Urban co-creation for territorial integration: a participatory lab for inclusive urbanism education in informal settlements

This paper explores how digital tools advance participatory urban design education in informal settlements. Grounded in experiential learning theory and participatory action research, the Urban Co-Creation Laboratory in Villas del Mar, Colombia, employed collaborative BIM and the Urban Inclusion Marker (MIU) to enhance collective visualization, territorial diagnosis, and data-based decision-making. These tools improved community engagement, communication, and evidence-driven collaboration among participants. Comparative results highlight pedagogical and social benefits, including greater spatial sensitivity and stakeholder cooperation. The findings underscore academia’s role in inclusive, digitally supported initiatives and propose a scalable model for technology-enhanced urban education in vulnerable contexts.