conclusion

How can we as designers encourage a sense of ownership for those that will use our spaces?

There are countless ways in which people create a sense ownership in the outside world and the short answer for a designer is that we can only leave them the tools and hope our users still have the imagination and freedom to do so. It is up to the people who live and use our sites to involve themselves. However, we can give them a helping hand; we can create open spaces with no ‘concrete’ use directive, we can provide tools for exchange, such as BBQs and chess sets; noticeboards and free public art space. We can provide a friendly, welcoming atmosphere just by hinting at a use for the space, removing the “keep off the grass signs” and allowing people to be who they are without fear of ‘breaking the rules’ but within the grounds of ‘common decency’. We cannot ‘overthrow’ the current order of things, but we can entice a change in outlook, we can create our miniature actions, invite users into the creative processes like those with Superkilen and Rewriters, create beautiful backdrops and canvasses for the photographers, and inspire as many people as we can to become their own creators of space.

The space we inhabit belongs to us all, we fill it with the echoes of ourselves as we pass through, and sometimes what we leave behind changes things. Take action.