Co-creation in City Making
This cluster explores how collaborative urban practices can reshape our understanding, design, and experience of cities. Grounded in the view of cities as complex socio-economic, spatial,听environmental听and political systems, the cluster advances long-term,听integrated听and critically engaged approaches to contemporary urban challenges.听At its core, the cluster investigates participatory and co-design processes that position citizens as active agents in (re)shaping their urban environments. It examines how diverse communities, policymakers,听practitioners听and researchers negotiate knowledge,听power听and responsibility in the production of spaces.鈥�听
Urban well-being and sustainability are central to this agenda. The cluster foregrounds the interdependencies between spatial design, wellbeing, climate听resilience听and social justice, advocating for holistic frameworks that recognise everyday life as a key site of urban innovation. Cities are understood not only as infrastructures and economies, but as lived environments that shape, and are shaped by, care, safety, mobility, work and belonging.听
An inclusive and鈥痝ender-sensitive鈥痯erspective informs this work. By engaging with the social and political dimensions of urban space, the cluster explores whose voices are heard, whose contributions are recognised and how different people experience safety, access and belonging in the city. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, it develops evidence-based and creative methodologies that respond to diverse lived experiences and contribute to more听equitable听urban futures.听Ultimately, Co-Creation听in City Making champions active citizenship and socially just transformation. It听seeks听to听demonstrate听that collaborative, inclusive, and reflexive urban practices are essential to building sustainable cities that support plural identities and foster inclusive futures.听听
Members:听
Prof. Silvia听Gullino听Silvia.Gullino@bcu.ac.uk听(strand lead)听
Prof. Rachel Sara听Rachel.sara@bcu.ac.uk听听
Dr Sana Malik听sana.malik@bcu.ac.uk听听
Dr Anastasia Nikologianni听Anastasia.Nikologianni@bcu.ac.uk听听
Dr Senem Zeybekoglu Sadri听Senem.ZeybekogluSadri@bcu.ac.uk听听
Alessandro Columbano听Alessandro.Columbano@bcu.ac.uk听听
Eccles Ng听Sze.Ng@bcu.ac.uk听听
Holly Doron,听Colab听Dudley听(External Member)听