Architectural co-creation tools for addressing the flooding and inundation prone city

Abstract Flood management in developing cities like Pangkalpinang often relies on conventional top-down approaches that neglect the community’s socio-economic and cultural context, leading to socially unacceptable interventions. This paper explores the potential of a participatory co-creation approach to bridge this gap. This study employs a participatory action research methodology structured into three main stages: (1) spatial and socio-cultural mapping of the Rangkui River area; (2) co-design workshops using tangible tools, specifically design regulation inventory cards, to facilitate Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with community members and stakeholders; and (3) synthesizing the outputs into an integrated urban design proposal. The findings reveal that the co-creation process successfully produced a shared vision centered on the “Heritage Landscape of Rangkui,” which integrates physical flood mitigation measures (e.g., retaining walls, river normalization) with community-driven spatial needs (e.g., public parks, improved waste management systems). The research demonstrates that architectural co-creation tools are effective not only in generating technically sound design options but also in fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring that solutions are grounded in the community’s real-life experiences and aspirations. This integrated approach offers a robust model for developing sustainable and socially-accepted flood resilience strategies.