Involving the community in the design process increases the capacity of the designing team to ensure that the space chosen meets the community’s needs. You can start by engaging your first peers in the creation of the space, both practically, where possible (reconstruction, first testing of temporary spaces, etc.) and theoretically (space design, co-creation of wishlists, etc.). Active participation during in-between time will be key to raise the sense of ownership of those who participated, but also of their peers involved after the first round of co-construction. Read this article to discover some co-design generative tools to run an initial space workshop.

It is thus important for you to understand the level of engagement you want to trigger: how much members are invited to make the space? To what extent can they use it independently from the core team presence and assistance? How much do you want them to feel part of a collective?

If your project is about transforming a public space, you can find here some important tips.

If the space is not already chosen, you can use the information collected in the above mentioned identification, engagement and co-design activities to compare the options you have. Members of the community you entered in contact with during the process may be an additional resource to spot alternative spaces and solutions.

Also, look at design principles for creative spaces to identify some useful features to analyse and compare the different options.

Which functions are allowed in the space and in its area, considering property and urban planning indications? Contact your local administration to discover this, and how to request a change of use if necessary.

Unless you can buy the space, property may affect your business model, it is thus very important to understand which are the strength and weakness points of the property setting of the space you want to use. Is it owned by a public or private actor? What are the limits implied in these alternatives, in terms of freedom of action and of costs?

Understanding how much the model you imagined for the space fits in the urban zoning rules is also necessary, to be able to understand if the activities you would like to propose are allowed in the area and in the building. If they are not, can you request a change of purpose?