Throughout the urban network we inhabit – our neighbourhoods, parks, and public buildings – are mostly shaped and designed by a group of experts. However, when designing between 4 walls, how does this process acknowledge the needs of the ones it was supposed to serve? For too long, the voices of marginalised communities have been left out of the urban design discussion, reflecting in spaces that reflect inequalities rather than inclusivity. The core proposal of the collaborative design is simple and profound: a process where each stakeholder has a seat at the table and voice through the process; allowing the professional architect and/or urban planner to reflect the local diversity of the people they serve.
In front of social justice and equity as the goal of public discourses, the way professionals must evolve for inclusion and expand their practice to the outside public. Collaborative design has the potential to challenge the solid practised hierarchies and by doing that empower individuals and local communities, whose once were left behind, to co-create spaces that are not just functional, but fair. However, how can this shift reshape the built environment, and reflect positively in our society as a whole?
Questions like this might lie in the imagination of those who advocate for social rights, what would our cities look like if the residents had a part in shaping them? Which changes does collaborative design propose to the social fabric, ensuring every voice is heard? In an era where urbanisation often contributes to striking inequality, the discussion around community-driven design has never been more crucial.
In many cities around the world, more than 80% of public spaces are designed without input from the people who will have daily use from them. The consequences seem clear: underserved neighbourhoods and inaccessible infrastructure. Nevertheless, what if the design process was more inclusive and was the key point to connecting these processes?
For decades, urban planning and architecture have been developed by the vision of a few, often leaving marginalised communities to deal with the consequences of decisions made without their input. However, as cities deal with rising inequalities, the question arises: Can collaborative design be the solution to creating fairer and more inclusive spaces?
“Rise, Reclaim, Rebuild!”
This is the slogan of the South Baltimore Community Land Trust (SBCLT), a project that stands in opposition to environmental racism, health disparities, economic exploitation, displacement, and gentrification, as mentioned in their history “We knew we needed to build new tools and structures that we governed if we wanted to meaningfully break from a past that routinely imposed unacceptable harms on us.” The process inside this form of organisation teaches us a new vision for community-owned development.
By understanding their right to control their land, they build community-led processes to address immediate and long-term needs, the impact of collaborative design on social equity is central to this process. While involving the community at every stage – from decision-making to development – Projects like SBCLT shift the power dynamics that historically excluded marginalised voices from impacting their local environment. The collaborative design process ensures that the needs, values, and vision of the local communities are reflected in the final design, resulting in a more equitable urban environment.
In the case of the SBCLT, the process enables the residents to reclaim ownership of their land and redefine their relationship within it. This model promotes housing affordability, environmental justice, and sustainable development, all while assuring that the most affected by social and environmental challenges directly respond to their rights and create solutions.
Ultimately, projects like this show that collaborative design empowers communities to rise, reclaim, and rebuild, creating more equitable, resilient, and truly reflecting the culture and needs of the people who inhabit them.
“Collaborating for Equity and Justice.”
Although it is a solid concept, the collaborative design process shouldn’t be positioned as the one and only design process and methodology to be applied thoughtfully while addressing inequalities and injustice, it is important to understand the context and challenges the community is facing. Instead, it is important to understand the possible tools that can be incorporated to successfully achieve a systemic approach to the collaborative design process, ensuring equity and justice for all community members.
Throughout six principals, by Tom Wolff, Meredith Minkler, Susan M. Wolfe, Bill Berkowitz, Linda Bowen, Frances Dunn Butterfoss, Brian D. Christens, Vincent T. Francisco, Arthur T. Himmelman, and Kien S. Lee proposes important approaches to engage with communities that can lead to power, equity and justice. The authors emphasise the need for collaborative design to confront social, economic, and structural racism directly, as mentioned by McAfee, Blackwell, and Bell “Race remains the fundamental fissure in America; it compounds and perpetuates disadvantage across neighbourhoods and generations…. Racial inequities persist in all sorts of policies and practices, implicitly and explicitly…. In fact, racial disparities exist on every measure of individual and community well-being.”
To achieve that the authors mention the importance of prioritising policy, systems, and structural changes rather than just programmatic solutions. This shift is essential for achieving transformative and sustainable progress. As highlighted by McAfee and colleagues, Collective Impact partnerships support the possibility of success and translate into effective improvements for entire populations.
The impact of collaborative design on social equity supports a transformative potential inside the built environment. While challenging the proposed hierarchies and bringing marginalised voices to the centre of the process, the collaborative design does more than simply reshape spaces – it redefines who has power while creating our urban networks and experiences. Projects such as the South Baltimore Community Land Trust demonstrate that inclusive processes can address immediate needs and foster long-term resilience and fairness.
While addressing this form of production, it is crucial to utilise it as a tool with care and understanding of the local context and culture. The principles highlighted by Tom Wolff, Meredith Minkler, and others provide tools to integrate the collaborative design into broader systemic changes and focus attention on confronting structural inequities.
The campaign toward an equitable and inclusive urban environment should be constant, to continuously understand the challenges and changes the community faces. It demands that we evaluate and adapt the technical approaches of environmental interpretation to ensure every community member has a voice in the process.
The collaborative design, when executed with integrity and commitment, can transform the physical space but mostly the social intricacy of our cities, while remaining open to hearing from others, we can possibly move to an urban environment that can reflect the diversity, needs, and aspirations of the residents.
References:
Fabricant, N. (2023) Fighting to breathe: Race, toxicity, and the rise of Youth Activism in Baltimore. Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
Wolf, T. et al. (no date) Collaborating for equity and justice: Moving beyond collective impact. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314089395_Collaborating_for_Equity_and_Justice_Moving_Beyond_Collective_Impact (Accessed: 05 September 2024).
