Supporting Participatory Urban Climate Decision-Making Through Hybrid Modelling Tools: Integrating LEGO® models and climate simulation in co-design

The integration of climate adaptation and mitigation in urban transformation requires a synthesis of knowledge from two distinct yet interconnected domains. On the one hand, there is the local experiential knowledge, driven by the specific concerns and priorities of the local community. On the other hand, there is the domain of expert knowledge, which is instrumental in evaluating the effects of climate change using quantitative indicators. Current approaches tend to privilege one over the other: co-design methods often lack feedback on the climatic effectiveness of proposed solutions, while simulation-driven processes struggle to incorporate place-based insights and collective preferences [1].

This work presents a hybrid participatory workflow designed to bridge these two domains. The approach involves the use of physical models built with LEGO® bricks integrated with a 3D digital environment (Rhino/Grasshopper) capable of evaluating urban climate scenarios [2] [3]. Participants work with physical models to explore spatial configurations that incorporate urban climate actions such as vegetation implementation, surface material changes, and shading devices. These configurations are then transferred into the digital model, where they undergo climate performance assessment. Results are communicated back to participants, informing subsequent design iterations. This creates a loop in which local knowledge shapes design hypotheses, while expert knowledge provides evaluative feedback, revealing trade-offs between adaptation priorities (e.g., thermal comfort, shading) and mitigation objectives (e.g., reduced energy demand, carbon sequestration).

The workflow was tested within “Dundrum by Design” [4]: a community-based initiative developed in Dublin as part of the European PROBONO project. Preliminary observations focus on how the feedback loop affects participants' understanding of climate interdependencies and their capacity to negotiate conflicting spatial priorities. The contribution analyses the potential and limitations of this approach for facilitating access to expert knowledge without compromising local agency in decision-making processes.

1. Hudson-Smith, A. (2022). Incoming Metaverses: Digital Mirrors for Urban Planning. Urban Planning, 7(2), 343–354. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v7i2.5193

2. Nocerino, G., Leone, M.F. (2024). WorkerBEE: A 3D Modelling Tool for Climate Resilient Urban Development. In: Calabrò, F., Madureira, L., Morabito, F.C., Piñeira Mantiñán, M.J. (eds) Networks, Markets & People. NMP 2024. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 1189. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-74723-6_2

3. Tewdwr-Jones, M., & Wilson, A. (2022). Co-Designing Urban Planning Engagement and Innovation: Using LEGO® to Facilitate Collaboration, Participation and Ideas. Urban Planning, 7(2). https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/4960/2587

4. Dundrum by Design (2025). Dundrum by Design [ArcGIS StoryMap]. Esri ArcGIS StoryMaps. Available at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/54c6fddc4cdf4649875dd9802c8ca899