The transformative roles of transition design methods in enabling socio-ecological change : A neighbourhood-scale experimentation in Helsinki, Finland

This research suggests fundamental shifts in the processes and practices of urban planning, and more so in the roles of local governments towards transformative leaders that mobilise societal change and urban sustainability transitions. Transition design has a lot to offer to urban planning, such as with its tools and methods. To this end, we conducted an urban experimentation in the Laajasalo neighbourhood of Helsinki City (Finland), applying action research methodology. We implemented a series of multi-stakeholder workshops to tackle socio-ecological systems change through novel transition design methods (that complementarily target collaborative, systemic, embodied, and emphatic thinking).

In this spark talk, I will present our research findings on how transition design methods were useful in steering reflective and creative dialogue among residents and decision-makers, and catalysed personal and organisational transformations. Relating to Abson et al.'s (2017) three realms of deep transformations, I will elaborate on:
- how transition design methods can foster cross-sectoral collaboration between residents and city experts (re-structuring),
- how transition design methods can enable rethinking and envisioning novel human-nature relationships (re-connecting), and
- how transition design methods can facilitate delivering urban actions and strategies from within the plurality of urban communities' perspectives and experiences, including more-than-humans (re-thinking).