We want to be provoked: how does the professional deal with 16.000 clients?

The title is a quotation from one of the meetings between residents and professionals during the Holmbladsgade regeneration process. During a discussion of future projects somebody asked what the residents expected from the professionals. We want to be provoked a resident answered. Provocations are often considered negative. But new views or knowledge are often provocative. To my opinion this is a good and needed provocation. For-given-taken professional values need to be questioned: as well as the usual roles of residents and professionals in the ongoing regeneration projects. My contribution to this workshop is about my role as a concerned citizen and a professional researcher in a so-called dialogue projects which involves residents, in this case the regeneration project in Holmbladsgade. The result is new knowledge about complex urban areas, but also a sort of capacity building. Konference 'Revitalising Urban Neighbourhoods' i København 5.-7. september 2001.