Case study: developing campus spaces through co-creation

Higher education institutions are designed to support their core processes – learning, teaching, research, and societal impact. In order for university facilities to support these activities, it is crucial to determine together with the users what these activities are and how they are supposed to be developed in the future. This article examines the relationship between user needs and the service level in construction projects through a case study where a university cafeteria was renovated using a participatory design (PD) method called charrette. The aim of this case study was to study the effects of collaborative ways of working when applied to a space retrofit project, and how the co-created ideas are actualized during the project. Based on video observation, project document analysis, and survey questionnaires, this research shows that PD duly provides a positive impact on the resulting premises, even though every part of the project may not be successful. However, the use of PD during the concept design phase does not necessarily guarantee success. The accomplishments can be undone in the later phases of the project if collaboration is not extended through the entire project. Further, the findings of this case study revealed a framework of user needs that can be used in design management in order to enhance the user perspective.