Diverse viewpoints on tactical urbanism in vacant lots: a collaborative design with young planner candidates in Türkiye

Urban design and planning require collaborative processes that integrate diverse user perspectives. Tactical urbanism involves small, temporary interventions in public spaces to meet daily needs through the collaboration of various stakeholders. This paper aims to foster tactical urbanism in vacant lots, emphasising the significance of incorporating diverse perspectives. The study, based on participatory action research, discusses the individual viewpoints of young city planner candidates assuming diverse roles across three themes: belonging, aesthetics, and usefulness, and to evaluate the results of two-method exercises applied in the Karşıyaka case study in İzmir. Participants, consisting of students from various universities in Türkiye, expressed their individual opinions and collective viewpoints through the techniques of photovoice and six thinking hats, respectively. Comparing two methods for evaluating vacant lots within three themes of tactical urbanism demonstrated that the photovoice technique enabled students to search for meanings of spaces and express their thoughts through photos. Meanwhile, the six thinking hats technique facilitated empathy towards diverse perspectives. The findings underscore the essentiality of adopting a holistic approach to urban design that encompasses aesthetics, functionality, and inclusivity, integrating diverse opinions. Young planner candidates in this study acknowledged the importance of collaboration and diverse perspectives in urban design and planning.