Citizen Centred Services: New Forms in Public Space Recycling

description

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Context
A two year design research partnership with a local governing body (Metro Vancouver) explored the role of participatory design in the creation of a service touch-point aimed at decreasing contamination in the streams of waste that are recycled in public city spaces. It considers how principles of behaviour change can be utilized in this inquiry for designing services that are used by the general public in an urban context. 

About
During the course of the project, participatory methodologies are used to facilitate conversations between municipal waste coordinators and designers. Through user observations, ethnographic research, co-creation and user testing this thesis argues for the need for participatory design to create effective services for cities. Through explorations of form, iconography, and systems this inquiry has culminated in the design of a street-scape recycling station and a human centered framework for municipalities called ‘citizen centered services’.