Participatory Design of People-centered Cities (PDPC)

 
The Robert Bosch Foundation asked DRIFT to conduct a systematic mapping of the scientific research and relevant theories, scientists and actors related to the theme of participatory design of people-centered cities (PDPC). The main objective of this project was as well to compile a comprehensive overview of future research pathways of participatory design of people-centered cities (PDPC). One of the outcomes from the project is a working paper summarizing the future research agenda, written by Dr. Timo von Wirth and Sarah Rach.
 
It is increasingly being recognized that urban areas worldwide face some of the most pressing sustainability challenges regarding energy consumption, air and water pollution, urbanization and livability in general (McCormick et al. 2013). At the same time, cities have started to design and deploy localized responses to address these transformative pressures. The persistent urban challenges and the urgently needed transformative responses in and from cities are addressed in international policy plans such as the UN-Habitat New Urban Agenda, the EU Urban Agenda, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
 
All of these plans strongly emphasize the role of inclusiveness and participation of diverse urban actors in creating city futures collaboratively. Such processes of participating in the design of urban habitats have, in principle, been seen as a “cornerstone of democracy” already for decades (Arnstein 1969, p.216). Diverse scientific disciplines have contributed theory and practice-oriented approaches that address the challenges of co-designing cities for human well-being. Nevertheless, research on participatory approaches to pressing urban challenges and new ways of collaboratively designing solutions for the urban fabric remains a flourishing and further expanding field.
 
Participatory Design of Cities
Designing such solutions is one of the core elements of participatory design for cities, an evolving theme situated at the science-practice-policy interfaces. This interdisciplinary theme builds on different knowledge sources from disciplines such as Design studies, Urban design and planning, but also includes knowledges from different Social sciences, Human Geography, as well as Citizen Sciences and Governance studies. Integrating these knowledge sources requires a broad understanding of design as a means to co-create societal transformation and to navigate through complex, multi-actor challenges of public interest in cities.
 
Dr. Timo von Wirth and colleagues from DRIFT were invited by the Robert Bosch Foundation to conduct a systematic mapping of the scientific research and relevant theories, scientists and actors related to the theme of participatory design of people-centered cities (PDPC).
 
Participatory Design of People-centered Cities (PDPC)
The main objective of this project was as well to compile a comprehensive overview of future research pathways of participatory design of people-centered cities (PDPC). At the nexus of Design and several other interdisciplinary research fields, PDPC is not (yet) existent as such. It can be considered as emergent, not (yet) recognized as a delimited field of research or knowledge. Instead, the majority of interviewed experts consider PDPC as an interdisciplinary theme or set of methods and practices, which builds upon very different bodies of knowledge and scientific communities (e.g. Communicative and collaborative planning, Citizen Science, Community Psychology, New Urban Governance, Sustainability Transitions, a.o.).
 
Based on a series of expert interviews and a systematic literature we identified eight future research directions for PDPC, including for example: Urban commodification and financing the city, New urban governance & institutionalization of novel practices, Digitalization, Smart Cities and participatory design, Scale and multi-scalarity in urban transformations, or Impact evaluation of participatory design of people-centered cities. We also present three critical perspectives, highlighting challenges of the emerging PDPC theme. One of the outcomes from the project is a working paper summarizing the future research agenda, which you can download here.
 
Duration of the project
Participatory Design of People-centered Cities ran from March to July 2019.
 
Financing & Partner
 
The Robert Bosch Foundation
 
DRIFT Team
Dr. Timo von Wirth, Sarah Rach, Sophie Buchel, Marieke Verhagen, and Derk Loorbach
Read more
 
Read the working paper summarizing the future research agenda here.