ABSTRACT
Chapter 2.9 presents several projects by the Berlin architecture firm Baupiloten, which specializes in participatory design methods, especially in school design. The chapter details the participatory approach developed and used by the firm over many years. A special focus on methods developed to work with non-architectural experts in ways that elicit creative metaphors for the design team partners, such as a “desire mobile,” atmospheric and visioning exercises, and a smartphone app called “Atmosurf.”
The chapter presents numerous projected and built examples, including preschools, schools, and multi-use cultural buildings, and discusses the participatory design process behind each project. The examples presented illustrate how engaging users in planning their environments creates more usable spaces and greater trust between all project participants. The resulting connection between people and their built environment is not only socially sustainable, but also ecologically sustainable because it is resource-saving and climate-friendly.
