Collaboration is fundamental in modern architecture, marking a shift from isolated design practices to a more inclusive and multifaceted approach that values diverse perspectives. Today’s architectural projects often integrate a variety of professionals —such as engineers, urban planners, and environmental experts— alongside local communities and even public institutions. This comprehensive approach ensures that multiple viewpoints are considered, empowering architects to tackle complex challenges, and resulting in more innovative and contextually relevant designs that suit their users.
Collaboration in Architecture
Collaboration in architecture is crucial because today’s challenges —such as sustainability, accessibility, technological integration, to name a few— demand diverse expertise. By involving multiple perspectives, architects can approach problem-solving more comprehensively, addressing issues that a single discipline might overlook. This multidisciplinary approach also enhances creativity, leading to more innovative and user-centric solutions that elevate the overall design quality.
There are various types of collaboration in architecture. Interdisciplinary collaboration involves architects working alongside specialists directly engaged with the built environment, but it also may involve other professionals who can enrich the creative process and enhance the building design and how we experience it. Nonetheless, the collaboration often may include input from the best local specialists: residents themselves. The voices of the user group, therefore, are equally important and enable local initiatives that shape urban spaces and how they are being used, ultimately responding to the specific needs and infrastructure of the community (Bodker et al, 2022).
Types of Collaboration
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Architects and Specialists
Interdisciplinary collaboration involves architects working alongside other specialists —such as engineers, urban planners, material scientists, technological companies, and environmentalists— to address the intricate demands of contemporary architecture. This type of collaboration is the most common and essential for complex, large-scale projects, where a single discipline cannot address all the challenges effectively. Modern architectural projects are no longer just about aesthetic appeal —they must also incorporate advanced structural engineering, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability, requiring input from various fields.
Nonetheless, the interdisciplinary collaboration can include other specialists —not necessarily directly involved with the traditional built environment. These may be an artist, a musician, or even a biologist. An example of such collaboration (that also included a sound engineer) resulted in the design of Wunderbugs —an interactive pavilion in Rome (2014-2017) that allowed humans to interact with insects. The project combined architecture, biology, and technology by incorporating sensors that detected environmental changes, allowing insects to modulate a musical composition in real time (OFL Architecture, n.d.). Integration of various specialists can, therefore lead to innovative designs that explore new ways to engage users and redefine the architectural experience, like in Wunderbugs, where the multisensory experience transformed the space into a living, interactive environment.
Another example that invited botanists and ethologists to architectural collaboration can be found in the Bosco Verticale (2014) in Milan, where the two residential buildings integrate numerous plants and trees to create a ‘vertical forest’, improving air quality and promoting biodiversity in urban settings (Stefano Boeri Architetti, n.d.). Similarly, the Eden Project (2000) in Cornwall, UK, is a collaborative effort that brought together botanists and environmental scientists to transform a former clay pit into the world’s largest indoor rainforest.
User-Driven Collaboration: Participatory Design and Initiatives
Participatory design is a user-driven approach that actively involves the user group in the design and decision-making process. In this collaboration, the focus shifts from the traditional architect’s pre-determined vision to a co-creating approach, strongly relying on the voices of the community. This method ensures that buildings and spaces genuinely reflect the requirements of their users, making the final design more functional, inclusive and contextually relevant while addressing specific needs and mutual goals.
Moreover, in this form of collaboration, the architect often acts as an enabler that empowers the community and provides them with the knowledge and tools needed, also allowing them to take control over their environment to shape it as they require (Awan et al., 2011). One architectural studio that exemplifies this practice is Atelier d’architecture Autogérée (tr. Studio for Self-managed Architecture). AAA serves as a platform for collaborative research and action in the city, working with other specialists, artists, and researchers, as well as ‘the users’ (Awan et al., 2001). Their projects are experimental and transformative, revitalising unused urban spaces by involving local residents to create shared community spaces that are eventually taken over by them and evolve according to their needs. ECObox (2001-2005) and Passage 56 (2006-present) are only a few examples of this approach. In ECObox, AAA worked with neighbourhood residents to transform a vacant plot into a community garden and social space, later adapting the site based on community input. Passage 56, similarly, began as an experimental space in a neglected alleyway and gradually evolved into a community-managed ecological garden, adapted and managed by local residents.
One of the key advantages of user-driven collaboration is the mutual learning process it fosters. Architects and designers learn from other specialists, as well as gain a deeper understanding of the real needs and aspirations of the user group. Meanwhile, the community participants acquire new skills, discover how to make the most of available spaces and gain a sense of ownership over their environment. An example showcasing this achievement is the House of Dreams (2020) in Zhoushan Village, where an abandoned cave area was revitalised by retired villagers with no construction experience. Using recycled construction and household waste materials, residents engaged in on-site discussions, adapting designs without technical drawings. This process empowered the unskilled villagers to become key actors in the design process, cultivating a strong sense of pride in their community while also understanding ways to recycle.
Another form of user-driven collaboration where the architects’ role is usually of a facilitator or collaborator rather than sole decision-maker is the one involving sustainable co-housing projects. In these initiatives, architects work closely with future residents, guiding them through the technical aspects of design while incorporating their input and preferences. The architect’s expertise is crucial for translating the group’s ideas into functional, sustainable designs that meet both environmental standards and community needs. This approach prioritises social interaction, shared resources, and environmentally conscious design, resulting in spaces that promote a sense of belonging and mutual support (Durrett & McCamant, 2011).
One notable example is Marmalade Lane (2018) in Cambridge, a co-housing community that was developed through an inclusive process involving the future residents. The development is a car-free, people-focused public realm, built according to their needs and preferences, featuring private homes, shared common areas, and external areas. By incorporating the residents’ input, the project successfully created a living environment that fosters social interaction while meeting high environmental standards.
By placing the voices of local residents and community members at the forefront, user-driven collaboration not only results in spaces that are tailored to real needs but also strengthen social cohesion, creating more resilient and sustainable communities.
Reference list:
Atelier d’architecture Autogérée. (n.d.). ECObox [online]. Available from: https://www.urbantactics.org/projets/ecobox/ [Accessed date: 29 September 2024].
Atelier d’architecture Autogérée. (n.d.). Passage 56 [online]. Available from: https://www.urbantactics.org/projets/passage56/ [Accessed date: 29 September 2024].
Awan, N., Schneider, T., & Till, J. (2011). Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture. Routledge.
Bodker, S., Dindler, Ch., Iversen O.S., & Smith, R.C. (2022). Participatory Design. Springer.
Durrett, Ch, & McCamant, K. (2011). Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities. New Society Publishers.
Marmalade Lane. (n.d.). [online]. Available from: https://www.marmaladelane.co.uk [Accessed date: 29 September 2024].
OFL Architecture. (n.d.). Wunderbugs [online]. Available from: https://www.oflarchitecture.com/wunderbugs/ [Accessed date: 29 September 2024].
Stefano Boeri Architetti. (n.d.). Vertical Forest Milan [online]. Available from: https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/vertical-forest/ [Accessed date: 29 September 2024].