An intervention machine was born which is changing several places of Lisbon that, up to now, were void of activity. The Specialization Course in Collaborative Territories: Processes, Project, Intervention and Entrepreneurship taught at ISCTE-IUL, in its 3rd edition, has been the driving force behind a series of community intervention projects in cultural, social and urban rehabilitation.

Through this initiative, developed by a team of multidisciplinary researchers, with its coordination at Vitruvius FabLab, a laboratory associated with ISTAR-IUL, the 'Liga-te ao Bairro' project is being implemented. This project was a product of the first edition of the course, promoted in a partnership with other institutions and funded by the BIPZIP programme of Lisbon City Council. With this initiative it was possible to identify the urban area of ​​Quinta do Lavrado with potential for requalification, where the students mapped the zone in the participated diagnosis phase of the Local Action Plan USER Lx (URBACT). The success of this project is reflected in the proposal for a second phase.

The 2^nd edition of this course gave rise to the research project 'Pampulha Cria Valor', also in progress, whose main objective is to improve the quality of life of the population of Pampulha - Vale de Alcântara, particularly the elderly, through the collective mapping of services, and the reduction of physical and architectural barriers that hinder/prevent greater use of public space and access to essential goods.

There are two other ongoing projects under the same programme, developed independently of the aforesaid course, but involving the ISTAR-IUL research team in partnership with other entities. These are the 'Sai da Caida Bensaúde' intervention project in Bairro Alfredo Bensaúde in the area of ​​sports and culture aimed at promoting social cohesion; and the creation of the Novo Horizonte Community Centre to be implemented in the Horizonte neighbourhood of Penha de França.

Emerging from the latter project was the idea of ​the 'Living Earth’ Summer School held at ISCTE-IUL from June 15 to 28, 2017, promoted by Vitrivius FabLab, Centre of the Earth and Architects Without Borders, also integrated in the programme BIP / ZIP - Districts and Areas of Priority Intervention.