Designer Päivi Raivio is transforming London’s Barbican Centre into a vibrant and participatory public playground where visitors can design their own urban spaces. Running from August 14–16, 2026, as part of the Play Make Do festival, the installation titled "Basic Forms (of Urban Life)" brings together art, urban design, and play with the support of the Finnish Institute.
Modular Design and Geometric Elements
The foundation of the installation consists of simple geometric plywood elements that visitors can freely move, group, and rearrange. Functioning entirely as an open-ended kit of urban parts, these objects do not offer a fixed composition, instead giving rise to constantly changing forms.
The color palette draws direct inspiration from the Barbican's architectural details and surrounding concrete texture. Rather than competing with the environment, the structures establish a harmonious dialogue with it. Through the interventions of visitors, these objects transform into temporary meeting points, seating areas, or improvised platforms, turning public thoroughfares into social testing grounds.
Design Democracy in Public Spaces
Rooted in Northern Europe’s child-centric design traditions, the project champions the concept of "design democracy" in public spaces. By refusing to assign a single function to the objects, the installation allows visitors of all ages to shape the purpose of the items according to their own needs. This approach seeks a practical and participatory answer to questions regarding who public spaces belong to and who has the right to shape them.
Industry Reflections and Participation in Design
Such temporary and modular installations provide inspiring examples of how public spaces in modern urban planning processes can be designed to be more flexible, user-centric, and interactive. Eschewing fixed urban furniture in favor of approaches that encourage community participation, initiatives of this kind are redefining the use of public space within the disciplines of architecture and urban design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired the color palette of the "Basic Forms" installation?
The colors were selected by drawing inspiration from the Barbican’s iconic architectural details and the surrounding concrete texture; the goal is not to compete with the structures, but rather to reflect the character of the space.
What philosophy does this project champion in terms of urban design and architecture?
The project champions the concept of "design democracy"—questioning who shapes public spaces and prioritizing user participation by avoiding fixed, single-purpose functions for the objects.
*This news report has been prepared based on data published by Designboom.
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