Participatory drawings of urban form. UCL-East project
“Empowerment is a process of repeatedly placing the decision-making power in the hands of participating parties and intervening only to ask questions of clarification, to offer alternative interpretations of situations, and to articulate the general state of progress.” Design empowerment can be defined as the capacity that some tools must allow citizens to shape their environment, or the policies being consulted and define a framework to develop tools that enable it 6 I’s of Design empowerment: Information, Inspiration, Ideation, Inclusion, Integration and Independence. The studio will research the tools and processes to facilitate design empowerment, from the identification of critical problems in the city to the development of design pipelines to allow general members of the public to improve the spaces they live in. The course will begin with the study of the local context, using AI tools to mine data, discover patterns or process survey inputs from citizens. It will then move to develop design methods that intrinsically allow for flexibility and collaborative input. Anticipated outcomes include demonstrating potential design scenarios based on those developed methods. The students will learn to use tools for text mining, analysis, image processing and generation as well as advanced representation and translation of processes to design scenarios. The students will also be asked to develop a participatory game that will force them to put themselves in the shoes of the community they want to study, helping them to gather behavioral data and generate awareness.
The course aims to provide students with the tools to obtain and interpret qualitative data and complex inputs and use this work to generate design options. Students will be introduced to ideas of co-design and collaborative planning, which will be complemented by skills in data analysis and generative AI for design. By the end of the course, the students will learn:
When we locate Sants within Barcelona, it appears to be on the city’s edge. However, when considering the metropolitan area as a whole, Sants is actually closer to the center. Historically, Sants was one of the towns surrounding Barcelona until its annexation in 1897. Its agricultural and industrial roots contribute to a unique neighborhood identity—one … Read more
Introduction: Understanding Besòs Beyond the Surface The El Besòs i el Maresme area in Barcelona carries a complex history—one shaped by migration, exclusion, and resilience. Often perceived through the lenses of insecurity and economic struggle, the neighborhood is in fact a vibrant intersection of identities, cultures, and urban transformations. Layers of Besòs is a research-driven … Read more
A speculative approach to Design through data, literature, and participatory AI in Sant Antoni Our urban issue: The Lack of Narrative-Driven Urban Design in a Data-Driven City Contemporary urban design increasingly relies on AI and big data, often sidelining human stories, cultural narratives, and historical context in shaping urban spaces. While data-driven design optimizes efficiency, … Read more
An alternative ways of exploring the sounds that make up Gràcia This project investigates alternative ways of engaging with the sounds of Gràcia and how they can empower communities by fostering a deeper connection to place, memory, and identity. Sound functions as both a sensory experience and a cultural artifact, carrying layers of emotion, history, … Read more
El Poblenou is a neighborhood in Barcelona which is experiencing several degrees of transformation leading to urban niches unconsidered. Open City Poblenou envisions public spaces that respond to urban flux, creating environments that encourage interaction and a sense of belonging through co-designed, adaptive interventions by leveraging data-driven strategies and participatory design. INDEX 00_IntroductionExplanation of Poblenou’s … Read more
