ExperieNcing Infrastructures in DisrEpAiR

ENDEAR – ExperieNcing Infrastructures in DisrEpAiR addresses the need to understand how immersive virtual group meetings, in which multiple, geographically-dispersed stakeholders with differing perspectives interact with 3D models, can help create capacity for collective action in complex problem situations. It pilots this form of engagement with relevance to future cities and practices for collaboratively shaping urban environments.

ENDEAR focuses on infrastructure for inclusive, prosperous and sustainable cities. Commercial-developer-led citizen engagement for urban (re)development tends to focus on shiny models of clean, safe, and grand redesigns of derelict areas and their infrastructures, thereby rarely thematising the need for engagement in infrastructure maintenance and care. Yet, as the Covid-19 crisis has shown, innovative participatory approaches are needed to tackle the exclusionary effects of temporarily suspended urban infrastructures (e.g., transport) and broken infrastructures (e.g., poor and overcrowded housing conditions and health). ENDEAR seeks to investigate whether we can create a desire to engage in collective care and repair behaviours towards decaying urban infrastructures by (re)creating the experience of socio-spatial proximity with assets in disrepair in immersive virtual environments with 3D model interaction.

The project seeks to develop local capacity for participatory engagement projects with digital tech for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. On a practical level, it contributes educational resources to develop the capability to host groups and interact with 3D models to discuss complex topics in immersive meeting environment platforms.

The project is funded by the Bristol Digital Futures Institute (BDFI)