APPROACH
As part of my master's thesis project, I am reflecting on the broader process, prior to starting a typical set of architectural drawings.
I am seeking to understand how a community can be better part of the design process at an earlier stage. After imagining and attending public workshops, this website is a journal. It narrates my *attempt* in involving a community in the architectural field. Every step, encounter and lesson learnt is detailed, to inform whoever would also like to do co-design.
The site︎︎︎ I chose in the difficult area of Little Burgundy (Montreal), is a lever to help me research these social topics. Where many residents rely on community centers’ services, I integrated an already well-organized support network. There, I was able to make field-based observations and monitor the ups and downs of community participation, which helped me rethink architectural workflows.
![]()
Motivated to give a voice to those in need and co-create with heterogeneous groups, I wish to learn more about planning architectural workshops︎︎︎. I hope to unite creative individuals of Little-Burgundy (Montreal) through workshops and help them express their desires for the future of this empoverished area. This includes (1) understanding how to mobilize a community towards architectural practices and making it more accessible to the public. (2) Testing out experimental design tools in real workshops. Receiving feedback about those tools and from the users’ experience.
I am seeking to understand how a community can be better part of the design process at an earlier stage. After imagining and attending public workshops, this website is a journal. It narrates my *attempt* in involving a community in the architectural field. Every step, encounter and lesson learnt is detailed, to inform whoever would also like to do co-design.
The site︎︎︎ I chose in the difficult area of Little Burgundy (Montreal), is a lever to help me research these social topics. Where many residents rely on community centers’ services, I integrated an already well-organized support network. There, I was able to make field-based observations and monitor the ups and downs of community participation, which helped me rethink architectural workflows.
MANIFESTO ︎︎︎
RESEARCH QUESTIONS ︎︎︎
GOALS
Motivated to give a voice to those in need and co-create with heterogeneous groups, I wish to learn more about planning architectural workshops︎︎︎. I hope to unite creative individuals of Little-Burgundy (Montreal) through workshops and help them express their desires for the future of this empoverished area. This includes (1) understanding how to mobilize a community towards architectural practices and making it more accessible to the public. (2) Testing out experimental design tools in real workshops. Receiving feedback about those tools and from the users’ experience.
Keywords:
Co-design, participation tools, marginalized communities
KATIA BROZ
MAY 2025