Abstract :
[en] Single-family housing projects constitute a significant part of the architectural practice in both Belgium and Europe. In this context, user-clients do naturally take part in the design process, resulting in a unique case of an unstructured co-design dynamic. While greater user involvement is generally expected to enhance satisfaction, both architects and their clients report notably low satisfaction levels with the design process.
One possible reason for this issue lies in the architectural tradition and the typical architects’ posture when it comes to user-clients participation. Although participatory processes in architecture date back to the 1960s, they have largely remained on the margins of the profession. Mainstream architectural culture has traditionally emphasized individual creation over co-creation, rather than a user-oriented approach. As a result, architects may lack the necessary skills and frameworks to fully harness the potential of co-design.
In this thesis, we aim to understand and improve the interactions of the architects and user-clients in the context of single-family housing design in French-speaking communities in Belgium. For this purpose, in the research through design (RtD) project “My Architect & I”, we work together with architects and user-clients to co-design applicable tools and methods. This thesis, therefore, explores matters of knowledge in co-design which emerges and is refined as a research focus in the course of the “My Architect & I” project. This thesis is built on three core chapters: chapter 3, the diagnostic, chapter 4, the process, and chapter 5, the tool.
In the diagnostic, we examine non-designer involvement through interviews from multiple perspectives, including designers who employ human-centred and participatory approaches, as well as architects and user-clients engaged in single-family housing design. This chapter captures diverse viewpoints and identifies the enablers and challenges of non-designer involvement as well as its methodological foundations. Our results indicate that beyond designers’ methodologies, hard skills, methods, and tools, their soft skills and ability to manage the relational aspects of co-design are fundamental to participatory practices. In the unstructured co-design context of single-family housing design, while relational aspects remain crucial, the knowledge disparities between architects and user-clients emerge as a key challenge. We contribute to the existing literature by offering comparative perspectives from both architects and user-clients within the Belgian context. We conclude that architects require support in better understanding user-clients’ lifestyles, needs, desires, budgets, and expectations. Meanwhile, user-clients often struggle with the complexities of architectural processes, terminology, roles of stakeholders, responsibilities, and challenges that are unfamiliar to them.
In the process, we introduce a knowledge perspective in our co-design methodology, by presenting the “My Architect & I” project as a case study, illustrating how knowledge sharing, learning, and co-creation occur throughout the process. While the primary focus in the current literature is often on uncovering users’ knowledge, we contribute by highlighting the equally crucial role of sharing expert or designer knowledge. We further argue that co-analysis and co-synthesis opportunities are essential for meaningful participation and for extending co-design beyond traditional user research. Additionally, we present the project as a research through design process, thus contributing the potential between research and co-design processes. In this regard, this thesis offers valuable insights for co-design practitioners and researchers, particularly in addressing knowledge-related challenges and opportunities.
Finally, in the tool chapter, we explore knowledge sharing and client learning through the development of a co-designed “journey map”-inspired tool, envisioned to enhance architect–user-client interactions in the context of single-family housing. This tool constitutes one of the key contributions of this thesis to architectural practice. Meanwhile, the development process of this tool contributes to a deeper understanding and refinement of the challenges surrounding knowledge sharing and client learning in architectural processes. Additionally, through this tool, we explore the possibilities of “journey maps” and contribute to the broader literature on design tools.
Valued through ten conference and journal articles, our results and contributions are relevant to multiple communities, including practitioners, researchers, co-design specialists, practicing architects, and user-clients involved in the design and construction of single-family housing.
