Engaging Communities to Co-Create Meaningful Interiors

How can communities meaningfully shape the design of interior spaces? Participatory design provides a path to achieving greater equity and belonging. This session will showcase a generative approach to community engagement, featuring case studies from public library and educational projects. Attendees will explore varied engagement strategies, including vision collaging, precedent studies, color explorations, and furniture selection workshops. These methods, grounded in lived experiences, encourage tangible engagement in the design process. Unlike traditional surveys or more passive methods, these hands-on activities empower the community to actively co-create with designers to ensure spaces that reflect their aspirations. Participants will gain practical tools to adopt co-creative approaches in their own work, fostering environments that are inclusive, joyful, and culturally responsive. Together, we will reimagine how to design spaces not just for communities, but alongside them.