This tool was developed as part of Desire – Designing the Irresistible Circular Society – one of six New European Bauhaus lighthouse demonstrators. The project, coordinated by BLOXHUB, ran from October 2022 to November 2024. Many tools were used by partners at the eight demonstration sites, some of these tools being developed during the project.

The tool and workshop format originally have been designed for series of users engagement events in Riga, Latvia to ensure participation in the redesign of mixed social housing and service centre. 

Oudoor Space Mapping consists in a workshop using maps of the local outdoor space to be redesigned. The purpose of this tool is to include citizens in envisioning their desired transformation of place. It helps citizens visualise their needs and makes it tangible to integrate their perspectives into further stages of the transformation of a place. The tool can help facilitate the exchange of ideas.

Duration: 2 to 3 hours per workshop.

Tools & materials: 

• several maps of the local outdoor space, printed on A2 or A1 paper
• an overview of the different options to be placed on the map (e.g. outdoor activities, urban furniture, green spaces) and a cutout set of those cards (as well as blank cards to propose new ones)

Participants:

• 8 to 40 participants (20 is optimal), divided in groups of 3-6 people at one table. In Riga, target audience was existing residents from social housing, children day centre and daycare centre for mentally challenged youth, but workshop format is universal for any user group
• One moderator per group
• Ideally, the designers and stakeholders in charge of the renovation should participate

Process: The approach is composed of 4 connected steps:

• Prepare the materials: prepare and print the maps and the set of cards – see examples here
• Lead the workshop (2-3h): Suggested workshop plan includes time for registration and opening; 30-45min of walk and talk to get to know the territory of the workshop; 45min workshop in groups with printed materials to create visions for future outdoor space; 15-30min to present and exchange ideas (it is recommended to film the presentations). 
• Document the outcome and submit them to the designers participating in the event. Make photos of process and maps created by the groups.
• Create a conceptplan: In case designers or important stakeholders cannot participate in the workshop, condense the outcomes of the workshop into a “conceptplan”. It is especially recommended if multiple workshops for different user groups are held for the same territory (see example from Riga).

The toolkit can be downloaded from Desire website. Its content enables to adapt similar co-creation workshops to different places and scenarios.