Coastal Garden Festival: Enhancing Coastal Communities' Resilience

Duration: Feb 2024 - Apr 2024

Location: East Haven, Glasgow

Cooperation: East Haven Together Community and GSA teammates

My Role: User Researcher, Service Designer, Engagement Coordinator

Focus: Coastal Residents, Local Democracy, Bottom-up Mechanism

Design Outcomes: Place Development Strategy, System Design, Service Design

Project Introduction

Scotland has an 18,000 km coastline, with half its population living near the sea. Coastal communities have historically adapted to extreme weather but now face significant challenges due to climate change. The effects include rising sea levels, coastal erosion, temperature increases affecting species, ocean acidification, the spread of non-native species, and the loss of certain native species.

Celebrating Scotland’s coasts is crucial for honoring the heritage and resilience of these communities. The Coastal Garden Festival (CGF) aims to address climate change impacts while encouraging collaboration among specialists to develop sustainable strategies for the future.

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Project Framework

• Research Question

Scottish coastal residents are at the center of our project. The Coastal Garden Festival allows Coastal residents to participate in local climate decision-making and reflects how local democracies can be achieved.

The coastal garden festival provides an opportunity for coastal residents to exchange and share ideas with inland residents, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in the marine industry. We rarely define the Coastal Garden Festival as an informal and vibrant festival that brings people from different fields to the homes of coastal residents. Residents have a voice, knowledge of the region, and local experience. Local democracy and climate will not be serious and only exist in professional fields. This is our top-down approach to the challenge.

• Design Challenges and Goals

  
  

Coastal communities are leading the transition to ecologically-centered living. Our proposal challenges top-down development narratives by focusing on the needs of coastal residents. We aim to energize these efforts through our Coastal Garden Festival, which serves as a platform for communication and connection. The festival celebrates these communities, reflects on sustainability, and inspires hope.

These gatherings mark successes, share challenges, and strengthen bonds, allowing us to connect deeply with one another, the more-than-human world, and the ocean.

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• Design Objectives

The Coastal Garden Festival is designed to:

1. Generate measures to address the climate crisis: Promote sustainable development and environmental protection in Scotland's coastal communities through stakeholders collaboration.

2. Share successful experiences: Highlight coastal ares diverse cultures and histories, while sharing coastal communities's successful experiences.

3. Celebrating the success of community governance: Celebrate the efforts of Scotland's coastal communities in promoting environmental protection and sustainable development.

4. Transforming the relationship between humans and nature: Advocate for sustainability and tell the unique stories of these communities within the global marine crisis, fostering new relationships between humans and nature.

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• Design Impacts

For Scotland:

• Uniting Scotland's Coastal Communities to Build a New National Identity

For community:

• Increase the motivation and cohesion of coastal communities in the face of the crisis in the marine environment

• Enrich the knowledge and experience of coastal communities in the face of coastal crises

• Reinvigorate the culture of coastal communities.

For coastal residents: 

• Increase resilience to the challenges of coastal life

• Strengthen links with coastal communities

For inland residents:

• To increase resilience to the challenges of coastal life

• To strengthen links with coastal communities.

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Research Outcomes

• Policy Research and Case Studies

We analyzed and discussed the discourse surrounding the Blue Economy through desk research. The Scottish government has published several documents addressing the state of Scotland's Blue Economy and related policies. The National Performance Framework (NPF) outlines the goals for Scotland's future, including aspects of the Blue Economy. However, using asset-based language creates a dualism between "man and nature," and only a small section of the NPF is dedicated to the marine environment, which is part of the broader Environment category.

We have conducted extensive case studies and gained information about the geographical boundaries, biodiversity, human-non-human relationships, and community resilience of coastal areas.

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• Speculative Artefacts

Based on the desk research, to speculate the definition of the Coastal Garden, we proposed 3 key factors of the coastal garden: space for humans and non-humans, social connection, and resilience. Possibilities, and make it an engagement tool, which is a booklet to show the research outcome to the local community (East Haven Together Community).

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• Climate Community and Climate Expert Interviews

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• Community Workshop

We realize the importance of the community and its residents. We hope to understand the content of residents' sense of regional responsibility and the values of coastal communities through workshops. Why do people take on regional responsibility, what do they do, and how do they feel about the region?

In the first section, through this map, we wanted to understand residents' perceptions of local natural and cultural features and the emotional connections and unforgettable memories they have with these features. These recollection points form a special relationship between residents and the community and provide insight into their perspective.

The second section is a personal profile containing information about actions and responsibilities in the lives of residents. Residents take on various responsibilities in coastal communities, and through this process, we will explore the boundaries of their responsibilities in coastal communities. By knowing what residents care about, we can better understand their roles and involvement in the community.

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• Thematic Analysis: Challenges, Insights, and Opportunities

Insights:

1. Extremely strong community cohesion of residents: The practices of coastal residents and the coastal community demonstrate community cohesion and, to some extent, demonstrate the value of collaboration, pround of place( include deep emotional connection) and the relevance of human and non-human connections among the community's residents.

2. Residents’ sense of responsibility for the place: Community residents' passion for the location and personal emotions about it lead to a sense of responsibility for the place, as well as a sense of identity and pride in the area.

3. Residents’ capacity: coastal communities have extensive knowledge in local governance and practices, and its members are prepared to respond to the climate issue.

4. Concern for the place of dwelling and the surrounding area: Concerns and community actions extend beyond their immediate areas, as their lives are often connected.

5. Community practice as a way to foster connections among residents: residents engage in community activities not only to respond to the climate issue but also to socialize and create emotional bonds with other neighbors.

thematic analysis

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Design Strategy

• Design Strategy: Celebration Campaign as a Supportive Platform to Motivate Collaboration

These interviews played a crucial role in refining our design concept for the Gardens by the Sea Festival. We are advised to fully embrace the informal nature of the event, nurturing an 'in-between space' where the coastal area catalyzes imagination and celebration. The community and residents would organize a celebration, and it was encouraging that respondents were positive about the concept and believed there was a strong interest in this celebration within the coastal network.

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• Design Concept: 'Coastal Garden Festival' for Stakeholders

1. WHAT: The Coastal Garden Festival (CGFs) is a rallying point for people facing the challenges of climate change. As our coastal communities feel the increasing pressures of environmental shifts, this festival serves as a beacon of solidarity and celebration of regenerative practices.

2. WHY: Amidst the ongoing struggles, we recognize the importance of coming together to replenish our spirits and renew our determination. By celebrating together, we harness collective energy and motivation to tackle the challenges ahead with renewed vigor.

3. OBJECTIVES: Celebrate the accomplishments of the community; pass on knowledge and joyful memories to others; and provide more space for the coastal residents to explore its extensive cultural and historical heritage.

4. FOR WHOM: The CGF serves as a platform for developing relationships between the Scottish government, coastal communities, local citizens, and others who are passionate about coastal issues. Provide space and services for them to share their knowledge, celebrate pleasant moments, and raise people's coastal awareness.

5. WHEN: Every year, the first weekend of August is when the CGF takes place. It's people's celebration day in August, the month of harvest.

6. HOW: The CGF will be organized annually by a different Scottish coastal community each year. Coastal communities have the opportunity to apply to host the yearly festival.

   
   

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Design Outcomes

• Service Design

Coastal residents are at the center of our stakeholders. Our festival is about building relationships between coastal residents, external groups, and individuals.

The Coastal Gardens Festival provides a platform for coastal community residents, outside groups, and individuals to communicate and connect. Each year, the festival is hosted by a different coastal community around various thematic elements.

These communities are joined by local entities and festival organisers as host communities, all providing support and assistance to coastal residents during the event. Through the variety of festival activities, attendees can gain expertise related to the coastal environment and learn about the lives of residents, helping them to be able to reflect on solutions to the crisis in their coastal communities and to consider a more proactive approach to living in coastal areas in the future.

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• Event Experience Design

event programme (designed by Uma Burns )

• Website and Promotional Materials Design

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Reflection

This project focuses on engaging young people in climate practices in a positive and informal way, lowering barriers to participation. It also amplifies local residents' voices, representing a bottom-up climate response and fostering coastal cultural diversity. I have witnessed the strength of individuals in this project; they often possess valuable skills and knowledge. As a designer, I believe it's important to recognize and respect everyone's contributions.

Thanks for reading :) I am willing to share more information about the project with you. If you would like to read the entire project content, please send an email to bessiepak@gmail.com

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