THE PROJECT
Designscapes in a Nutshell
DESIGNSCAPES (Building Capacity for Design-enabled Innovation in Urban Environments) is a H2020 European project approved under the topic CO-CREATION-02-2016- User-driven innovation: value creation through design-enabled innovation. The overarching aim of the DESIGNSCAPES project is to exploit the generative potential of urban environments in the highest possible number of European Cities to encourage the uptake and further enhancement and up scaling of Design-enabled Innovations by existing enterprises, start-up companies, public authorities and agencies, and other urban stakeholders.
Vision and scope
The focus is on applying design tools and methods, since this offers a systematic approach to conceive user-driven innovations.
DESIGNSCAPES aims to achieve a better uptake, further enhancement and up scaling, of Design-enabled Innovation in Europe, through direct financial support to flagship and innovation generating initiatives as well as a huge capacity building effort targeting\ multiple stakeholder groups (citizens, researchers, practitioners, innovators and policy makers). In doing so, the project will foster the linkages between research, policy and practice, while contributing in making Europe a global leader in the domain.
Our Team
The DESIGNSCAPES consortium
DESIGNSCAPES consortium brings together renown researchers with a background in design-enabled innovation in cities and urban contexts (TUD, AAU, SURREY, POLIMI, UVEG), expertise in stakeholder involvement, collaborative research and learning processes (TUD, POLIMI, SURREY, AAU), experience in linking practice, policy and research (TAVI, TUD, UVEG, AAU, SURREY, POLIMI), and with an extensive set of capacity building tools, instruments and methods (POLIMI, TUD, SURREY, TAVI), community building, communication and disseminating skills (ANCI, Worldcrunch, SURREY).
OBJECTIVES
DESIGNSCAPES project has as main objectives to exploit the generative potential of urban environments in the highest possible number of European Cities; to encourage the uptake, further enhancement and up scaling of Design-enabled Innovations by existing enterprises, start-up companies, public authorities and agencies, as well as other urban stakeholders.
IMPACT & RESULTS
The rationale behind DESIGNSCAPES approach is that cities are looked upon as engines of innovation, to be fostered and stimulated appropriately. In many cases innovation activities are concentrated in spatial niches and result from individual or small network initiatives (social niches) in various domains (mobility, health, ICT, etc.). They are the outcome of the spatial concentration of the empowerment of citizens, looking for new tailored solutions addressing daily challenges.
