Details

Purpose: This symposium addresses three different approaches towards co-creation of healthy urban spaces with young people, older adults and other key stakeholders in Europe and Africa as actual co-researchers.

Rationale:

The majority of the world’s population lives in urban areas with large differences in socioeconomic position, cultural background and health. Despite the importance of urban design as well as access to healthy public and green/blue open spaces conducive to physical activity, the increasing population density in urban areas leads to an increased pressure on public space. Innovative solutions for public spaces changing the lens in urban design to cope with the impacts on health are rare, especially in a society that is increasingly diverse and unequal. Therefore, we propose citizen participation in research and design to co-create healthy urban spaces tailored to the local context.

Objectives: Our symposium aims to present three examples of co-creation with groups that are currently rarely involved in decision-making i.e. adolescents in a low-income neighbourhood in Amsterdam, young people in Cape town, Accra and Lagos, and older adults in care homes and community-dwelling in Barcelona.

Summary:

Introduction of the rationale and relevance of co-creating healthy urban spaces together with different generations as well as recent developments and challenges in the field of co-creation by Mai Chin A Paw

Presentation 1: the YoCo project - a scientific approach to placemaking for youth-friendly urban spaces promoting adolescent health and well-being in Amsterdam by Sara Rachdan

Presentation 2: the Cityzens4CleanAir project engaging young people for participatory measurement of air pollution; integrating physical activity, air pollution and climate action in Cape town, Accra and Lagos by Tolu Oni

Presentation 3: Engage4Change – engaging older adults in care homes and community-dwelling in Barcelona in the co-creation of healthy urban spaces to promote physical activity and reduce loneliness by Jorge Raúl Zapata-Restrepo

Discussion by Jasper Schipperijn

Format:

Prof Mai Chin A Paw will set the scene with an introduction to the topic. This will be followed by three 10-minute presentations (followed by 5 minutes discussion each). Prof Schipperijn will reflect on the three presentations, developments in the field and actively engage the speakers as well as the audience in a lively discussion on current and future research priorities and actions.  

Speaker