Project R-15722

Prototyping Collective Histories: Building Capabilities in Urban Heritage Transformation (Research)

Urban cultural heritage sites often undergo transformations driven by industrial shifts to tourism and sustainable development, but these changes frequently exclude local communities and fail to generate value at the local level. While participatory design addresses this exclusion by building local capabilities, it has largely overlooked the potential of engaging with the past - specifically through collaborative historical interpretation - to help communities reflect on long-term change and mobilise these reflections for collective action. Since narratives and experience of the past are often diverse and contradictory, a key challenge is how to bring together these different perspectives to strengthen local participation in future decision-making. CoHisT addresses this gap by designing a capability-building programme that innovates civic participation in urban heritage transformation by including often excluded, diverse local groups in cultural activities. By integrating methods from participatory design, critical heritage studies, and public history, CoHisT creates tools and spaces for communities to explore their past, reflect on current changes, and collaboratively envision future possibilities. The project contributes two key tools, history-craft and co-curate, to guide participants in interpreting and curating urban transformations. These efforts culminate in two exhibition prototypes – design platforms where community members can deliberate on the effects of transformation processes and learn about ways to shape their community's future. The project is executed through a situated action in Hasselt, Belgium, focusing on the transformation of its historic Beguinage site.

01 September 2025 - 31 August 2027