The topic of the reactivation of abandoned buildings and sites in the city is central in the current debate, in an age where the way of thinking the architecture of the city is radically changing, following the gradual and increasing urban landscape modification due to the climate change. The 2nd chance thematic network, in the framework of the URBACT III programme, has been bringing back to the attention of the cities the topic of the reactivation of large complexes of abandoned buildings within the contemporary city. Over a period of 30 months, more than four hundred people worked with the protagonists, local authorities and associations involved in the eleven partner cities, on the issue of reactivating large urban containers and discussing possible design strategies. The subject of the partner cities’ 2nd Chance local action plans have been the abandoned areas, buildings or groups of buildings with common features, although apparently distant in size and nature.