Citizen-led Co-production Toward a Circular Built Environment

Tamara Egger is a PhD researcher at TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. Together with her supervisors – dr.ir. Olga Ioannou (Department of Architectural Engineering & Technology), Prof.dr.ir. Alexandra den Heijer (Department of Management in the Built Environment), and Prof.dr.ir. Machiel van Dorst (Department of Urbanism)- they investigate the social dimension of the Circular Built Environment (CBE). Their research is twofold: they examine how a CBE can contribute to social justice and sustainability, but also how various actors, particularly citizens, can actively participate in this transition. Applying a transdisciplinary approach, they conduct action research to explore what can be learned from informalities and grassroots initiatives. In this video, Tamara discusses the opportunities and challenges of co-production processes and the importance of citizen involvement. Through a careful examination of a series of case studies, she explores how these processes are relevant toward the transition to a CBE and delves into how diverse actors can co-produce a CBE.

• In spatial co-production, diverse actors like citizens, planners, public officials, researchers and others, bring together their knowledge, skills, and resources, to create spatial interventions. Citizen-led co-production in particular, is based on the idea that citizens have valuable knowledge and capabilities to improve their environments; and that citizens can take accountability in transforming spaces in collaboration with others.
• Citizen-led co-production toward a circular built environment is enabled by: a. collective intelligence, b. awareness and capacity building, and c. safe spaces to experiment. However, it can be hindered by: a. labor cost-intensive processes, b. lack of evidence for the quality control of reused materials, c. deviating timeframes, and d. limited knowledge and skills.
• Citizen-led co-production toward a CBE requires a shift in the roles of existing stakeholders and the introduction of new ones. Architects and planners can be key to the transition by acting as facilitators, translators, enablers or activists.

• Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225
• Gaete Cruz, M., Ersoy, A., Czischke, D., & van Bueren, E. (2022). Towards a framework for urban landscape co-design: Linking the participation ladder and the design cycle. CoDesign, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2022.2123928
• Mitlin, D. (2008). With and beyond the state — co-production as a route to political influence, power and transformation for grassroots organizations. Environment and Urbanization, 20(2), 339-360. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247808096117
• Ostrom, E. (1996). Crossing the Great Divide: Coproduction, Synergy, and Development. World Development, 24(6), 1073–1087. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(96)00023-X
• Sanders, E. B.-N., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. Co-Design. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710880701875068
• Zamenopoulos, T., & Alexiou, K. (2018). Co-design As Collaborative Research. Bristol University/AHRC Connected Communities Programme. https://connected-communities.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Co-Design_SP.pdf

• BlueCity, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: https://www.bluecity.nl/circulaire-bouw/
• Buurman, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: https://www.buurman.in
• Diseño Informal, B31, Argentina: https://blogs.iadb.org/ciudades-sostenibles/es/estrategias-de-habitabilidad-en-barrios-populares-prototipos-de-co-diseno-informal/
• Granby Four Streets, Liverpool, UK: https://www.granby4streetsclt.co.uk
• Haus der Materialisierung, Berlin, Germany: https://hausdermaterialisierung.org
• Mercat del Encants, Barcelona, Spain: https://encantsbarcelona.com/en/
• Minalesh Terra, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: https://vimeo.com/46602547
• Persa Victor Manuel, Santiago, Chile: https://persavictormanuel.cl
• R-urban, Colombes, France: http://r-urban.net/en/
• RUS, Lima, Peru: http://basurama.org/en/projects/rus-lima-autoparque-de-atracciones/
• ZwischenZeitZentrale, Bremen, Germany: https://www.zzz-bremen.de/ueber-uns/