Social innovation systems for building resilient communities

Head along to this symposium organised by the University of Strathclyde, examining social innovation systems for building resilient communities.

Social innovation is an umbrella term for a host of open and participatory approaches to social design, based on design thinking methodology, which is beginning to impact how we design more holistic and sustainable built and digital environments. The aim of the symposium is to enable knowledge exchange between researchers and wider stakeholders around emerging systems for building resilient communities - informed by agile development and iterative planning frameworks.

The event will introduce:

• the current cultural and socio- economic context;
• why there is a need for social innovation to deliver more democratic civic infrastructure; and
• how this is beginning to influence future planning of settlements and design of buildings.

The speakers will examine:

• the need for multi-disciplinary teams;
• deeper engagement with stakeholders;
• new business and economic models;
• impacts of globalisation; and
• evolving governance practices.

The transition to new modes of production in civic life will be presented through a set of selected projects initiated by top-up collaboration between cross-sector partners. These will include grass-route movements, Living Labs, local initiatives with communities (in Glasgow), nodes and networked centres (hubs), and self-organising groups that emerge when there is a need to overcome effects of disruptive change. The role of key international knowledge sharing networks in supporting social innovation will be illustrated through case studies (from New Zealand and Brazil).

The symposium will also highlight:

• policy frameworks for empowering communities;
• opportunities for supporting social innovation through devolving governance systems;
• role of technological innovations in supporting social sustainability by strengthening the democratisation of decision making or increasing environmental sustainability by enabling greater efficiency of infrastructure systems; and
• importance of public understanding of and access to new technologies.

The symposium will conclude by outlining the challenges for architects and planners in a world of multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary, open-source planning, and the new horizons for flexible architecture and urban planning.

The full programme (subject to change) is available to view here.

Location: CL102, Collins Building, University of Strathclyde, 22 Richmond St, Glasgow, G1 1XU