Short answer

Design public spaces not just as functional areas, but as adaptable environments that empower users to express their identity, build community, and feel a sense of ownership and safety.

Field
User-Centred Design
Source
Quaderni di Sociologia (2023)
Method
Photovoice research
Evidence
Moderate effect

Young women actively shape and personalize urban environments, transforming public spaces into extensions of their personal identity and social connections, particularly in response to societal constraints. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Quaderni di Sociologia. Using Photovoice research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design public spaces not just as functional areas, but as adaptable environments that empower users to express their identity, build community, and feel a sense of ownership and safety.

Study
User-Centred DesignRecentModerate effect

Young Women 'Domesticate' Urban Spaces to Foster Identity and Belonging

Young women actively shape and personalize urban environments, transforming public spaces into extensions of their personal identity and social connections, particularly in response to societal constraints.

Quaderni di Sociologia · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01Young women actively 'domesticate' urban spaces, imbuing them with personal meaning and familiarity.
  • 02The city serves as a critical site for identity formation and peer relationship building for young women.
  • 03Participants demonstrated agency in navigating and transforming public spaces, often playfully and reflectively, in response to patriarchal and adult-centric structures.
  • 04The research highlighted a desire for proximity and human connection in urban environments, amplified by pandemic-induced social distancing.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Design public spaces not just as functional areas, but as adaptable environments that empower users to express their identity, build community, and feel a sense of ownership and safety.

How to apply

When designing public parks, community centers, or streetscapes, consider incorporating flexible design elements, community art opportunities, and spaces that encourage social interaction and personal expression.

Project actions

  • 01Consider how different user groups might 'claim' or adapt spaces.
  • 02Use qualitative methods like interviews or observation to understand user-generated meanings of spaces.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow do young women actively engage with and personalize urban public spaces to construct their identities and foster a sense of belonging?
MethodPhotovoice research
ProcedureA feminist collective of high school final-year students used photography to document their experiences and perceptions of urban public spaces, focusing on instances of gender-based micro-violence and their strategies for navigating these environments.
ContextUrban public spaces, post-pandemic context, gendered city

Variables

IVUser engagement with urban public space
DVSense of identity, belonging, and personalization of space
CVDemographic characteristics of participants, specific urban location
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Utilizes a participatory research method (photovoice) that centers user voices.
  • +Provides rich qualitative data on user experiences and perceptions.

Limitations

The findings are specific to the cultural and social context of the study participants and may not apply universally.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be enhanced by using multiple researchers to interpret photovoice data. Validity is strengthened by the direct engagement of participants in representing their experiences.

Think critically

To what extent can designers proactively facilitate this 'domestication' process, or is it inherently a user-driven phenomenon?

05

Design Principles

"Empower users to co-create and personalize their environments to foster a sense of belonging and identity."

Understanding how users, especially specific demographics like young women, interact with and adapt public spaces is crucial for designing environments that feel safe, inclusive, and personally relevant. This insight highlights the need to move beyond purely functional design to consider the emotional and social dimensions of space.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Young women make public places feel like their own by adding personal touches and using them to connect with friends, which helps them figure out who they are.

How to use in your project

  • 1.This research can inform the user research phase of a design project, helping to identify user needs related to identity and social connection in public spaces.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights how young women actively 'domesticate' urban public spaces, transforming them into extensions of their personal identity and social networks. This process involves a playful yet mindful engagement with the environment, demonstrating agency in creating a sense of belonging and safety, particularly in response to societal constraints and the need for human connection.

09

Source

Quaderni di Sociologia

‘It was like walking inside myself’:Youngwomen’s Practices of Domestication in the Gendered City

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about young women 'domesticate' urban spaces to foster identity and belonging?
Design public spaces not just as functional areas, but as adaptable environments that empower users to express their identity, build community, and feel a sense of ownership and safety. Evidence: Quaderni di Sociologia (2023).
Why does "Young Women 'Domesticate' Urban Spaces to Foster Identity and Belonging" matter for design?
Understanding how users, especially specific demographics like young women, interact with and adapt public spaces is crucial for designing environments that feel safe, inclusive, and personally relevant. This insight highlights the need to move beyond purely functional design to consider the emotional and social dimensions of space.
How can designers apply this research?
Design public spaces not just as functional areas, but as adaptable environments that empower users to express their identity, build community, and feel a sense of ownership and safety.
What were the main findings?
Young women actively 'domesticate' urban spaces, imbuing them with personal meaning and familiarity.. The city serves as a critical site for identity formation and peer relationship building for young women.. Participants demonstrated agency in navigating and transforming public spaces, often playfully and reflectively, in response to patriarchal and adult-centric structures.. The research highlighted a desire for proximity and human connection in urban environments, amplified by pandemic-induced social distancing.
What research method was used?
Photovoice research.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Quaderni di Sociologia.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing public parks, community centers, or streetscapes, consider incorporating flexible design elements, community art opportunities, and spaces that encourage social interaction and personal expression.
What are the limitations?
The study focused on a specific demographic (young women in Cagliari) and may not be generalizable to all user groups or urban contexts. The photovoice method relies on participant interpretation and representation.