Block 51 Codesigning

Stanley was part of a panel  describing all the pieces that came together for Erickson's Robson Square to happen.  The City of Vancouver posted some of the scenes of codesigning on their Flickr photostream: Below are a sample of photos from their photostream.   Co-Design Group members who facilitated dialogue:  Stanley King, Drew Ferrari, Christopher Small, Susan Chung, Judy Choi, Philip Chung: And all the Co-design drawings are in the Vancouver Public Space Network photostream  

Stanley King

Drew Ferrari

Philip Chung

Christopher Small

Susan Chung

Susan Chung, photo: Celia King

Christopher Small: photo: Celia King

Drew Ferrari: Photo: Celia King

Stanley King: photo: Celia King

Bamfield Codesign drawings

Some of the codesign drawings generated during the Coastal Biodiversity Youth Forum organized by Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.  The Forum combined a rich program of scientific sampling techniques, hiking, and diving.  To reflect on these experiences, youth codesigned that sweetspot between Wilderness chick and City dude.  We also spent some time codesigning for the Public Education progam.  Both the educators and the students made collaborative drawings to design an education program that meets the needs of students and educators and scientists. We are very grateful for the support from the Institute for Environmental Learning and the Real Estate Foundation.  

Trained teachers in Camosun bog

What are some first steps to help youth to participate in sustainable design?  Encourage them to explore nature within the city!  In collaboration with the Camosun bog Restoration Group and Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, I trained teachers from Metro Vancouver to identify bog species and to implement youth manual techniques  Where the Wild Things Are October Pro-D.  

Earthmakers Art Project

With the Camosun Bog Restoration Group, I will be engaging the Killarney Community to envision the ghost of a bog that once thrived in this neighbourhood.   Artist Pat Beacon, organizer of Earthmakers,  will then lead a community art project where participants create prints for a community mural.  For details on this free event,  click on the picture below:

Co-design is a key example of citizen design in a TED talk

Jess McMullin gives a TED talk on the importance of citizen participation in design - especially for public space.  The VIVA Vancouver Co-design street party is a key example of recording desired experiences as a starting point of design.  Furthermore, we engaged the public where they are:  on the street.   

Ecology and Codesign

Architecture and planning, ideally,  supports a great diversity of integrated human activity.  Stanley's co-design is about sensitively inquiring into a citizen's round of life and their desired environmental stimuli.  As an educator, I help youth respond to their environment by experiencing it as organisms within a living ecological system.

Together, we are currently developing methods to fine tune the connection between ecology and co-design.   I prepared some graphics to illustrate some ecological principles for teens so that codesigning their environment can be a part of their ecological education.  Some basic ecological concepts are illustrated below.

From co-design to breaking ground: Project BUG work party

photo credits: Ian Marcuse

A year ago, GWFC asked us to help engage teens in the design of their school garden. Community organizer Ian Marcuse led this process which included the participation of UBC SCARP and Evergreen. Recently, GWFC organized a workparty and the youth who participated in the co-design all pitched in. In all, about 100 youth participated in the build party, assisted by Environmental Youth Alliance.


"When commenting on their experience, students highlighted that they enjoyed the drawing out or “co-designing” of the project, helping with the design, and in particular “the collaborative effort with members of the community and other students within their community schools”. For students, the planning process was one of “creation of the gardens, just watching them come to life”, which leads directly into the hopes and aspirations these students have for the garden in the future. There was a resounding hope from students that they can see this garden to completion in the near future."


Project BUG final report , prepared by Ian Marcuse, Grandview Woodland Food Connection
Zsuzsi Fodor and Erica Lay, UBC School of Community and Regional Planning June, 2011

Viva Vancouver Co-Design Images, Photos

Viva Vancouver Co-design was an outdoor demonstration involving drop in participants and pedestrians.  Sometimes we had two participants and sometimes five or six.   And occasionally people made their own drawing!  We would ask "Would you like to make a drawing?"   More than one participant who had "only 10 minutes" stayed for more than an hour!   Down the street there was Brazilian dancing and street food.  Cyclists and skateboarders passed us as we drew.  It was a lively party!  The Theme of the co-design was Transportation.  Images were collected as part of the Vancouver 2040 transportation plan.   note that the ideas of people were included in transportation policy for the City of Vancouver!!

A Flickr set of photos from a planner is here

photo left and above, Celia King

Stanley King

photo left and above by Yoko Nishiyama

Drew Ferrari, Co-Design Group, photo Reanne Li

Philip Chung, co-design artist

photo Celia King

Early work, 1970s

Some photos of early co-design work pioneered by Stanley King.  In this case, the site was a huge parking lot in downtown Vancouver.  Stanley organized a "City on the Wall" and also a "Design- in". During the site walk, teens analyzed the car lot for sight, smell, sound, movement and circulation.  The resulting drawings illustrated public desire for activities supported by abundant green space, a dome with a skating rink, outdoor eating, water features.  

People asked for car-free pedestrian spaces for relaxing, socializing, eating.   The ideas, drawn from ordinary citizens, demonstrate how co-design can sensitively tap into citizen's desires for how they wish to live.  Drawings were given to the design team led by Arthur Erickson who designed Robson Square.  Erickson asked Cornelia Oberlander to design the landscape:  the first roof garden in North America. 

These still shots are from Chairs for Lovers, a documentary film directed by Barrie Howells for the National Film Board of Canada.

Robson Square Before

Robson Square (after) designed by Arthur Erickson

children ask the artist to draw a dome with skating underneath

the parking lot that became Robson Square: view of the law courts, now the Vancouver Art Gallery

Stanley King starting the "city on the wall": "imagine you were here when the land was new...."

Stanley encourages kids to draw anything they want in a city