People Powered Places: Cover

How does it work?

This pack of guidance is designed to be flexible and is divided into several parts to suit different uses and audiences. At the same time, anyone can pick up any part of the guide to see further information.

1. For communities: a. The Drawing Summarises recommendations and principles to support more meaningful community engagement throughout a typical architectural or planning project, to be used directly with local people as a tool to: • Explain what happens at every stage of a typical professional work plan in an easily understandable way • Make the process more transparent and visually accessible to maximise opportunities for communities to contribute to all stages

b. The postcards The series of 9 postcards support the drawing by offering more information on the recommended actions, with one postcard per professional work stage. An additional postcard summarises what to keep in mind at every stage of a project.

2. For practitioners and clients: a. Principles and recommendations

Outlines key principles for community engagement that have emerged from the research process and links them to more detailed practical actions integrated into professional working schedules, with suggestions for different project scenarios.

b. Process and reflections

Offers transparency and reflection on the research process including summaries, takeaways, and emerging questions from expert-led workshops, resident review sessions, and practice Focus Group discussions.

3. For all: c. Resources

Supporting information including a reading list, toolkit of possible methods and project references, and glossary of key terms, collected as a growing resource.

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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

How to use this Guide

What is it?

Who is it for?

People Powered Places: a practical guide to community engagement is pack of documents that proposes approaches for more meaningful community engagement in planning and architecture projects, with a focus on the context of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The principles and recommendations in this guide are the result of an extensive research process initiated and led by architecture and urbanism practice Metropolitan Workshop, alongside a range of collaborators including planners, community engagement facilitators, academics, policymakers, architects, and importantly, community representatives.

This guide can be used by different types of people in different ways.

It does not set out a prescriptive method, but rather, is a ‘live’ document for communities, practitioners, and clients that will continuously be refined as it is tested out on projects. Based on evidence gathered throughout our research process, the guide aims to offer a resource to the wider public and hopes to contribute to an industry-wide movement toward maximising opportunities for communities to contribute to the vision and realisation of local planning and architecture projects.

3. As a client to increase insight into the value of committing to community engagement throughout a project’s life cycle.

1. As a practitioner within the project team, to advocate for and deliver more effective engagement that captures core values of participation during design, development, and delivery.

2. As a community member to interpret professional processes in an accessible way, identify opportunities for influence, and integrate local knowledge into the design process.