The way we design and build our cities has a profound impact on the lives of those who inhabit them. Yet, too often, the voices of local communities – those who will live, work and grow in these spaces – are sidelined in the decision-making process. Co-design offers a way to change that.

By giving communities real agency in shaping their neighbourhoods, it has the potential to create more inclusive, equitable and resilient places. But for co-design to move beyond rhetoric and into practice, architects, planners and policymakers need better tools, clearer guidance and a shared understanding of what meaningful participation looks like.

This month sees the launch of our Co-Design website, a repository of information, guidance, resources and tools, culminating from over two years of RIBA and UCL-funded research. The site is designed to help drive meaningful participation in co-design processes for participants across the sector – from architects to neighbourhood communities, and from local authorities to developers.

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