The Neighbourhood Assembly of Pollokshields
Urban Building
Location: Darnley Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow
Year: 2024
Taking the citizens’ assembly model, a deliberative and participatory democratic mechanism, which aims to make the political process more transparent and equitable to the national electorate; The urban building aims to establish a common space to provide a new level of political agency for local residents.
Despite being productive and sometimes effective at implementing necessary change, at national level, they often fail to come to fruition. The recommendations of citizens’ assemblies are not binding, and there’s no guarantee that policymakers will implement them. If there’s a lack of political appetite or if the recommendations go against the interest of those in power, the efforts of the assembly may not lead to tangible change.
By situating an assembly at the neighbourhood level, more micro-political factors can be addressed and tackled, having a more immediate impact for residents. As more and more people are losing faith in their elected members of parliament, the neighbourhood scale presents a more tangible connection to political agency.
Urban Building
Location: Darnley Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow
Year: 2024
Micro-Political Agency for Pollokshields
Taking the citizens’ assembly model, a deliberative and participatory democratic mechanism, which aims to make the political process more transparent and equitable to the national electorate; The urban building aims to establish a common space to provide a new level of political agency for local residents.
Despite being productive and sometimes effective at implementing necessary change, at national level, they often fail to come to fruition. The recommendations of citizens’ assemblies are not binding, and there’s no guarantee that policymakers will implement them. If there’s a lack of political appetite or if the recommendations go against the interest of those in power, the efforts of the assembly may not lead to tangible change.
By situating an assembly at the neighbourhood level, more micro-political factors can be addressed and tackled, having a more immediate impact for residents. As more and more people are losing faith in their elected members of parliament, the neighbourhood scale presents a more tangible connection to political agency.
