Championing
Networking
Research
Events & Training
Collaboration
The Association of Collaborative Design CIC (ACD) mainstreams collaborative design across the built environment, democratises design, creates better neighbourhoods, and inspires long-term stewardship.
ACD brings people together through a shared passion for co-design and participatory engagement. We grow and support a network of built environment professionals and academics, and provide resources, research, and a platform for knowledge-sharing.
Our aims are:
The ACD brings together a network of individuals, practitioners, professionals and organisations that endorse the collaborative process of creating and managing environments with and for people and nature. The ACD was founded in 2020 as a 100% voluntary Community Interest Company (CIC) with a team from a mixture of industry and academia.
This process promotes change to the built environment from the street to the neighbourhood to the regional scale. It aims to meet needs through participatory and democratic decision-making.
We align with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.3 "By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanisation and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries."
From 2021 to 2022, ACD was a World Urban Campaign Partner with UN-Habitat.
Championing
Meaningful collaborative approaches to design are not mainstream in the built environment industries. ACD will promote the importance and value of collaborative design to local and central government authorities, as well as to developers and house builders.
Networking
Through building a network of individuals, organisations and institutions, ACD will benefit built environment professionals and communities, in broadening the impact of collaborative design within the UK and globally, encouraging the sharing of best practice, and developing a collaborative design community.
Research
Research and guidance on the economic, social and physical value of collaborative design are not currently evidenced. The undertaking and publication, and dissemination of research and guidance will offer a strong incentive to take up collaborative design as a mainstream activity.
Events and Training
Through training and events, the ACD aims to understand the value and significance of collaborative design with communities in creating successful, healthy and sustainable places.
Collaboration
ACD will benefit communities who require the expertise and support in developing their own ideas for the way that their neighbourhoods and cities need to be designed and shaped.
Through the ACD, you can find guidance and best practice, as practitioners who can help your community.