Written by:
Guest Author
Sharing Place: Think Pieces invite external contributors to explore the theme of sharing place from diverse perspectives, and offering a broad range of reflections, ideas and provocations.
In this edition of our Sharing Place: Think Pieces, Neil Onions of Beyond the Box explores the power of community-led placemaking, agency and stewardship of our shared spaces.
Sharing Place: Reclaiming the Public Realm
Spaces, which were once envisioned as places for community connection, creativity, and dialogue, are now under threat from the forces of privatisation, mismanagement, and over-regulation. Public spaces should belong to the people who use them, not to faceless corporations or government bodies. Yet, as budgets are slashed and regulations tighten, these spaces risk becoming inaccessible, sterile, and devoid of the vibrant connections they once facilitated.
The Challenge of Ownership and Control
The question of who owns our public spaces is far from straightforward. Many of us walk through parks, plazas, and streets without considering who controls these spaces. But when you attempt to organise an event or design something temporary—such as a piece of art or structure—the boundaries between public, private and ownership quickly become evident. Often, these spaces are governed by complex regulations and the interests of private developers, rather than by the communities that rely on them.
What if we reversed the narrative? Instead of seeing communities as passive users of space, what if we treated them as the true guardians and creators of the spaces they inhabit?
The Power of Community-led Placemaking
When communities take the lead in shaping the spaces they inhabit, something transformative happens. Instead of merely being users of public parks or squares, local groups could become the architects, curators, and guardians of these spaces. Children could be involved in designing playgrounds. Local artists could be empowered to create murals or sculptures that reflect the unique culture of the neighbourhood. This approach shifts the perspective from seeing public spaces as top-down impositions to viewing them as collaborative, living environments.
When communities are given ownership—not just over the physical structure but over the creative process—public spaces can flourish with life, diversity, and creativity. These spaces would no longer feel like sterile, corporate-controlled zones but would become canvases for collective action and celebration.
Beyond the Box recent collaboration with BUILDHOLLYWOOD exemplifies the power of true partnership.
BUILDHOLLYWOOD, an organisation that champions creativity and cultural expression in public spaces for the Expressions of Resilience project, shares Beyond the Box’s commitment to providing artists with a platform where their voices can be seen and heard without limitation. With their support, we transformed their 1 Quaker Street Venue in Shoreditch into an immersive exhibition that celebrated emerging talent and gave young creators the freedom to express themselves fully over a weeklong cultural festival. Together, we worked to redefine what public art spaces can be, creating an inclusive stage for diverse voices and fresh perspectives.
The Stranglehold of Red Tape
Unfortunately, the reality is often different to our experience collaborating with BUILDHOLLYWOOD. When it comes to activating public spaces, many communities face a daunting web of red tape. Health and safety regulations, risk assessments, and security concerns often prevent creative and spontaneous uses of public land. While these regulations are intended to protect, they often stifle creativity, joy, and the kind of organic community engagement that makes public spaces truly meaningful.
For example, my experience producing the People’s Pavilion highlighted the tension between planners’ concerns about vandalism and anti-social behaviour, and the need for spaces that encourage civic action and creativity. Too often, the fear of disruption overshadows the potential for meaningful, community-driven projects that could transform public spaces.
Lessons from Street Artists
Perhaps the most telling example of creative spontaneity in public spaces comes from street artists. Street art—often unregulated and unsanctioned—emerges organically, creating meaningful conversations and connections within communities. Banksy’s work, for instance, has sparked dialogue and brought attention to neglected urban spaces, while creating a sense of ownership within the communities that host these artworks.
Street art teaches us an important lesson: sometimes, the most powerful expressions of place and identity emerge outside the confines of bureaucratic processes. Could we learn from this when it comes to rethinking how we engage with our public spaces?
Shaping the Future: Shared Guardianship
The future of public spaces must be rooted in shared guardianship. Rather than relying solely on developers, policymakers, or private stakeholders to shape these spaces, we must create models where local communities take an active role in both the design and ongoing stewardship of these spaces. This means embracing flexibility, reducing over-regulation, and encouraging innovation.
Public spaces should be platforms for collaboration, dialogue, and creativity. Instead of treating them as static, controlled environments, we should view them as dynamic, living spaces that evolve with the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.
Moving Forward: Balancing Public and Private Interests
Ultimately, the solution lies in forging new partnerships between private stakeholders, local governments, and communities. These partnerships should emphasise shared responsibility, with an understanding that public spaces belong to the people who use them. We must explore alternative models of ownership and stewardship, such as community land trusts or co-design initiatives, that allow residents to have a say in the development and ongoing use of these spaces.
By breaking down the barriers of privatisation and over-regulation, we can reshape our civic spaces to be more inclusive, vibrant, and reflective of the communities they serve. Public spaces must no longer be viewed as commodities or opportunities for profit but as essential, democratic resources for the well-being of everyone.
All images courtesy of Beyond the Box
About the Author
Neil Onions is the founding director of Beyond the Box CIC, a social enterprise dedicated to fostering more equitable places through community collaboration and advocacy for diversity and inclusion within architecture and the built environment. With nearly 20 years of experience in equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), Neil has focused his work on neuro-diversity, supporting marginalised groups, and ensuring access to opportunities for young, diverse talent in the creative industries.
His organisation is particularly active in projects that promote accessibility and equity, such as the People’s Pavilion, and emphasises the importance of lived experiences in the design of spaces. Neil is a strong advocate for taking practical actions to increase diversity in architecture, particularly by nurturing young, diverse-led startups and providing mentorship.
https://www.beyondtheboxcic.com
https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/the-peoples-pavilion-2023-london-uk
https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/neil-onions-the-mentors-mentor-needs-link
About the WEdesign 2024/25 Series: Sharing Place
WEdesign is The Glass-House’s annual series of free interactive public events, held online and in-person in cities across the UK, where we explore collaborative design in placemaking through discussion, debate and playful co-design activities.
Sharing Place brings people together to propose more equitable ways of sharing our places and spaces, as well as creating places to share experiences, skills and other things we value, through thoughtful placemaking.
Our online events create provocative spaces for conversation and are open to participants across the UK and further afield. Our Think Pieces bring together a series of blogs from a range of voices to explore the WEdesign series theme.
WEdesign in-person events are safe spaces for diverse audiences to come together to explore challenging issues and to work collaboratively to generate ideas and solutions, co-designing propositions for changes to culture, policy and practice through hands-on making activities, discussion and debate. These events are co-facilitated by students from our WEdesign Student Programme, in collaboration with our partner universities in cities across the UK.
WEdesign is supported by the Ove Arup Foundation.
Find out more and book a place at one of our WEdesign Sharing Place events here.
Visit our WEdesign page to find out more about the WEdesign Programme and how we work with partner universities, students and external contributors here.
