CONSCIOUS DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Conscious Design promotes the emergence of places that have an awareness of and responsibility towards people, communities, and ecosystems. These qualities are intentionally designed through co-creation, Science-Informed Design, and the activation of an ongoing Person-Space dialogue.
The concept emerged out of the Conscious Cities Manifesto which advocates for the understanding of the built environment as inseparable from the health outcomes of individuals and communities.
Conscious Design is continuously debated and developed by the Conscious Cities Movement and those involved in researching and practicing the approach. As such, the CCD works to collate and present the evolving work of a community of practice.
Imagine
- A project’s Design Intent expresses the needs and aspirations of those inhabiting or frequenting the environment.
- A project’s impact goals are articulated with transparency and clarity, arriving at collectively agreed upon indicators of success.
Design
- Design decisions are science-informed and relevant to the specific needs of people affected by the project.
- Co-creation is integrated into the design process, sourcing solutions from the community and multiple stakeholders, respecting lived experience and local knowledge.
Build
- Building techniques and materials are sourced with local environmental and social sustainability in mind.
- Qualities of the environment known to relate to impact goals are built as dynamic, with the ability to evolve towards greater positive impact.
Evolve
- The Person-Space Dialogue is an ongoing feedback process that guides the evolution of a place and refreshes the environment periodically.
- Empirical methods are used to assess the impact of the environment, reflecting collectively agreed upon indicators of success.
Watch our series "Conversations on Conscious Design" with leaders in the field
