Increasingly, the concept of social sustainability has become a central theme in contemporary architecture discussions as users' subjective and non-static needs become paramount in the design process. Social sustainability in architecture aims to design and construct buildings and urban spaces that promote well-being, inclusion, and community cohesion. It focuses on creating environments that enable positive human interactions, support diverse needs, and improve the overall quality of life for people who inhabit and use these spaces. Socially sustainable architecture considers the social, cultural, economic, and health aspects of a community to address societal challenges and provide long-term benefits to residents.
In general, social sustainability in architecture extends beyond aesthetics and functionality to focus on the impact of the built environment on the people who use it. Therefore, it is essential to map and understand the needs and desires of the end users. In this regard, community involvement through collaborative approaches in the design process becomes a crucial strategy that helps create spaces that are more suitable for the community's reality and demands.
Popular participation in architectural and urban projects is not new, as discussions have existed since the 1970s. However, little has advanced in terms of methods and expression, as most applied design processes continue to follow the hegemonic position of intellectual thinking that fosters the architect's authoritarianism as the primary decision-maker.
In this scenario, the participatory process stands against individualism, offering users an active role during the design process by sharing decisions and the paths the project may eventually take. However, managing collective participation in the design process, especially when it comes to large-scale buildings that can and should serve numerous user profiles at the same time, becomes a much more methodological challenge than a theoretical one. Given this, it is critical to understand that to effectively involve lay users in the project, it is fundamental to offer them the means to access the codes being presented, so that they can understand what is being proposed and, consequently, contribute to the idea. Otherwise, the participatory project will simply be a manipulation to legitimize the architect and other professionals involved in the process.
In the era of interactivity in which we live, users are constantly exposed to and called to participate in numerous technological possibilities. Many of them are incorporated into participatory design as virtual data storage platforms and online games. These platforms present architectural and urban proposals in a friendlier way. However, some more conventional methods are still very important for developing participatory design strategies. It is worth noting, however, that each project is distinct and requires flexibility and adaptability to its specific context.
Some strategies, for example, focus on identifying user needs through meetings and conversations. Techniques such as group discussions, storytelling, map construction to understand the local context, and thematic theater that reproduces possible experiences in space can be seen. Their focus is defining the project's purpose and simulating future uses and appropriations.
Workshops are also part of participatory design processes. They provide environments for exposing users' ideas and discussing different points of view. In addition, they bring together community members, architects, urban planners, and other interested parties. While some workshops are defined by a more expository approach, others also offer more playful activities or joint creation tasks. They bring community members closer to the traditional design process, allowing them to directly contribute ideas and suggestions. Participants can use interactive tools like mockups, sketches, or virtual simulations to explore design options. These more playful approaches have proven to be very effective in participatory processes due to the legitimacy of reality simulations, which allow participants to better visualize problems and devise strategies to solve them.
In this range of methodological possibilities, the authors of the text O processo de projeto participativo: algumas considerações sobre o método (The Participatory Design Process: Some Considerations About the Method) correlate successful approaches with four points: 1. vision, related to the observation of the real context and the introduction of references; 2. hearing, through workshops that democratize knowledge; 3. speech, in making decisions together and building narratives; and 4. touch, with games and collective construction tasks that include models and other representative elements.
Alejandro Aravena, from the Chilean studio ELEMENTAL, is an exponent of participatory design processes. The team's technique, focused mainly on creating housing projects for low-income populations, can be divided into three stages. The first is the communication of restrictions to users, such as budgetary factors, constructive indexes, finish possibilities, etc. The second is the moment when decisions are made together when the technical team and users discuss and reach a consensus on general guidelines. Lastly, bidirectional participation in the whole process feeds back into the design continuously. The technical group's moments of action, such as workshops or guided discussions, are considered triggers for longer processes developed by the residents themselves in smaller groups. In some situations, physical or three-dimensional models are also used.
Regardless of the technique or methodology applied, it is important to note that in the participatory design process, the architect's main role is to correlate numerous factors and demands ranging from the geographical specificity of the land to the personal tastes and interests of users. Also, it is important for architects who propose to participate in participatory processes to create environments that encourage listening and interaction.
The wealth of projects developed with community participation can be seen on both a constructive level, with regional and ancestral techniques and materials incorporated, as well as on an emotional level with an appreciation for the space and a sense of belonging. Projects that transcend pragmatic function and contribute to more resilient, equitable and prosperous communities.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topic: Design Process, proudly presented by Codesign, the first purpose-built iPad app for the concept design stage of the architectural process.
Codesign turns sketches into 3D building models in moments, with the ability to iterate, explore and understand downstream effects immediately. Architects can explore all the possibilities of a project, and spend more time doing what they love the most, designing. (Codesign was previously known as Spaces)
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