MTalks—Designing for Average is Average Design

Too often, through expediency, ignorance or habit, the design profession shapes environments to suit the needs and experience of an ‘average’ human being. However, designing for ‘average’ results in average design that meets the needs of some, while a diversity of people can be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in a place. To create the space for different approaches to how we plan and design our cities, we must start by making the time to understand the lived experience of the city from multiple perspectives. Facilitated by Cities People Love, this panel session brings together design practitioners whose work is informed by a diversity of lived experiences. This informal conversation brings to light the lived experiences and personal stories of people of diverse backgrounds and identities to understand how the design of our cities affects them, acknowledging that they are the experts in their own lives. Listeners are invited to learn and empathise from others whose lives may be very different to theirs—the starting point for making more compassionate cities that we can all love.