In his editorial for our newly released Winter issue, our founder and editor in chief Robert Thiemann explains why the users of space – people – should be at the heart of the design process.
We’re all in this together. With this slogan, governments around the world tried to rally people behind their COVID measures. Vaccinate, stay one and a half metres away from each other, get tested and go into quarantine if infected: every citizen was expected to submit to a strict regime of dos and don’ts to ensure that the pandemic could be contained. And it worked, even though no one knew what they were getting themselves into. After all, there were no precedents, and both medical staff and government leaders had to learn by doing.
This sense of ‘togetherness’ can also be found from cover to cover in our winter issue. Although the word COVID is not mentioned anywhere, more and more creatives and their clients are aware that collaboration is required to find solutions to today’s complex problems. From the climate crisis to waste issues, from the housing shortage to vacant offices, from inequality in the workplace to navigational problems for the Deaf community: there is only so much that spatial designers can do on their own. This will change if they join forces and open themselves up to collaboration with user communities and experts from other disciplines.
Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello sees empathy, community and humility as the cornerstones of good design. He tracks how communities leverage collaborative and open-source methods to develop contextually appropriate solutions to local challenges. One of his lessons is that urban designers should be much more malleable in their approach to creating spaces, as these are inevitably dictated by unpredictable real-life scenarios.
Real change can’t just come from top-down directives, but requires the belief and support of entire communities. That’s why Bali-based outfit Space Available organizes free workshops, talks and seminars to inspire a more conscious approach to waste management. The studio believes in education, conversation and collaboration to address complex issues, bringing together people with different skills and backgrounds. London-based Archio strongly believes in the principles of co-design to solve problems. The team sees the role of the architect as that of facilitator, identifying opportunities and challenges with user communities to find a solution with broad support. Their approach leads not only to affordable homes, but also to a sense of ownership among residents and strong communities where there is room for shared facilities.
But how do you ensure that this sense of ownership and community spirit continues long after the housing is completed? Can ownership be passed on to the next generation of residents, who were not involved in the construction? Can architecture keep up with societal changes such as the increase in working from home, single-person households and living-as-a-service? Marthijn Pool, cofounder of Space&Matter: ‘Architecture should not prohibit society from reinventing itself. Our buildings should be seen as open: strong frameworks that can adapt to changing times and absorb a multitude of programmes.’ This requires a certain diversity of typology, but also a strong community. The healthier the community is, the greater its ability to solve problems and make adjustments on its own.
Welcome to a new age. One of inclusion, where the users of space – people – are at the heart of the design process. Architects and designers will have to develop a soft skill set to make this work.
Get your copy of FRAME 154 here.
