Seventeenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

AIR studio, an architecture firm that recently re-focused its design strategy on inclusion, seeks to address the lack of collaborative community practices in inclusive housing design. AIR studio has reached out to arts-based researcher and comic book artist, PhD Candidate Andrea Hoff to ask: 1) How can comics explore inclusive design strategies in new and more accessible ways? And 2) How can we increase participation in inclusive design strategies through the visual storytelling of comics? This research proposes equitable approaches to housing design as well as develop methods for engaging with people and communities. The collaboration between artist/writer and architect is based on the premise that comics may offer architecture a way to explore lived experiences in new ways and to share the information with a wider audience. The anticipated results are two-fold, firstly to create a comic book that visualizes current challenges to inclusive design, based on the research conducted at Air studio. Secondly, to create a resulting set of cards that can be used as visual prompts to “kickstart” dialogues in inclusive practices, such as community design charrettes. The cards will offer all stakeholders—future residents, communities, and professionals—the ability to engage in the process of centring inclusion at the heart of design.