C3Places - Using ICT for Co-Creation of Inclusive Public Places

Abstract

This e-book and correspondent platform MyC3Place present the collection of the outcomes carried out by the partners of the C3Places Project.It explores the new dynamics of open spaces as a trusted service for community and expands our understanding on how mediated public open spaces function, paying attention to stakeholders, local context and different social groups. The e-book shows how it's possible to increase the quality of public open spaces (squares, parks, green spaces) as a community’s service, reflecting through ICT the needs of different social groups.

The Use of ICTs to Support Social Participation in the Planning, Design and Maintenance of Public Spaces in Latin America

“…We observed that even if ICTs are used, government institutions have exclusionary practices for data collected by local residents and key stakeholders, mostly due to the lack of opportunities and the provision of institutional spaces to discuss topics related to PDMPS. We also encountered challenges comparable to those reported in the European context, specifically that human and technical resources are still required and that the requirements for time invested are too high for planners and decision-makers to benefit from using ICTs [8,24]. Without the institutional embedding of participatory processes, using the 'newest' ICTs will be useless, and the voice of local residents will remain ineffective for decision-making processes.…”

“…Another approach involves operationalising different areas of knowledge and technologies to allow local residents to participate meaningfully in planning, designing or maintaining public spaces [3][4][5]. As long as they are not used as isolated solutions, digital platforms can become supportive tools that could enhance communication and interaction among residents and decision-makers to manage public spaces [8,24].…”