Abstract
Design for Vulnerables was an international collaborative research initiative that explored how participatory design can address socio-environmental challenges in vulnerable communities across urban, peri-urban, rural, and forested settings within the semiarid region of Chihuahua, Mexico. Through participatory action research, the process integrated in-depth stakeholder engagement using semi-structured interviews, community immersion through neighbourhood walks, participatory mapping workshops, and in-community prioritization sessions. The DV project co-developed and implemented six technological “hubs” addressing mobility, water, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. These interventions provided transferable strategies for arid regions globally, bridging gaps between technological potential, ecological constraints, and social equity. The paper demonstrated how integrating local knowledge, renewable energy, and accessible technologies within participatory processes can uncover untapped potential, foster meaningful reflections on emerging vulnerabilities, and identify effective design methodologies that promote integration and resilience. It concluded with a threefold contribution: the project offered a validated and transferable model for co- design in complex, vulnerable contexts; it presented tangible socio-technical outcomes that enhance resilience, connectivity, and economic opportunity; and it critically examined the role of universities in sustaining long-term transformations, equipping a new generation of designers address the real-world application with the mindset and skills for ethical, impactful practice.
Keywords
Social Design; Vulnerable Communities; Semiarid Region; Participatory Design; Technological Intervention
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1121
Citation
Ni, M., Cattaneo, T.,and Giorgi, E.(2025) Design for Vulnerables: Co-Designing Technological Hubs for Socio-Environmental Resilience in Mexico's Semiarid Communities, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1121
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 6 - Co-creation
Design for Vulnerables: Co-Designing Technological Hubs for Socio-Environmental Resilience in Mexico's Semiarid Communities
Design for Vulnerables was an international collaborative research initiative that explored how participatory design can address socio-environmental challenges in vulnerable communities across urban, peri-urban, rural, and forested settings within the semiarid region of Chihuahua, Mexico. Through participatory action research, the process integrated in-depth stakeholder engagement using semi-structured interviews, community immersion through neighbourhood walks, participatory mapping workshops, and in-community prioritization sessions. The DV project co-developed and implemented six technological “hubs” addressing mobility, water, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. These interventions provided transferable strategies for arid regions globally, bridging gaps between technological potential, ecological constraints, and social equity. The paper demonstrated how integrating local knowledge, renewable energy, and accessible technologies within participatory processes can uncover untapped potential, foster meaningful reflections on emerging vulnerabilities, and identify effective design methodologies that promote integration and resilience. It concluded with a threefold contribution: the project offered a validated and transferable model for co- design in complex, vulnerable contexts; it presented tangible socio-technical outcomes that enhance resilience, connectivity, and economic opportunity; and it critically examined the role of universities in sustaining long-term transformations, equipping a new generation of designers address the real-world application with the mindset and skills for ethical, impactful practice.