Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
FURNISH XKIC 2021
Fast Urban Responses for New Inclusive Spaces & Habitat XKIC 2021
FURNISH created safer and dynamic spaces in front of schools in Barcelona as a part of the project “Protegim les escoles” set by the Municipality. Its main target was to promote the use of these areas and enhance community cohesion by introducing innovative urban design elements developed through a collaborative co-creation process. These prototypes were implemented at two distinct schools for a testing period of two weeks, where citizens tried them and provided their feedback.
EU Member State, Western Balkans or Ukraine
Spain
Local
Barcelona
No
No
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2021-12-31
Yes
Cross-KIC New European Bauhaus call for regions, cities, or affiliated entities: Capitalising on existing public realm solutions
No
No
As a representative of an organisation, in partnership with other organisations
FURNISH enhances and safeguards the areas surrounding schools through the implementation of innovative urban design prototypes created in a collaborative co-creation process. The primary objective is to establish secure and engaging spaces for the vulnerable group of children.
Another goal is to introduce interactive prototypes that encourage extended use of these areas, working as transitional spaces, creatively bridging the urban and school environments. The spaces are designed to promote longer stays both before and after school hours, extending the classroom and playground experience, engaging children in play, physical activity and learning. The spaces also foster community connections among parents and nearby residents, promoting social interaction across different age groups.
The last objective is to heighten community awareness by involving citizens throughout the entire co-creation process of the prototypes. This inclusive approach ensures that the resulting public spaces reflect the specific needs of the local community. To reduce environmental impact, the project also incorporates recyclable materials.
Two different prototypes were designed by university students, tested throughout two weeks in front of two schools in Barcelona. They are "NEW NIU," located at Escola Entença and designed by IAAC, and "RAW," located at Escola Antoni Brusí and designed by Elisava school.
The social impact analysis reveals positive outcomes through observation forms conducted before and after installation, as well as user feedback surveys. At Antoni Brusí School, the prototype led to a remarkable 13.7% increase in children engaging in play. At Entença School, there were notable improvements in terms of mobility, as more parents and children chose to walk to school. These prototype areas were accessible and used by individuals from other vulnerable groups, including the elderly. They functioned as community gathering spaces, benefiting the entire neighbourhood.
Another goal is to introduce interactive prototypes that encourage extended use of these areas, working as transitional spaces, creatively bridging the urban and school environments. The spaces are designed to promote longer stays both before and after school hours, extending the classroom and playground experience, engaging children in play, physical activity and learning. The spaces also foster community connections among parents and nearby residents, promoting social interaction across different age groups.
The last objective is to heighten community awareness by involving citizens throughout the entire co-creation process of the prototypes. This inclusive approach ensures that the resulting public spaces reflect the specific needs of the local community. To reduce environmental impact, the project also incorporates recyclable materials.
Two different prototypes were designed by university students, tested throughout two weeks in front of two schools in Barcelona. They are "NEW NIU," located at Escola Entença and designed by IAAC, and "RAW," located at Escola Antoni Brusí and designed by Elisava school.
The social impact analysis reveals positive outcomes through observation forms conducted before and after installation, as well as user feedback surveys. At Antoni Brusí School, the prototype led to a remarkable 13.7% increase in children engaging in play. At Entença School, there were notable improvements in terms of mobility, as more parents and children chose to walk to school. These prototype areas were accessible and used by individuals from other vulnerable groups, including the elderly. They functioned as community gathering spaces, benefiting the entire neighbourhood.
Tactical Urbanism
Children
Schools
Community
Safety
Sustainability was addressed by promoting, when possible, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, closing the cycle instead of producing waste. As a consequence, the use of these types of materials might help to reduce the consumption of raw ones, water, and energy sources. Additionally, the project is locally sourced and produced, with local raw materials and the prototypes locally manufactured, which avoids the pollution generated by transportation, and promotes the work of local fabrication partners, makers, and designers.
For NEW NIU, IAAC sourced the wood from the forest on site at their Valldaura Labs, using dimensional timber products, raw tree trunks, branches and off cuts. The first prototyping in the design process was also done with dimensional lumber, raw tree trunks and waste wood from the Valldaura Labs carpentry shop.
For RAW, Elisava used rammed earth, which is a damp mixture of subsoil that contains suitable proportions of sand, gravel, clay and occasionally stabiliser. Earth is the most widely available material, as well as endlessly recyclable without a loss of quality. Rammed earth can save energy, reduce environmental pollution and absorb pollutants. It is also ideal for construction on a community level.
For NEW NIU, IAAC sourced the wood from the forest on site at their Valldaura Labs, using dimensional timber products, raw tree trunks, branches and off cuts. The first prototyping in the design process was also done with dimensional lumber, raw tree trunks and waste wood from the Valldaura Labs carpentry shop.
For RAW, Elisava used rammed earth, which is a damp mixture of subsoil that contains suitable proportions of sand, gravel, clay and occasionally stabiliser. Earth is the most widely available material, as well as endlessly recyclable without a loss of quality. Rammed earth can save energy, reduce environmental pollution and absorb pollutants. It is also ideal for construction on a community level.
The aesthetics and security of the prototypes are assured by our dedicated design team, formed by IAAC and Elisava schools. These prototypes are not only cost-effective but also designed for easy replication, ensuring that other locations can implement them without difficulty.
The Elisava designers who built RAW decided to use a very specific material in this intervention: rammed earth. The designers worked on the prototype with the school community and further getting to know how to design and fabricate urban elements with a natural and sustainable material.
In the case of NEW NIU design the main challenge was to bring lessons from the forest context of Valldaura Labs and the Collserola Natural Park to the urban environment, specifically the entryway to Escola Entença. Taking materials from the forest and processing them using advanced digital computation and traditional carpentry methods, designers were to create an interactive playscape that represented the forest ecology to inspire the students, and provided multi-use functionality for the whole community.
The co-creation processes with the participants and the high end design team assured that the final prototypes were aesthetic and high quality, merging the needs and taste of the participants with the know-how of the team.
The Elisava designers who built RAW decided to use a very specific material in this intervention: rammed earth. The designers worked on the prototype with the school community and further getting to know how to design and fabricate urban elements with a natural and sustainable material.
In the case of NEW NIU design the main challenge was to bring lessons from the forest context of Valldaura Labs and the Collserola Natural Park to the urban environment, specifically the entryway to Escola Entença. Taking materials from the forest and processing them using advanced digital computation and traditional carpentry methods, designers were to create an interactive playscape that represented the forest ecology to inspire the students, and provided multi-use functionality for the whole community.
The co-creation processes with the participants and the high end design team assured that the final prototypes were aesthetic and high quality, merging the needs and taste of the participants with the know-how of the team.
Regarding inclusion and accessibility, from the beginning, the design team has taken into consideration people with mobility restrictions and included all vulnerable groups. During the co-creation process, efforts were made to include the widest and most diverse group of participants. This process itself is also led by the participants, making the design process bottom up, having the designers and participants in an inclusive level playing field.
Prototypes were adequately designed for small children who have limitations of accessibility, so that they could use, play and interact with them taking into consideration security measures. Additionally, the entire area of the prototypes was accessible for people with different disabilities and for other vulnerable groups like elderly people. Regarding affordability, the local materials and manufacturing are not only sustainable, but also reduces costs and makes the project more easily replicable.
Prototypes were adequately designed for small children who have limitations of accessibility, so that they could use, play and interact with them taking into consideration security measures. Additionally, the entire area of the prototypes was accessible for people with different disabilities and for other vulnerable groups like elderly people. Regarding affordability, the local materials and manufacturing are not only sustainable, but also reduces costs and makes the project more easily replicable.
In FURNISH, citizen engagement is a core goal that must be met throughout the whole process. To guarantee this, the project was developed in a process of open design and manufacturing, with open collaborative workshops between the partners and local communities, and specially with the target group - children. This guaranteed that the full process was not only user-oriented, but user-created.
The city of Barcelona facilitated this process by putting into contact partners and school communities, so by the interaction between these two entities, the process can be as successful as possible. The participation of children was a part of extra-curricular activities sponsored by the two schools involved.
The final implemented prototypes on site saw positive outcomes and changes in the areas. The community space worked as a gathering place that transformed the current dynamics. At Antoni Brusí School, the prototype led to a remarkable 13.7% increase in children engaging in play. At Entença School, there were notable improvements in terms of mobility, as more parents and children chose to walk to school.
The city of Barcelona facilitated this process by putting into contact partners and school communities, so by the interaction between these two entities, the process can be as successful as possible. The participation of children was a part of extra-curricular activities sponsored by the two schools involved.
The final implemented prototypes on site saw positive outcomes and changes in the areas. The community space worked as a gathering place that transformed the current dynamics. At Antoni Brusí School, the prototype led to a remarkable 13.7% increase in children engaging in play. At Entença School, there were notable improvements in terms of mobility, as more parents and children chose to walk to school.
From the beginning, engagement and discussion with community stakeholders was an influential factor.
IAAC designers met with the School Board Representatives of Escola Entença. This was a perfect opportunity for interactive design, as the scope of the project changed dramatically during the course of the conversation. The original intention was to occupy the corner of the site, but as the School Board started sharing their perspective, it became clear that the entrance of the school was a better location. Through continuous dialogue, many other features began to take shape. To give an extra layer of engagement with the citizens and stakeholders -mainly the parents, students and teachers of the school- the IAAC Team decided to create a participatory installation that could use the help of dozens of children and their parents to create a sturdy structure. To do this, a modular component was devised to allow for a simple construction and fast assembly.
In the Escola Antoni Brusí the initial kick-off of the project was similar. The design team met the School Board Representatives of the school and explained their first approach. The representatives gave their vision about the site and informed the design team about the particularities of the area and how the school community uses it. The designers worked on the prototype with the school community, getting to know how to design and fabricate urban elements with a natural and sustainable material such as rammed earth. The stakeholders engaged were: the research community who had the opportunity to study the prototype at social, design and material levels; the school community which learned how to collaborate on a co-creation process; and the local community which recognized the benefits of collaboration and participation in city planning, encouraging the creation of new participatory actions and community decision-making at the neighbourhood and city levels.
IAAC designers met with the School Board Representatives of Escola Entença. This was a perfect opportunity for interactive design, as the scope of the project changed dramatically during the course of the conversation. The original intention was to occupy the corner of the site, but as the School Board started sharing their perspective, it became clear that the entrance of the school was a better location. Through continuous dialogue, many other features began to take shape. To give an extra layer of engagement with the citizens and stakeholders -mainly the parents, students and teachers of the school- the IAAC Team decided to create a participatory installation that could use the help of dozens of children and their parents to create a sturdy structure. To do this, a modular component was devised to allow for a simple construction and fast assembly.
In the Escola Antoni Brusí the initial kick-off of the project was similar. The design team met the School Board Representatives of the school and explained their first approach. The representatives gave their vision about the site and informed the design team about the particularities of the area and how the school community uses it. The designers worked on the prototype with the school community, getting to know how to design and fabricate urban elements with a natural and sustainable material such as rammed earth. The stakeholders engaged were: the research community who had the opportunity to study the prototype at social, design and material levels; the school community which learned how to collaborate on a co-creation process; and the local community which recognized the benefits of collaboration and participation in city planning, encouraging the creation of new participatory actions and community decision-making at the neighbourhood and city levels.
FURNISH was led by CARNET, the organisation responsible for project managing and facilitating collaboration between the design schools of Elisava and IAAC and the Entença and Antoni Brusí schools. A thorough project management process was developed, with frequent coordination and reporting.
The design students from IAAC and Elisava, aided by design professionals, collaborated to co-create prototypes with the participants, which bridged the realms of architecture, tactical urbanism, public space and citizen engagement. Various workshops were organised, allowing students from the schools and local residents to be involved with the design, fabrication, implementation and final prototypes, providing their feedback throughout.
Lastly, the impact analysis, led by Carnet, enabled the reflection of the results obtained. The installed prototypes were tested throughout two weeks and analysed via observation forms and surveys, tackling research focused on urban design, urban planning, mobility and social behaviour research.
The design students from IAAC and Elisava, aided by design professionals, collaborated to co-create prototypes with the participants, which bridged the realms of architecture, tactical urbanism, public space and citizen engagement. Various workshops were organised, allowing students from the schools and local residents to be involved with the design, fabrication, implementation and final prototypes, providing their feedback throughout.
Lastly, the impact analysis, led by Carnet, enabled the reflection of the results obtained. The installed prototypes were tested throughout two weeks and analysed via observation forms and surveys, tackling research focused on urban design, urban planning, mobility and social behaviour research.
The project's innovative character lies in developing a co-creation process between the target group of children, the design schools, the municipality and the schools. Furthermore, it integrates a methodology for assessing the impact of living labs on urban design according to two aspects: social impact and spatial impact. Feasibility is important due to FURNISH’s objective to make the prototypes reproducible and scalable worldwide, easy to fabricate in workshops with digital fabrication tools. The social impact estimates and highlights the social benefits produced by the installed prototypes. This assessment methodology, achieved with observation forms and surveys, measures the degree to which the main objectives of the project were achieved and assesses the design focus, specifically analysing the benefits of user involvement in the design process.
The spatial impact was analysed through a form per installed prototype. The form included (a) a description of the spatial changes caused to the surroundings, (b) a description of the physical changes caused to the prototype by users or designers, (c) an overall view of the installed prototype and (d) a description of the spatial impact concerning the children and their safety.
The spatial impact was analysed through a form per installed prototype. The form included (a) a description of the spatial changes caused to the surroundings, (b) a description of the physical changes caused to the prototype by users or designers, (c) an overall view of the installed prototype and (d) a description of the spatial impact concerning the children and their safety.
The project was developed in a process of open design and manufacturing, with open collaborative workshops between the partners and local communities, and specially with the target group of children. These workshops included discussions, writing, mapping, drawing and model making. All the information gathered would then be used by the design team to develop proposals and bring it back to the target group to continue to develop it in more workshops until the final design is achieved. The target group also was included in the installation of the prototypes. This guarantees that the full process is not only user-oriented, but user-created. The city of Barcelona facilitated this process by putting into contact partners and school communities. The participation of children was a part of extra-curricular activities sponsored by the two schools involved.
Outside the timeframe and budget of the project, the prototype RAW, from Antoni Brusí School, was installed in the patio of the school, after its first installation outside the building. The new setup was co-designed with middle school students. 20 months later RAW is still in the patio and has been a true success in terms of a space for play and academic activities.
The entire documentation to fabricate the prototypes and replicate the co-creation process can be downloaded from the open source repository https://furnish.tech/, in order to ensure its easy scalability at a wider level. The objective is to promote safe urban spaces for children and raise awareness around the issues faced by them nowadays, and how it is possible to tackle them with tactical urbanism, prototypes, and co-creation.
FURNISH is a project that has three editions (COVID-19 2020, XKIC 2021, KIDS 2022), each of them solving different social disadvantages. These editions are documented in a book titled "FURNISH: New methodologies to intervene in public space" which provides detailed information about each prototype and its implementation, including a total of 11 prototypes in 5 European cities.
The entire documentation to fabricate the prototypes and replicate the co-creation process can be downloaded from the open source repository https://furnish.tech/, in order to ensure its easy scalability at a wider level. The objective is to promote safe urban spaces for children and raise awareness around the issues faced by them nowadays, and how it is possible to tackle them with tactical urbanism, prototypes, and co-creation.
FURNISH is a project that has three editions (COVID-19 2020, XKIC 2021, KIDS 2022), each of them solving different social disadvantages. These editions are documented in a book titled "FURNISH: New methodologies to intervene in public space" which provides detailed information about each prototype and its implementation, including a total of 11 prototypes in 5 European cities.
Child-friendly urban design is essential, currently gaining more and more traction, not only for kid’s safety regarding accidents in the urban space, but also providing an environment that is not only adult centred and which children can enjoy. Schools are places with high concentrations of children and where the safety of the surroundings must be improved according to the Municipality of Barcelona. In line with this, FURNISH emerges as an opportunity for street-calming and pedestrianising.
The objective is to tackle the safety of the school’s surroundings and to decrease the proven negative effects of pollution (acoustic and atmospheric) in children’s development as part of the local programme “Protegim les Escoles”. Thus, Barcelona municipality has set this project as a high priority strategy to provide schools with safe, comfortable, and healthy public spaces, which work as meeting places for children, their families and neighbours. In the period 2020-2023 a total of 200 schools will become traffic-calmed areas. By 2030, it is expected that all the 585 schools in Barcelona will offer safe and comfortable surroundings. These local issues can be seen worldwide and the solutions offered by the project are easily scalable.
The objective is to tackle the safety of the school’s surroundings and to decrease the proven negative effects of pollution (acoustic and atmospheric) in children’s development as part of the local programme “Protegim les Escoles”. Thus, Barcelona municipality has set this project as a high priority strategy to provide schools with safe, comfortable, and healthy public spaces, which work as meeting places for children, their families and neighbours. In the period 2020-2023 a total of 200 schools will become traffic-calmed areas. By 2030, it is expected that all the 585 schools in Barcelona will offer safe and comfortable surroundings. These local issues can be seen worldwide and the solutions offered by the project are easily scalable.
The project co-designed, co-fabricated, implemented and tested two prototypes on the public space gained in front of the two schools in Barcelona.
Once the co-design and co-fabrication processes were finished, the two prototypes were installed in the public spaces. To evaluate their effectiveness two impact analyses were carried out: social and spatial. The social impact analysis included observation forms to evaluate the public’s interaction with the prototypes as well as the changes in footfall in the public space, and surveys to get more direct feedback from the users. Social impact assessments are a valuable tool to foresee the acceptance of the future implementation of the urban elements in the public space.
The spatial impact analysis had ex-ante and ex-post observation forms to evaluate how the use of the space has changed. The form required the observer to fill in the following parts: (a) a description of the spatial changes caused to its surroundings, (b) the physical changes caused by users or designers in the urban element once installed, (c) an overall view of the prototype installed, d) a brief description of its ecological cycle.
The results of the project validate the methodology used during the collaborative design and fabrication phases of this project, reinforcing design solutions. During the installation phase researchers and citizens tested the new mobile urban elements, bringing a second stage of community engagement. The complete results of the project have been published in the open source repository and the book “FURNISH: new methodologies to intervene in public space”.
Once the co-design and co-fabrication processes were finished, the two prototypes were installed in the public spaces. To evaluate their effectiveness two impact analyses were carried out: social and spatial. The social impact analysis included observation forms to evaluate the public’s interaction with the prototypes as well as the changes in footfall in the public space, and surveys to get more direct feedback from the users. Social impact assessments are a valuable tool to foresee the acceptance of the future implementation of the urban elements in the public space.
The spatial impact analysis had ex-ante and ex-post observation forms to evaluate how the use of the space has changed. The form required the observer to fill in the following parts: (a) a description of the spatial changes caused to its surroundings, (b) the physical changes caused by users or designers in the urban element once installed, (c) an overall view of the prototype installed, d) a brief description of its ecological cycle.
The results of the project validate the methodology used during the collaborative design and fabrication phases of this project, reinforcing design solutions. During the installation phase researchers and citizens tested the new mobile urban elements, bringing a second stage of community engagement. The complete results of the project have been published in the open source repository and the book “FURNISH: new methodologies to intervene in public space”.
Web link
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