Joyful Spaces

Designing Together to Create Meaningful Architecture
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-915722-51-5
Verlag: RIBA Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 208 Seiten, Format (B × H): 210 mm x 250 mm, Gewicht: 900 g

To be joyful is to experience, express or cause great pleasure and happiness.

But how can we convey this in built form? What makes a joyful space, and how do you design one?

To be joyful, spaces have to resonate with the people who use them. Joyful Spaces dives into the collaborative design process, exploring how to connect meaningfully with clients and communities - through briefing games and activities, workshops and sensory tools - to produce beautiful, functional designs, rich in colour, texture and crafted detail. When the design process is approached wholeheartedly, with genuine commitment, this fosters moments of collective inspiration resulting in built works that evoke real pleasure.

At the heart of this book is a series of case studies that demonstrate how designing together creates joyful and meaningful spaces. This human-centred approach is something that is critically missing from the growing discussions around AI-led design. The projects include domestic, education, community and public spaces, with each connecting to a sense of belonging, purpose and place. Ultimately, Joyful Spaces is a celebration of an approach to design that is collaborative, people-focused, playful and engaging, with connection at its very core.

Features:

- A brief history of participatory design, exploring the origins of this approach.

- Over 20 international case studies from leading practices including: Anna Heringer, AOC, Fisher Cheng, Matt + Fiona, MAAK, New Practice, Nimtim, Plano Perzig and We Made That.

- A practical toolkit, drawing lessons from the projects covered.

- Rich visual material, including photographs, sketches and plans.

Zielgruppe

Professional Practice & Development

Autoren/Hrsg.

Attanayake, Nimi

O'Callaghan, Tim

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Gestaltung, Darstellung, Bautechnik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface Introduction A brief history of designing together Case studies: i. Living Together ii. Playing together iii. Learning Together iv. Coming together Toolkit Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

Nimi Attanayake is director and co founder of nimtim architects. Nimi has worked for some of London’s most highly regarded practices including Penoyre & Prasad and Hawkins/ Brown. Nimi is a member of the Design South East Panel. This multidisciplinary panel of leading construction professionals provides a clear, constructive and consistent voice on design quality in the built environment for Local Authorities across SE England.

Tim O'Callaghan is director and co-founder of nimtim architects. Tim has worked at OMA in Rotterdam and David Chipperfield architects in London. Tim is passionate about collaborative design and developed nimtim’s process-driven design approach that embeds co-creation with clients and building users in every project the practice undertakes.