DesignWithOthers

A week of connecting with communities and trying to gain a better understanding of the conflicts, tensions and frictions that can evolve in various contexts. From analyzing Sants to exploring different spaces in Colt and Gracia a packed week. Finally we staged an intervention as a group that focussed on pollinating species living in Poblenou and how designing with communities could help solve the lack of resting spots between parks.

Exploring Land and Soil

Walking around Sants and searching for areas of tension, and also having a very interesting visit to La Borda a housing corporation. During both of these days we were left open to interpret what land and what soil means for us. For me this was fun as we got the opportunity to try and discover a neighbourhood through our own eyes and see what problems or solutions might arise. It also allowed me to see how you can view the same neighbourhood from two different perspectives.

Mapping the Conflict

After spending two days in Sants exploring both soil and land conflicts we formed a group to explore in more depth. The first step we took after defining an interest area was creating a map of different people, places, associations that are directly or indirectly touched by this conflict. For our group the main focus was that there was a lack of green space and the environment felt dead. In particular while there were areas for humans to experience nature the connection between these areas seemed dead. Meaning pollinating beings would have trouble going from one area to another. The complete conflict map we created based on our land and soil exploration can be found below.

Staging an Intervention

For our intervention we made the decision to concentrate our efforts on enhancing biodiversity along a specific street in Poblenou, creating a vibrant green corridor that would serve as a habitat for pollinating species within the urban environment. The choice of Poble Nou was influenced by its proximity to IAAC, and the specific street chosen was due to two organization being close by. The first one BAM ((Associaió Bioarquitectura Meditarrànea) is a community garden that we have already visited and that promotes bee life. Next to this there is NestCityLab, a green building with an internal garden, however this space is isolated from the outside, making it not viable for the green corridor at the moment. We hoped to communicate with them to open the space and promote the biodiversity corridor in Poble Nou.

As a first intervention we decided to focus our efforts on mapping different ecotones that we found by taking a walk through a street in Poblenou that connects to major greenspaces. The first time we walked the streets we did it as humans, we took note of the lack of greenery despite the attempt to add to this by the municipality. The second time we walked it we acted as bees. This time we noticed the lack of flowering plants (even though the intervention took place during the winter), meaning there was a desert for these pollinating species and it would be challenging for them to go from one area to the next. All in all the first intervention gave us a fresh look on issues this community might face and how we can work within other communities to create green corridors.

The Future Plan

Based on our small scaled first intervention we decided to create a plan of how we could potentially start scaling up and interacting with more communities. Here is where we reached out to BAM, NestCityLab and also the architects who worked on the NestCity building. The end goal for us was to increase the spaces where pollinators could rest and improve the biodiversity within the city. Along with this we hope to raise awareness and knowledge on the necessity of the struggles these species face. To visualize this plan we created a future timeline and the created posters that we would use to promote the events in the first phase of our plan.

Reflecting on Designing With Others

During these days of the Design With Others course, I had the opportunity to explore various aspects of community and design. It was fascinating to observe and analyze the neighborhoods of Sants and El Clot, looking for areas of friction and tension. This exercise allowed me to see the neighborhood through a different lens and understand the desires and needs of the local communities. I was particularly struck by the lack of respect and ownership for the soil, which resulted in areas that felt abandoned and lifeless. Considering my interest in community participation and perception it was interesting to see how a sense of ownerships changes ones behaviour.

Another highlight of the course was visiting community initiatives such as the community garden and the space dedicated to biomaterials and food waste. It was inspiring to see how these initiatives integrated different communities and addressed important issues like food sovereignty and sustainability. Additionally, the practical lessons on engaging with communities and the exploration of maker spaces provided valuable insights into community involvement and the power of learning and sharing skills.

One of the key takeaways from this course was the importance of understanding the needs and goals of the community when designing with others. When doing the assigned intervention my group focussed on a non-human community and trying to get into other communities that are interested in this. We looked at the way bees and flora can be reintroduced into urban environments with the help of communities. It became clear to me that a common goal and a sense of value are essential for successful community involvement. I also learned about conflict mapping and how it can help identify the communities connected to a specific conflict, which can be useful in designing effective solutions.

Overall, this course taught me a lot about what it means to design within a community and not for a community. This is something I feel I will be using a lot in the future and am excited to implement the technique of designing within communities for my interests throughout the masters.