Abstract
This paper explores the application of image-based approaches in a co-creation context for constructing and communicating place images, addressing the regional revitalization policy undergone in Japan for new community identity and sustainability strategies. While image-based methods are methodologically recognized, their practical applications in collaborative placemaking remain under explored. Through a case study of the Editorial Club, an industry-academia initiative in Ichigaya, Tokyo, this research adopts a practice-oriented and image-centered perspective. The study investigates the collaborative image-based practices, including photo observation fieldwork, photo-eli citation group discussions, and the negotiation of creating collective creative output, which is various kinds of postcards. Findings demonstrate how this accessible image-making process mediates the dialogue between subjectivity and collectivity and democratizes expressions of place. The public dissemination of these creative outputs, via installations and a digital platform, acts as a catalyst for new dialogue, extending the co-creation act into the community. This study contributes a viable image-based approach for placemaking, offering practical insights for future practice-led research and design projects relating to placemaking.
Keywords
Co-creation; Place image; Image-based methods; Participatory design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.461
Citation
Yang, H., Lu, M.,and Wakasugi, K.(2025) Designing Participatory Placemaking: An Image-Based Co-creation Approach in Ichigaya, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.461
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 6 - Co-creation
Designing Participatory Placemaking: An Image-Based Co-creation Approach in Ichigaya
This paper explores the application of image-based approaches in a co-creation context for constructing and communicating place images, addressing the regional revitalization policy undergone in Japan for new community identity and sustainability strategies. While image-based methods are methodologically recognized, their practical applications in collaborative placemaking remain under explored. Through a case study of the Editorial Club, an industry-academia initiative in Ichigaya, Tokyo, this research adopts a practice-oriented and image-centered perspective. The study investigates the collaborative image-based practices, including photo observation fieldwork, photo-eli citation group discussions, and the negotiation of creating collective creative output, which is various kinds of postcards. Findings demonstrate how this accessible image-making process mediates the dialogue between subjectivity and collectivity and democratizes expressions of place. The public dissemination of these creative outputs, via installations and a digital platform, acts as a catalyst for new dialogue, extending the co-creation act into the community. This study contributes a viable image-based approach for placemaking, offering practical insights for future practice-led research and design projects relating to placemaking.