If cities are designed for people, why aren’t they built by the same people who live there? Urban design shapes the spaces professionals plan for humans to live, work, and play, but the people’s needs often go unnoticed. This may lead to disconnected neighbourhoods, underutilized parks, and transportation systems that fail to serve their purpose.
Now, imagine entering a city where every corner reflects the culture of its residents, making it so welcoming and alive with energy. This vision can become reality through true community involvement in urban design.
When communities participate in planning, they bring unique insights and a deep understanding of their needs. This fosters a sense of pride and ownership, ensuring that urban spaces are meaningful. These designs are more likely to be embraced, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Overcoming Barriers to Community Involvement in Design
Although it may seem easy, many communities may fear and not fully understand the urban design process or even the importance of their involvement. This can lead to a poor amount of participation and minimal feedback.
Additionally, these urban design projects also need significant funding and skilled facilitators. Municipalities or urban designers may struggle with this implementation. Time also plays a vital role, as community involvement takes time and may be seen as a disadvantage by stakeholders.
Sometimes, communities may resist change, thinking they will lose their identity, business, and homes during the process, and overcoming this process requires clear communication about the project’s benefits. Furthermore, generational and economic differences can create differences of opinion on what a city should look like, resulting in a big challenge.
Turning Visions into Reality with the Best Practices
Despite these challenges, community challenges, when done right, community involvement can be a seamless process. Urban designers can start the process by involving the community early to get the priorities and goals as a team. This will also build trust that the project is being built for the needs of the residents and will reflect their values and culture. Various methods to get the community involved can be used, from questionnaires, surveys, one-on-one interviews, advertisements, and digital platforms, which can help get attention to the projects.
Accessibility should also be considered through availability in different languages to cater to diversity. Explain the projects with 3Ds, animation, and models for better understanding and use timings that are convenient for all. One can also think of the residents as co-creators rather than just participants. This involvement should not end after the design phase and should continue until the project is completed to remain relevant and functional.
Successful Projects that made a change
One example is the transformation of the Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai, India. Once a busy market, especially for the Muslim community with poor living conditions, it was transformed by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT). The trust worked closely with the residents and shop owners, conducting workshops and consultations to understand their needs and concerns. This Feedback was incorporated into the design, ensuring the final spaces fit the community’s expectations while keeping their business going. At the same time, residents were temporarily relocated while their homes were being rebuilt.
This new plan will include residential, commercial, and public spaces. The housing issue was solved, and waste disposal and environmentally friendly designs were implemented. The status of this project is still under construction, with several phases completed and a few left to be completed. The power of the community will turn the Bhendi Bazaar into a modern urban space that serves the community and the city at large.
In another example, Copenhagen has got 12,000 residents to participate in redesigning the city. The City of Copenhagen’s team sent out a digital engagement platform for people to share their ideas of how their version of the town would look. This required political ambition. This resulted in bike-friendly infrastructure, green initiatives, sustainable solutions, and waste management for a cleaner country. The Superkilen Park in Copenhagen involved the residents by asking for elements that represent their culture, and the result was a vibrant, inclusive urban park that shows diversity while meeting their needs.
Shaping Tomorrow Starts with Us
Urban design is shaping environments where lives are made better. By involving communities in every process, we can ensure that cities are at their highest potential and that residents enjoy and feel pride while living in them.
As readers, we have the power to make a difference. Through different ways like public meetings and social media, we can participate in local planning initiatives and make inclusive designs for our local community.
Creating vibrant and sustainable cities starts with us. Imagine a future where generations walk through spaces shaped by your ideas and where the city is a timeless reflection of the community.
References:
- Nahata, P. (2024a) How bhendi bazaar is a benchmark for cluster redevelopment, NDTV Profit. Available at: https://www.ndtvprofit.com/pursuits/how-bhendi-bazaar-is-a-benchmark-for-cluster-redevelopment
- (No date) How Copenhagen got 12,000 residents to participate in 4 months. Available at: https://www.govocal.com/case-studies/copenhagen-proposals-12000-residents-participate
Image References :
- Empowering social interaction through urban design (Website) https://www.ong-ong.com/insights/empowering-social-interaction-through-urban-design/
- The benefits of community engagement in architecture and planning (Website) https://www.ads.org.uk/blog/benefits-community-engagement-architecture-and-planning
- Bhendi Bazaar (Photographer) Vijay Sartape https://www.ndtvprofit.com/pursuits/how-bhendi-bazaar-is-a-benchmark-for-cluster-redevelopment
- Bhendi Bazaar (Photographer) Vijay Sartape https://www.ndtvprofit.com/pursuits/how-bhendi-bazaar-is-a-benchmark-for-cluster-redevelopment
- Superkilen (website) https://www.publicspace.org/works/-/project/g057-superkilen
