Synaptic Spaces of Europe: A Challenge for Spatial Planning

Abstract

Against the background of contemporary rescaling processes and a broad rethinking of key concepts such as “region,” “territory,” “locality,” and “space,” the case of the Baltic Sea Macro-Region and the EU’s place-based experimentalist strategies highlights the emergence of “soft spaces” as new forms of territorial organization. These soft spaces, described as “synaptic spaces,” call for a radical shift in planning approaches towards soft and synaptic practices based on negotiation and learning. The paper explores the features of these new spatial configurations, emphasising the role of images, imaginaries, and historical-cultural roots in the reconstruction of contemporary European spatiality. The Baltic Sea cooperative networks, reminiscent of the Hanseatic League model with its flexible and non-hierarchical weak ties, illustrate how transnational spaces can foster collective competition goods while avoiding decision-making deadlocks. The paper concludes by questioning whether the successful Baltic experience can be effectively applied to other contexts, such as the Danube corridor or the more challenging Mediterranean basin.