Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium
Through an ex-post analysis of the successes and failures of the Brussels Studies Institute-Brussels Centre Observatory (BSI-BCO)—a multidisciplinary, multi-university research platform dedicated to transforming downtown Brussels—this article aims to contribute to the debate on the dilemmas between...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Utrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services)
2025-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of the Commons |
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| Online Access: | https://account.thecommonsjournal.org/index.php/up-j-ijc/article/view/1382 |
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| author | Jean-Philippe De Visscher Aniss Mezoued |
| author_facet | Jean-Philippe De Visscher Aniss Mezoued |
| author_sort | Jean-Philippe De Visscher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Through an ex-post analysis of the successes and failures of the Brussels Studies Institute-Brussels Centre Observatory (BSI-BCO)—a multidisciplinary, multi-university research platform dedicated to transforming downtown Brussels—this article aims to contribute to the debate on the dilemmas between the risks and benefits of collaborations between urban commoners and local governments (Feinberg et al., 2021; Bianchi et al., 2024; Heidelberg, 2024; Polko, 2024). In particular, it explores how Research through Design—a methodology that emerged in recent decades at the intersection of design thinking, urban design & planning, transition management, participatory governance, and transdisciplinary research, yet has received little attention in commons literature—can serve as a valuable tool for navigating the tensions between seeking institutional support for urban commons and resisting political cooptation when addressing scales that involves multiple levels of stakeholders and governance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-061bf4df7dcb4c2fa79bd18453fa3fb6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1875-0281 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Utrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of the Commons |
| spelling | doaj-art-061bf4df7dcb4c2fa79bd18453fa3fb62025-08-20T03:48:02ZengUtrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services)International Journal of the Commons1875-02812025-04-01191120–137120–13710.5334/ijc.13821262Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, BelgiumJean-Philippe De Visscher0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7328-8100Aniss Mezoued1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3248-2633Louvain Research Institute for Landscape, Architecture and Built Environment, UCLouvainZmala Urban Innovation LabThrough an ex-post analysis of the successes and failures of the Brussels Studies Institute-Brussels Centre Observatory (BSI-BCO)—a multidisciplinary, multi-university research platform dedicated to transforming downtown Brussels—this article aims to contribute to the debate on the dilemmas between the risks and benefits of collaborations between urban commoners and local governments (Feinberg et al., 2021; Bianchi et al., 2024; Heidelberg, 2024; Polko, 2024). In particular, it explores how Research through Design—a methodology that emerged in recent decades at the intersection of design thinking, urban design & planning, transition management, participatory governance, and transdisciplinary research, yet has received little attention in commons literature—can serve as a valuable tool for navigating the tensions between seeking institutional support for urban commons and resisting political cooptation when addressing scales that involves multiple levels of stakeholders and governance.https://account.thecommonsjournal.org/index.php/up-j-ijc/article/view/1382urban commonsurban public spacesbrusselsactive mobilityurban green commonsnew commons |
| spellingShingle | Jean-Philippe De Visscher Aniss Mezoued Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium International Journal of the Commons urban commons urban public spaces brussels active mobility urban green commons new commons |
| title | Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium |
| title_full | Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium |
| title_fullStr | Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium |
| title_short | Research Through Design and the Politics of Scale: A Case Study in Brussels Metropolitan Centre, Belgium |
| title_sort | research through design and the politics of scale a case study in brussels metropolitan centre belgium |
| topic | urban commons urban public spaces brussels active mobility urban green commons new commons |
| url | https://account.thecommonsjournal.org/index.php/up-j-ijc/article/view/1382 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanphilippedevisscher researchthroughdesignandthepoliticsofscaleacasestudyinbrusselsmetropolitancentrebelgium AT anissmezoued researchthroughdesignandthepoliticsofscaleacasestudyinbrusselsmetropolitancentrebelgium |