Co-creating micro-scale nature-based designs in Tshwane, South Africa: balancing stakeholder interests in the design process

Rapid urbanization and climate adaptation pressures have escalated the need for co-created nature-based design solutions to address infrastructure challenges in urban green spaces. Yet, how diverse, cross-sectoral stakeholder expectations are navigated in these processes remains underexplored. This study investigates the feasibility of integrating co-creation into conventional landscape design practices, highlighting the associated stakeholder interests. The study took place in a South African marginalized peri-urban community and employed a multi-method approach including site surveys, focus group discussions, informal conversations, and co-design workshops. Our findings suggest that co-creation involves ascertaining buy-in from all stakeholders through a shared vision, inspiring capacity strengthening and empowerment, valuing knowledge exchange and reciprocal learning, identifying champions and bridging agents, and building bonds and maintaining trust. In co-creation, the designer becomes a facilitator rather than a creator, who must manage an extended co-design process that becomes part of the overall output. The feasibility of this process depends on managing degrees of co-creation through time, balancing desired outcomes between stakeholders, and focusing on dedicated engagement. Despite challenges, co-creating micro-scale nature-based designs can be used as a method of contextual inquiry and show potential to foster social inclusivity, reciprocal learning, and sustainable urban green space transformation.