Abstract
The article presents the results of participatory design activities within the architectural programme “Territory of Development”, hosted by the All-Russian Children’s Centre “Smena”. 130 teenagers from different Russian cities participated in the 14-day programme to develop their territory analysis and spatial thinking skills, their understanding of the structure of their city and sense of involvement in its development. In two online focus groups, adolescents asked their peers who participated in the architectural programme and their counsellors about the results of the programme, adolescents’ attitude towards the city and any changes thereof after the programme, the project itself, adolescents’ places in the city and their opportunities to participate in the life of the city, including through design work. In parallel, a questionnaire was launched through a Google form. The architectural programme demonstrated the potential for introducing adolescents to the life of the city through the design of public spaces and small architectural forms. As a result of the programme, adolescents did not only make career choices, acquired skills in territorial analysis and spatial thinking, but also conceptualised their own participation in the life of the city. Other ways to include adolescents into the life of the city are city workshops, festivals and architectural expeditions. Urban development laboratories can also promote the ideas of participatory design, including that with children and adolescents as participants. It is crucial to include adolescents into the life of the city because it helps shape them as active individuals, instil a sense of ownership of their city’s development, incentivise the youth to stay in their city and introduce new ideas for urban development.
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