ABSTRACT Scholars claim that bottom-up participatory design is important for developing a healthier society; however, many factors affect the relationship between participatory design and community attachment, and may not be the same in different countries. In Hong Kong, top-down approaches are contrasted by the emergence of bottom-up participatory design projects across communities. This paper describes a framework that emphasises participatory design as a facilitator of community attachment, and the framework is tested using a case study of Magic Lanes to understand the impact of participatory design on community attachment. Changes in community attachment for participating and non-participating residents were analysed. Findings suggest an increase of community attachment after participation in the project, with more frequent and higher levels of participation associated with higher levels of community attachment. With recent and ongoing changes in the governance of Hong Kong, small scale participatory design projects have the potential to foster community bonds.