Fostering Creative Citizens in China through Co-Design and Public Makerspaces

Abstract

Introduction To The Project: This project aimed to develop a novel and inclusive means of fostering creative citizens in China in a bottom-up manner through strategic use of co-design and public makerspaces. Previous studies showed that good use of design could make a significant impact on the creation of social value including individual behaviour changes and societal engagement. Thus, this project also considered how best design could be used to create greater engagement with citizens to generate societal impact. The emphasis was on offering multipurpose spaces where creative activities could take place, rather than providing high-tech fabrication tools. The project was a collaboration of two universities (Brunel University London and Tongji University) and practitioners.