The 2009 conference is hosted by The Science Shop, Queen's University Belfast

Researchers and residents jointly redesign a town square in Arnhem, the Netherlands

The ‘Science Shop’ of Wageningen University & Research Centre offers civil society organisations (CSOs) the opportunity to submit research questions.  Topics are mostly related to aspects of well-being, health, the environment and (regional) economic development.  A Science Shop research project stimulates the development of a CSO and often facilitates the realisation of its ambitions.

My presentation concerns a project in which students and local stakeholders developed a new design for a local square in a Dutch town.  The neighbourhood is characterised by the presence of different ethnic minority groups.  The square is an important meeting place for the neighbourhood and an important playground for children.  The square really needed a face lift.  The local community centre wanted to make it more functional and beautiful and asked the Science Shop for help.

 A series of events was organised to allow children and adults voice their concerns, suggest ideas and express preferences.  These sessions yielded a wide variety of ideas, from which the students developed pairs of highly contrasting alternatives. They used the residents’ views as a source of inspiration for their designs, and tried to incorporate as many of their preferences as possible.   They made an attractive final design, which offered children many opportunities to play and encouraged parents and elderly residents to meet and spend time.

Process factors determining the success are: (i) enthusiasm and motivation of all involved, (ii) formation of an alliance between residents, housing corporations and local authorities, and (iii) our approach, stimulating involvement and public support, corresponding to national policies for improving low-income neighbourhoods.

At this moment the state of affairs is: (i) the municipal authorities and the housing corporation reconstructed and funded the square according to our design, (ii) local children were involved in the process of designing and constructing ‘their’ square, (iii) local artists and residents designed and painted decorations, and (iv) a plan has been adopted in which residents will be involved in the maintenance of the square, stimulating social cohesion and integration of ethnic groups.

Questions to discuss

1.  Since this project was designed as a bottom-up process, one of the challenges was to negotiate the right balance between stakeholder involvement and academic independence and quality.  Do other science shops have similar experiences?

2.  This project resulted in the reconstruction of a public town square.  To what extent are arts, cultural forms, architecture, industrial design and process facilitation compatible with the objectives of a science shop?

Theme: Sustaining CBR practice through arts and cultural forms

Presenters Name: Bram ten Cate

Presenters Institution: WOT Natuur & Milieu

Wageningen University and Research Centre

Presenters Biography:

Education:

* BSc Built Engineering

* BSc Environmental Sciences

* Professional training in Coaching

Experiences:

* Scientific Editing

* Public Relations and Communication

* Individual coaching and supervision groups

Present job:

Communication and Quality Coordinator at the Statutory Research Tasks Unit for Nature and the Environment (part of Wageningen UR)