Successes and failures of participation-in-design: Cases from Old Havana, Cuba

Participatory design approaches, such as Cuba's Community Architect Program, while innovative, face significant obstacles in historic urban contexts like Old Havana. Despite its rapid expansion and success in providing design advice to self-help builders nationwide, the program's effectiveness in Old Havana is limited by barriers such as access to materials, construction challenges, and management issues. A study analyzing two home renovation projects and resident perceptions revealed that while participatory design can foster community engagement, it must be complemented by broader initiatives addressing practical aspects of housing development to fully benefit low-income residents.

Valladares, A. (2017). Successes and failures of participation-in-design: Cases from Old Havana, Cuba. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 6(3), 401–411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2017.06.001