Democratic Design

Our democracy is in crisis. Many people have lost faith in civic engagement, withdrawing instead into protest or resignation. Others seek greater inclusion but are denied equal access. Democracy requires tools that spark interest, inspire involvement and enable participation.

Architecture and urban planning hold significant potential as drivers of fairer and broader inclusion—particularly for those whose voices remain unheard in political discourse and the shaping of public space. They also open pathways into crucial debates about democracy and the future of our shared living environment. A democratic society equally depends on well-designed public and architectural spaces. The growing complexity of societal challenges calls for innovative and inclusive approaches. Architects can play a central role in this, as architecture and urban planning have always relied on teamwork and compromise. Emerging forms of collaboration and the rise of young, transdisciplinary collectives signal a shift towards a cooperative culture that prioritises the common good and challenges established hierarchies.

In Democratic Design Aedes explores how architecture, planning processes and public spaces can foster democratic engagement and social cohesion—more urgent than ever in times of profound societal uncertainty. Curated by the Aedes team, the programme brings together an exhibition, a Lab Talk series and a catalogue with contributions from practitioners in Berlin, across Germany and throughout Europe. At its heart are democratic planning processes and the spaces they create. The projects and contributions were selected through an open call in cooperation with European architecture centres and through research conducted by the Aedes team. 

The exhibition presents notable projects, buildings, tools and spatial interventions by studios, collectives and initiatives that amplify marginalised voices, encourage participation, inspire collective visions for the future and foster the ability to accept differing viewpoints and to compromise—the very foundations of a democratic culture. More.

Projects in the exhibition
Concrete to Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2023
The Collective Foundation

Cotranspose—Reclaiming Spaces of Belonging, North Evros, Greece, 2025
Eleni Tsompanidou / Ligeia Papaioannou

CRCLR House, Berlin, Germany, 2023
CRCLR GmbH / Stiftung Edith Maryon / die Zusammenarbeiter / TRNSFRM eG / Impact Hub / Campus Cosmopolis e.V.

Disco School, Murska Sobota, Slovenia / Vienna, Austria /  Firminy, France / Valparaíso, Colombia, 2020–24
Sara Božanić, Slovenia / Jimmy Loizeau, UK / Matt Ward, UK.

East Quay, Watchet, UK, 2021
Invisible Studio / Onion Collective

EUROPARC, Brussels, Belgium, 2021
Coldefy, France / CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, Italy / Ensamble Studio, Spain / NL Architects, Netherlands  / JDS Architects, Denmark / UTIL, Belgium / Ramboll, Denmark 

Kiosk of Solidarity, Berlin, Germany, since 2023
Kiosk of Solidarity

Maison Commune, Pantin, France, 2023
Plan Común

MittenIm,  Niederwerrn, Germany, 2024
Municipality of Niederwerrn / Schlicht Lamprecht Kern Architects

Operation Himmelblick, Berlin, Germany, since 2020
stadtgewitter e.V.

Organisms Democracy, Berlin, Germany, since 2019
Club Real / Organismendemokratie e.V.

PRISMA Schwaben-Bräu-Passage, Stuttgart, Germany, 2023
PRISMA, Fläche e.V. / STUDIO CROSS SCALE / City of Stuttgart 

Prossima Apertura, Aprilia, Italy, 2021
Orizzontale 

Research—Performance—Co-creation, Stuttgart/Berlin, Germany, since 2016
Studio Malta (Marta Toscano, Aida Nejad, Jan-Timo Ort, Aaron Schirrmann)

Schelde Assembly, Southwestern Coast, Netherlands, since 2021
Studio Inscape (founded by Charlotte von Meijenveldt, Willie Vogel, Eileen Stornebrink, Maarten Meijer)

schwarzwurzel / Community Park Kopernikus, Thuringia, Germany, 2010-15 / since 2017
Karolin Leipold / Lucio Nardi / cultural association schwarzwurzel / residents’ group Zusammenwachsen / Ralf Appelfeller 

Student Residence Collegium Academicum, Heidelberg, Germany, 2023
Collegium Academicum GmbH

The Blue Table, Berlin, Germany, 2024
Office ParkScheerbarth (Benjamin Scheerbarth, Moojin Park)

VinziRast-mittendrin, Vienna, Austria, 2013
Students from the University of Vienna / Vinzenzgemeinschaft St. Stephan / gaupenraub+/-

vizz – Collaborative Design in Real Time, virtual, Germany, 2024
Johannes Schwutke / Matthias Faber / Rebekka Pottgüter / Gustavo Rodrigues in collaboration with HPP Architects

Where the Circle Opens, Berlin, Germany / Toulouse, France / Lausanne, Switzerland / Ghent, Belgium / The Hague, Netherlands / Porto, Portugal / Gothenburg, Sweden, since 2010
Constructlab

Wolny Jazdów—Open Jazdów, Warsaw, Poland, since 2013
Inhabitants of Jazdów settlement

Democratic Design is made possible through the generous support of the Berlin Capital Cultural Fund (Hauptstadtkulturfonds) and additional support from the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS.