Architects as mediators: public interest design for transformative community action

Abstract

In contexts of spatial marginalisation, participatory design is often positioned as a method to promote community authorship. However, little empirical research explores how such authorship is experienced in practice. This article investigates how engagement in a 2023–2024 university-led CoDesign initiative in an informal settlement on the urban periphery of a Southern African city mediated authorship between architecture students and community field researchers, through spatial translation, material decision-making and construction sequencing. Using a mixed-methods approach, a structured survey captured comparative insights on power dynamics, and long-term ownership. Nineteen respondents reflected on their roles across design and construction phases, with data analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic coding. Findings reveal that authorship was not fixed but negotiated, shaped by shifting responsibilities, and the accessibility of design tools. While sketching, modelling, and hands-on workshops helped bridge communication gaps and build trust, structural constraints often hindered inclusive collaboration. Community ownership was strongest when projects allowed for shared decision-making and local continuity. The study concludes that participatory authorship depends less on intention and more on how processes are structured and sustained. It argues for reframing authorship as an iterative, relational practice that demands flexibility and institutional support beyond the studio.

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