sport can activate and energize entire neighbourhoods.
10:30"From tunnel to basketball"
Jens Laulund (director @ BørneBasketFonden - Copenhagen)
Located in Copenhagen’s former tunnel-element factory, Tunnelfabrikken is reimagined as a vibrant sports and culture arena by BørneBasketFonden. The temporary project, developed in close collaboration with the City of Copenhagen and urban developer By & Havn I/S, transforms 3,000 m² of industrial heritage into a dynamic “TunnelArena” for basketball, community activities and more. Led by Jens Laulund, the initiative focuses on creating an inclusive, safe and sustainable environment where young people and local residents can come together. By combining sport, social impact and city planning, the partnership demonstrates how public and private actors can jointly activate underused urban spaces. Tunnelfabrikken now serves as a leading European example of how municipalities can turn industrial history into movement and vitality.
10:50"Interactive talk"
Arno Hermans (initiator @ ESWAM / co-founder @ Sports+Vitality)
How do you facilitate and/or stimulate sports in your city / municipality? What's your strategy to open up empty buildings?
11:00End

Speakers overview:

Arno Hermans

Arno Hermans

initiator @ ESWAM / co-founder @ Sports+Vitality

jens laulund

Jens Laulund

director @ BørneBasketFonden - Copenhagen

daniel makin

Daniel Makin

founder / CEO @ Dirt Factory Manchester

Get your Ticket

Register yourself for this webinar today as we have limited capacity, only 30 participants. You receive an email after registration with a link to join.

Free ticket

Get access to experience how to activate your empty buildings. Register now for your free ticket.

Practical information

Date:
November 26, 2025
10:00 – 11:00
Contact & organizer:

Arno Hermans

arno@sportsvitality.com | +31 (0)6 22 528 705
Location:
Online

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This