Co-production in civic design

What this means 

Co-production in civic design is not routine. This is a longer-term ambition, but it’s important to work towards it. The earlier that disabled people and/or anyone with any type of mobility issue can be part of civic design, the less need to retrofit and adapt later. This is not only an ethical thing to do – it’s cost and time-efficient, too. 

The research 

Because so little of it goes on, the evidence into co-produced civic planning in communities is limited. It has been argued that ‘ableism exists across urban and regional planning, yet it is largely unknown, untaught, and unchecked in planning education and practice. It is entrenched in urban policy, codes, transport systems, and in the designs of our streets and communities’ (Stafford, 2022 p.107). 

However, there are some initiatives that can support learning in this area. In 2015, in the London borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, the local authority made a commitment to its disabled residents that reflected the social model of disability and had ‘nothing about us, without us’ at its core. One of its commitments was to embed co-production in its work. In 2019, disabled people co-produced the redevelopment of Grade Two-listed Hammersmith Town Hall, a new town square, and four new buildings - including 204 new homes, offices and a cinema.
 
A notable aspect of how this was successfully achieved in practice was via providing training for disabled people ‘…in technical issues such as reading architectural plans, interpreting drawings and symbols, and how the planning process works, as well as on inclusive design’ (Pring, 2019). 

Dementia villages, or care villages, can be seen as an example of civic design, developed in partnership with people living with dementia. The Netherlands developed the world’s first dementia village, The Hogeweyk. In the village, residents manage their household and carry out activities of daily living such as washing and cooking as far as they are able, just as they would in their own homes, but are aided and encouraged by staff. Residents can shop for groceries, go to the restaurant, pub, or cinema, or for a walk (Vinick, 2019). Pedro et al. (2020) found dementia villages reduced ‘anxiety, restlessness and homesickness’, although there is no evidence for effects on behaviour, functional ability or cognition. 

What you can do 

If you are in senior management or civic planning: Stafford (2022) has suggested some steps to take to begin working towards co-production in civic design, and in tackling ableism in civic planning. These include: 

• Read and become informed, particularly about the social model of disability. Think about how the social model of disability affects the work you do and how ableism can be present in civic design. 
• Welcome disabled planners and engage with local groups of disabled people to gain their insights into the local environment. 
• Check your own ableism. ‘Whatever your field, you can simply ask the question in your own practice – for whom are we planning? Are we considering the diverse ways our body-minds inhabit, sense and experience space? […] By critically reflecting about ableness, we can start to reframe our own learnt ableist thinking and ways of doing’ (Stafford, 2022).
  The Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS tool can help this reflection, and also encourage thinking about other, intersectional experiences of power and powerlessness. 

In addition to these steps, the experience in Hammersmith & Fulham suggests active work to skill up local disabled people in technical aspects of civic planning and design. What are the local opportunities for this?

Further information 

Engage

Hammersmith & Fulham’s co-production group has its own dedicated website, including information in British Sign Language. 

Listen

The Alzheimer’s Society has a series of podcasts on dementia. A podcast from December 2022 discusses the experience of Belong Wigan, a care village in Greater Manchester.